The winter of our
content
Snowplate tourney
‘09 a frosty success
BY SUDBURY PAUL
Dump. Swing. The disc is placed into
open space. The defender reads and reacts to the disc and makes a huge layout ‘D’. Getting up, they gaze back and realize their mark is nowhere to be found – looking around, they see their opponent pulling themselves out of a waist deep pocket of snow and laugh. Such is a common sight at
Snowplate. Held at the beginning of March in
Sudbury, Ontario, Snowplate is an outdoor charity Ultimate tournament put on by the Sudbury Ultimate Club. Started in 1997 as a great way to incorporate Ultimate and the spirit of the north, Snowplate has grown from a small, local tradition into a province- wide kickoff to the Ultimate season. As one of the only outdoor winter
tournaments, Snowplate offers players a unique Ultimate experience. As players can attest, playing in the snow can be both awesome and utterly exhausting. One great advantage it provides is the soft landing layout – this is an opportune time to introduce new players to layouts, or to allow players a place to practice for the upcoming season. All players know that weather is a
huge factor in a tournament. While most tournament directors hope for a sunny weekend for all to enjoy, Snowplate tournament directors pray for 3 feet of snow followed by 2 days
of unseasonable warmth! The 2006 games saw waist deep snow (check out youtube for the clip). 2009 featured a flash freeze that took Saturday temperatures from a balmy 2°C to -17°C overnight, making for one icy finish. Luckily 2010 showcased the best Mother Nature had to offer with temperatures sitting around 4°C both days. Every year the
tournament also brings out one fierce debate – cleats or boots? Yes, the choice of footwear divides players down one of the strangest battle lines you will find! Do you choose the functionality and familiarity of your trusted cleats, or the warmth and dryness of your winter boots? Perhaps you decide to go with the stylish grocery bag look to keep your feet dry. Either way, the one thing both sides have to agree on is socks…. lots and lots of socks! Snowplate 2009 featured the largest
field of teams the tournament had ever seen. 20 teams and over 275 competitors made there way from as far as London and Ottawa (a cool 500+ kilometer drive). In the end, NVS out of Hamilton defeated The Sharks from London in a hard fought championship game. Snowplate 2010 was held February and 28th
27th with perhaps the most
spirited and enthusiastic players enjoying the fine weather and ideal winter Ultimate conditions. The
Ultimate Canada Magazine —
www.canadianultimate.com
43
spirit was evident with some great team themes and some of the most entertaining spirit games, including quite a few shirtless points that only ended with a layout score! The Sharks managed to avenge their 2009 defeat with a decisive win over a strong Peterborough team. As far as Ultimate goes, Snowplate is
definitely an experience of its own. Look around your group of Ultimate friends in the winter and you may just spot a traditional Snowplate toque – that person knows what it is all about! While the location may have moved from the middle of a frozen lake to a sports complex (with a heated fieldhouse), the fun has remains untouched. We hope to see you all out in 2011. »U
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