Regional Stories - Winter 2016 THE PRAIRIES Bunny Thugs Ultimate - Saskatoon


Small city thrives in competitive mixed Ultimate By Joelle Schaefer


Bunny Thugs is a competitive mixed team from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The team formed for the first time in the spring of 2012; originating from the desire to grow and progress Ultimate in Saskatoon. During the five years of Bunny Thugs’ existence, we have achieved a lot of success and growth especially considering we come from a small Prairie city. The small community in which the team resides provides both benefits and limitations regarding the ability to gain national-level


success. Obviously, originating from a small centre means that there are significantly fewer players from which a team can be created. This often means players with minimal Ultimate experience are invited onto the team. The immediate reaction is that this is a limitation and there are inherent downfalls however, benefits have also become clear over time. The inclusion of new players on the team has led to a steady influx of eager and energetic players who have grown quickly


Ultimate Canada Magazine - www.canadianultimate.com


to become integral to the team. The inclusivity of the team to new players also helps ensure that as our senior players retire, there is a continuation of the team we worked hard to develop. We are often asked on our plans to divide into gendered touring teams. It is important to note that Saskatoon has master’s-level teams for both open and women’s. The Bunny Thugs, however, are residing in a place that we have no desire to walk away from. Competitive play with both men


23


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30