Frisbee club?

On Tuesday, October 19th, 2010, I did the best thing I could have done for the children of village.  No, I didn’t teach them to wash their grubby little hands or read and write; I had my first Ultimate Frisbee lesson!

Their interest had been peaked the Sunday past, when a fellow volunteer visited me and, much to appease me, he asked if we could throw around the disc.  He was more amused by me then the actual act of playing catch- it had been almost 3 months since I had touched a disc and I was practicing my throws and steeping out, “taking it seriously” as he put it, and the whole time he said I had a huge smile on my face and was as giddy as a school girl.  What can I say, I love Ultimate.  Subsequently, throwing out in my front yard we became the village attraction.  It took no time at all before ALL the children gathered around to watch.  Even men passing by on their bike or women walking from the center of town to their homes with big basins on their head would stop and watch the two nasaras make fools of themselves with the disc. It was a lovely Sunday Afternoon. 

It was the following Tuesday, and I had finally just gotten a small group of girls to leave my house for a little peace and quiet, when a boy around the age of 10 came to my doorstep and asked to lancer and did a flicking motion with his wrist.  Well, okay.  Who am I to deny someone the joy of throwing a disc around?  Soon we had gathered a crowd of children.  Two stood out as having real potential with their throws- the boy, Sergio, and a girl named Ida.   Sergio had a good start on his backhand, just needed to flatten it out, and when I showed him and gave in instructions in English he still seemed to understand.  Ida’s first instinct was a flick, so I showed her the proper way to hold the disc and to keep her forearm level with the ground.  I realize now I was thinking too big, as then Ida and Sergio tried to help each other and other children learn to throw but would fight over the right way to do it and confuse the two throws.  After that I decided to just let the children get use to the disc in their hands and slowly I would critique their throws.  We played for about an hour, mainly Ida, Sergio, a few other little boys and I, but others would step in and give it a try.  Then as dusk approached and it became harder to see the disc Sergio caught it and brought it over to me, thanked me, and did a little curtsy-type bow that they are taught in school.  Then all the other children followed suit and said goodbye. 

The next day Sergio came back by himself and asked to throw.  We had a good bit of time just the two of us before the masses joined and I think he liked it this way, because I could actually throw it to him and he could learn from me.  We did only back hand throws and I didn’t have to instruct him at all, he just observed me and followed exactly what I did, a mirror image.  It struck me how incredible it is that so much can be taught through non-verbal communication, although it made me a little nervous since I don’t have the best throws in the world and I’m not sure he should be copping what I do.  Still, it was very cute; he started to step out a little when he threw and even picked up the little up down flick of the wrist I do before each throw (which I know a lot of Ultimate players do, but I’m now wondering if they should do it).  After a while a small group of children, including Ida, joined us and then at dusk we called it a day. 

Thursday, Sergio showed up at my house just after noon asking to throw.  I think he was thinking it was earlier then usual and we could get in some throws before everyone else came, but I was thinking it was dreadfully hot and I wanted to nap.  I told him to come back at 17 heure.  About an hour or so later, while I was writing a letter home under my hanger, he came back and asked again to throw.  No Sergio, I said dix-sept heure! Pas encore! I don’t want to come off as mean, but the children CONSTANTLY ask for things, and if you don’t set boundaries they will walk all over you.  Finally, at 5 till 17, Sergio came back and said it’s time.  We got in a few throws the two of us before 3 other little boys joined.  They stood in the line and I would throw to each of them in turn and they would throw it back to me.  Then Ida and another girl I did not know came for the marche to join, so I tried to make a circle so we could all play.  The circle idea took a little minute to catch on, as the children, it seems, are more use to forming lines, and even when they got the circle concept their was an order and we  had to throw to the same person each time.  Our throwing pattern made a perfect star.  It’s interesting to pick up on how structured their schooling is.  A man coming from the marche, or dolo bar, stopped to watch for a second and then thanked me for something (playing or putting up with the kids?), saying “ce bon!”.  I have, in a way, become the afterschool program for the children. 

As the sun started to set our circle dwindled to 4 and we moved close together and passed to the person next to us.  Perfect time to practice my push pass, a short throw I never mastered in college.  It made me think of another fellow GWU Ultimate alumni who taught himself how to flick the disc full field with his toes while in the Peace Corps.  Yup, I can now understand exactly how he had the time or the circumstance to do that.  Then when it got too dark to see I said it was enough for the day.  I got the usual thanking and Sergio said same time tomorrow?  We agreed, 17 heure we would play catch.  Then the swarm of children, there had he 10 to 15 who were too small to play sitting around watching, all wanted to shake my hand and say goodnight.  “Bonsoir! Bonsoir! Bonsoir! et a demain!”

Unfortunately I got a last minute call to meet up with the other regional volunteers on Friday for the marche and a visit and missed our 17 heure Frisbee time.  Since there are no formed groups in my village, no women’s group or community club, starting a children’s club could be a perfect avenue for me to do projects.  Yes we can play Ultimate, but first let me teach you how to wash your hands and why, etc.  They all come to my house everyday anyways, might as well use it to my advantage.  However, since I missed that Friday and on Saturday I wasn’t feeling well so I gave Sergio the disc but I sat out, he quickly discovered playing with children who don’t know how to throw is not near as much fun, and then Ida got a bad cut on her leg and couldn’t play, and since then my Frisbee club-to-be has been dwindling.  I’m still hopeful though, I’ve just got to pump up the interest again!