DAVAO CITY — An extremely popular game in the white-sandy beaches of Boracay was formally introduced for the first time in Davao City with some 25 of its pioneering participants at the University of Southeastern Philippines (USEP) football ground, last Sunday, April 2.
Played in full court with seven players each side, the first formal game was held following the conduct of a blitz introduction on the basic rudiments of the play like the one-on-one perfect toss and catch of the rounded, saucer-like plate.
In Boracay, the game is played with only four players each side or a total of eight because of lack of space. There is not much space in the shorelines, unlike that in the football field, explains Francis Diano who together with Roxanne Lu had introduced the basic techniques of the game earlier in a radio interview aired live over DXAMs Maningkamot Ta Bay anchored by Jacob Chua and Amado So.
It was a full court press at the USEP football ground as fourteen players, seven from each side, battled for the flying saucer-like flight of the plate in a tightly fought running game.
The pioneers as described by Diano of the neophytes Frisbees, played with enthusiasm in the first formal game between the Dark Team led by Diano and Lu in the Light Team.
In the demo game the first team to reach 7 points wins. Although in the Ultimate Frisbee tournament a 44-minute regulation with 22-minutes each half is being followed, according to Diano.
A score is tallied as soon as the scorer holding the position called Long reaches the end zone with a perfect catch from either a backhand or forehand pass. Running with the plate is not allowed at any point of the game proper. A player is allowed only a maximum of three steps while catching the plate in motion after which he or she can only pivot for a pass back to the Handler or the Midfielder.
The first to reach 7 points was applied only in the demonstration game so as not to tire out the first-timers. The smaller Light Team scored the first point by a marauding sneak off of the plate from the Dark Team but ultimately the latter won by scoring 7 points to the 6 over the Light Team.
The tandem of Francis Diano and Roxanne Lu formally introduced the game in Davao City for the Philippne Ultimate Association (PUA), the umbrella organization of Frisbee in the country. (PIA/Romy Sabaldan)
