ISB cools off with ‘ultimate’

For Ultimate Frisbee players around the world, it’s time to rejoice as the game has just been recognised by the International Olympics Committee. And though the sport has found players in just a few cities in India, little does one know that Hyderabad’s Indian School of Business has been host to Ultimate Frisbee matches for quite a few years.

Walk into ISB’s sports field any evening and the place will be bustling with energy. While football matches continue till about 11pm, the field is then taken over by frisbee players. Arnab Adak, sports club president from ISB, explains the sport. “There are two teams of seven each and the basic aim is to pass the frisbee to your partner without the disc touching the ground. If it does, the point goes to the opponent team. Also, when you have the disc in your hand, you can’t run. Instead, your partners will move ahead of you and take position,” he says.

Just like rugby, there’s a touchdown too but unlike rugby, Ultimate Frisbee is a non-contact sport. ISB students have been playing the game for four-five years now and every batch gets to know about it from their online portal. “There are even a few ISB alumni, who got to know the sport here and today are part of the national team. Another interesting point is, every evening ISB alumni, who are working here in Hyderabad, come to play with us,” adds Adak.

Vidyasagar Ayyappan, a student who has been playing Ultimate Frisbee in his hometown Mumbai for the team Stormchasers, was more than excited to find that the sport is played religiously at ISB. “It’s also a game that evokes interest. People want to know how it’s played. There are limited chances of injuries and it’s also one of the few sports that are gender neutral,” says Vidyasagar, adding, “The game is quite goofy too. The team names across the country are like Airborne Chicken Pox or Stray Dogs, Sweaters etc.” Ultimate Frisbee has also become a networking ground. “We get to interact with the alumni. And not just them, as it’s a team sport, we get to know each other better too. It doesn’t take long to learn the game as it’s not very technical,” says Arnab.

Every day, without fail, the students gather at the field and depending on the academic schedule, the game goes on till even till 2 am . “We even have a Whatsapp group and every afternoon, people start messaging about who all will be turning up for the day’s game,” he says. “It’s a legacy that is being carried forward. Not just that, this has become our party place. We even celebrate birthdays on the field,” says Vidyasagar, adding, “Recognition of the sport is one thing, we now have to aim for inclusion.”