Ultimate Frisbee, Ultimate Friendship
In 2012, two Fauquier High School student athletes formed a fun, social, fitness-focused ultimate frisbee group as a way to stay active during the summer after the school year and the track season ended. This group has been meeting twice a week late spring to early fall ever since.
The growth over the years has been entirely organic and the group has weathered everything from people growing up and moving away to a global pandemic, going strong through it all. They meet twice a week and anyone can join. The vibe is incredibly inclusive and welcoming and it is so cool to see something that is local, fun and prioritizes physical and mental health and well-being.
“It has really grown over the years,” says Frank Delavergne, who founded the group more than 10 years with his twin brother, Ed.
Frank is an accomplished track and field athlete on the high school and collegiate level and a group that started as very track and field-esque has expanded and evolved to include an extensive variety of sports backgrounds, interests, levels, ages and abilities.
Younger siblings would tag along with their brothers or sisters, Frank shares, and over time get more involved to become a part of the next generation keeping this going.
“We keep passing the torch,” Frank says. “And hope everyone stays connected.”
One early evening on a recent Thursday in June that mission certainly seemed accomplished as more than 25 people gathered at the Central Sports Complex off Meeetze Road in Warrenton.
“It is absolutely great that people keep coming back each year and it is still growing,” says Joe Evans, who played frisbee on the collegiate level, currently plays ultimate competitively and who joined the group soon after it formed. “It’s fantastic for the sport picking up more awareness - fans - and for the social aspect of all who go.”
The sun settled into the late afternoon sky as day started to shift to dusk and this picture perfect scene felt welcoming and happy. Long-time friends shared familiar greetings. College students just home for summer break caught up with those they had not seen in a while. New joiners received an instant and warm welcome.
“Watching everyone grow up maturity wise and getting better at the game of disc has to be the best memory or feeling to see how far we all have come over the years,” Joe says.
A natural element of joy and nostalgia seems to accompany summertime and this particular June evening magnified that sense of abundant daylight, endless possibilities and so many smiles.
Laughter and conversation filtered through the warm breeze and rays of early summer sunshine danced across the field as players rustled through their bags for cleats, water bottles and gear.
“What I would say has changed the most is how much more competitive it has gotten,” Joe says. “It’s all the same good welcoming group, but now it changed from shoes or barefoot to almost everyone wearing cleats!”
As it has for more than a decade, the group meets twice a week, currently at 6:45 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays playing multiple games for about two hours. The game is a fun and fast-paced format of make it, take it and as people continue to arrive they are seamlessly rotated onto the field.
“I like that the guys prioritize keeping the game moving over being super strict with the rules,” says Dale Weyman. “They keep it fair and fun.”
Dale joined in 2017 and continues to support the growth of the group while promoting the fun and positive culture of the sport. Among his many contributions, he created a Facebook group to help keep everyone connected with communication around games, dates and field location. You can follow along with the conversation on Facebook at Warrenton Ultimate Frisbee Pickup. Better yet, stop by one Monday or Thursday to see for yourself.
Rady Park was the original location, and sometimes still is, but most often these days games are played at the Central Sports Complex. And anyone is welcome!
“One thing that has stayed the same from the beginning is the endless invitations we send to people either by word of mouth online or through text,” Joe says. “I always seem to be inviting more people every time I’m at work or see an old friend just passing through the street.”
So, whether you know someone in the group or not, whether you are totally new to the game, getting back into the sport after some time away from it or super familiar with frisbee this is an amazing and welcoming group comprised of all ages and abilities.
“Everybody is accommodating to newbies,” Dale says. “Bring a friend and match up with them.”
This fun, fitness-forward twice weekly pickup game provides an opportunity to close the laptop, set aside the smart phone and enjoy an awesome sport with friendly competition in a social setting.
“Always a good workout. Always a good time. Always something to look forward to,” Dale says.
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As a columnist for FauquierNow, this was originally written by me for Fit in Fauquier, our fitness and well-being column.