January 4, 2013 by Wes Cronk in Livewire
I hope the holidays treated everyone well and you’re all looking forward to what is poised to be an exciting year in ultimate. Now that we’re getting back into the swing of things and shaking off the usual post-holiday hangover at work, I’ve been reminiscing about how this time of year was different during college.
I’d generally return to campus from winter break at least a few days before classes began, anxious to play some ultimate and catch up with teammates. This little pocket of easy living before school started was always one of my favorite parts of the year and, in comparison, it sure beats going back to work.
There was one aspect of this period, though, that I certainly don’t miss. To put it frankly, the first practice of the spring semester sucks. Everyone comes back from the holidays out of shape, throws are rusty, and cuts are out of sync. Even if you are among the diligent few that managed to keep up with the workouts over break — a group I admittedly never belonged to — that first practice is still one of the toughest of the season. It’s pretty much guaranteed to be cold out, the inconsistent play makes it frustrating, and someone almost always barfs on the sideline.
Looking back at my time in school, there are a lot of reasons for me to be envious of current college ultimate players — I haven’t done a disc in years — but having to grind through another grueling first spring practice is definitely not on my list.
