LeiOut 2011 Recap

Overall a completely amazing weekend. While my team didn't do super hot (1-5), we still, as Busty says, won the awesome competition. With super cool jerseys and delicious sideline beverages, what could possibly be wrong? The weather was absolutely amazing, everyone was having a good time, and the best part was we really were playing hard. There were bids everywhere! Even the rookies stepped up, learned some new tricks, and even helped score a few. We had a first timer on our team as well, and she definitely held her own.

Ten things I learned this weekend:

1. Sand isn't grass. It kills your calfs and feet. Meaning playing on grass is going to be that much easier, right?
2. Beach ultimate is a lot of putting up throws and letting your better players/that really tall guy get it.
3. Laying out on sand doesn't hurt. I MUST find some way to translate this to getting over my inability to lay out on grass.
4. Laying out in a prom dress is possibly one of the most fun ultimate experiences ever.
5. Playing in a skirt is ridiculously comfortable - props to UCSB Burning Skirts for figuring this out and rocking it.
6. Beach ultimate can be really intense, too! The finals game was crazy!
7. The learning curve at tournaments, even "fun" ones, is huge. We had rookies going from scared to get on the sand at all to throwing forehand assists.
8. Good cuts aren't that hard to set up. While it's extra emphasized on sand (really, a hard step in one direction is all you need), the same concept can be translated to grass. Move convincingly in one direction, drop your weight, go the other way. Done.
9. Heckling can cause amazing things, like dropped pulls. I watched it happen.
10. Doing anything, even losing, is okay, as long as you're wearing a Team Planet Express Ship jersey.

Random highlight, I had my first layout D EVER, and it felt amazing. I definitely look forward to next year. There is nothing like spending a weekend on the beach playing ultimate with your best friends.