DABAW ULTIMATE

Tionko fields DAVAO

Looking Back by Juan Gadi

I have observed. I have encountered. I have seen the beauty of the sport. I made new relationships – something that is of substance and not that is clinging in thin air. I know that ULTIMATE is worth playing – nothing more, nothing less. So, here I am trying to transcribe in black and white how I got in to this interesting sport. I have been playing it for more than a year now, there have been the “dry and wet seasons”, but, one thing’s for sure, ULTIMATE is more than the sport. It is a community of people who believes in the Spirit of the Game! Thanks to my former teammate for helping me out back track the facts, Mr. Aldrin Redolme is one of the pioneers of Davao Ultimate who recently migrated to Australia and now tossin’ it off in Geelong, Victoria South of Australia. Okay ra ka dira bordz?! Hehehe….

Amongst the blooming metropolis of Davao, the hustle and the bustle fused with the ‘laid back’ Davaoeño lifestyle, it was not that long ago when ULTIMATE started in the Land of Promise. Two disc-infected personalities felt the urge of starting the elegant sport here namely, Ms. Roxanne “Lu-an” Lu and Mr. Francis Diano. Starting it through pure enticement of common friends holding their sessions at the Matina Town Square and University of South Eastern Philippines fields for a common goal of introducing the sport and having a community of disc aficionados. It started humble. It started simple. It started with fun!

On April 4, 2006, with the confidence of Mr. Jacob Chua to this remarkable sport (Roxanne’s family friend), Nestlé’s chocolate malt beverage, MILO became one of the advocates of Ultimate here in Davao. Francis and Lu-an hosted a summer clinic teaching everyone what the sport is all about, how it is played and what the Spirit of the Game is! Under the dry scorching heat of the summer sun, there they played, tossed, hacked, hustled, sprinted and were moulded to become an ULTIMATE player. Someone who is competitive and elegant at the same time, someone who knows how to respect, someone who values courtesy and someone who is dedicated in spreading the LOVE! They were both successful in that endeavour. It gained popularity and reaped camaraderie amongst the pioneers. Thus, it was the birth of the first Davao team, ULTIMATE South Team Durian. Religiously, they attended the Tuesday and Thursday nights session at the AGRO Fields as well as, at the USEP field during Sunday afternoons—a “freaknic” I must say since all we do over there was to eat and bond on a Sunday. Hehehe…great memories! ULTIMATE simply fitted the Davao lifestyle.

On May 27 and 28, 2006, Francis and Lu-an hosted the 1^st Summer Beach Frisbee tourney at Bago Beach Resort.

The local disc community as well as, its event sponsors’ supported this tournament. It definitely gave way to the budding disc community in Davao. It summoned to the birth of a growing disc community.

June of 2006, Francis went back to Manila to continue his studies, and left DAVAO ULTIMATE to Lu-an’s care (she left the month after). Mr. Ipe Borja and friends from other teams in Manila and of the Philippine Ultimate Association visited the Davao Ultimate players during their practice and training. They continued to promote the love to this growing team, Ultimate STD and invited the team to participate in the Manila Spirits ’06 at the Manila Polo Club. Everyone got excited and in full swing went the extra mile in devoting time, energy and effort in learning ULTIMATE. They were all simply mesmerized in making a debut for the Davao team in an International Competition. Nothing to loose though, all for the love of the fame…esté game!

With all the available resources and never-ending meetings after practices in organizing the whole team, the players decided to conduct a “fund-raising” tournament in sponsoring the Ultimate STD in Manila. They conducted an election of officers to divide the responsibility to each member. There, Mr. Noel Uy became the first Davao Ultimate Association President, Mr. Mark Chua the Vice President, Ms. Bing Alcala the Secretary, Ms. Jenny Nalla as Treasurer, Mr. Michael Sibbaluca as Auditor, Mr. Aldrin Redolme as Public Relations Officer, Mr. BJ Yñiguez as Prince Charming, Ms. Mae-An Lu and Ms. Mishi Fidelino as the association’s muses. It was fun though! The association rode the same wave then. The mission: to recruit and to raise funds!

On the side, the Public Relations and Recruitment Committees continued to recruit by going to different colleges and universities in Davao sugar coated with house parties at BJ Yñiguez’s house to promote camaraderie and bring in the culture of the Davao Disc community. Definitely, a series of no curfew parties!

On October 20^th and 21^st of the same year, the Davao Ultimate Association hosted it’s 1^st Halloween Ultimate Tournament at the Tionko fields entitled, “DULA ‘ta Ultimate bai!” for the benefit of BANTAY BATA DAVAO. It was participated by Iligan Red Horses as well as, local teams namely, Team Mulatto,

Team Holy Cross, Team Ateneo, Team Pakshet and Team Bullshet, three of which were composed of different members from the Ultimate STD team having their own separate independent playing team during the tournament. Having your own separate team then was never an issue, since, the community whole-heartedly embraced it and did not want to limit the players. The event pulled off and phenomenally was a success! With our deepest gratitude to all our event sponsors namely, Ginebra San Miguel, Milo, Hype Magazine, Mulatto, Madayaw Outdoor Shop, Byteworld, Coca Cola, Holiday Spa, My Concepts, Mega Arts Design Concepts, 98.7 Home Radio, Bak-Bak Native Chicken House, Battery Doctors and the bands who played during the culmination night – our unending credit to your support.

After that very ‘diverse’ event, intensive trainings were conducted during the remaining weeks before the Manila Spirits ’06, now at the Alabang Country Club. “One team. One purpose. One sport.” Was the vision of the Davao Disc Community in sending off their only team on the said event. The team went to Manila and got to know the bigger colony of disc maniacs—all sort of personalities, background and culture but, playing only ONE ULTIMATE SPORT. With heads held high, the Ultimate South Team Durian played and partied with everyone who shares their common interest and that is, the Spirit of the Game. With things that they did and will do are now parts of this history.

Madayaw! From the Davao Disc Community and Hype Magazine – Davao’s Premier Sports, Lifestyle and Tourism publication. Its disc pimpin’ season once again, this time in the Davao shores! Definitely, a benefit invitational cup of pure disc action and non-stop partying on October 19 through 21, 2007 here in the City in Bloom! From the fields to the beach, we invite you and your team to be a part of the

1st NATIONAL

DAbAW SUMMIT CUP
ULTIMATE Invitational

”SPIRIT OF THE GAME IS A MUST”

So, hurry up and file your LOAs (with pay) ehehehe…! Comply your school requirements or whatever that is not relevant to our sport! The disc craze is now officially infecting the Visayas and Mindanao regions! Let’s do this! ONE LOVE! ULTIMATE!!!

EVENT FIELD: Tionko Fields (formerly Agro Fields)

Ultimatum: wear your high school uniform or nothing at all!

Registration Fee: P350.00 inclusive of: 2 dinners and 1 memorabilia apparel
Late Registration: P500.00

Our objective is to host a benefit tournament as well as, provide a more intimate venue for the growing disc community in the Visayas and Mindanao Regions.

Organizing Committee:

Michael Patrick "PYK" M. Sibbaluca – Logistics Committee @ 0917 706 1617/pykmps@gmail.com
Juan "JUAN" G. Gadi – Marketing and Post-game Committee @ 0926 695 5438/juan.gadi@gmail.com
Mark "SPEEDY" D. Chua – Games Committee @ 0927 541 0382
Jerson Ray "JER JER" B. Royana – Games Committee

Invited participating teams:

• Manila (3)
• ROACHES - Ms. Gayang Belgira

• Cebu (2)
• CEBU ULTIMATE Frisbee - Ms. Heather Richardson
  

• Dumaguete (2)
• Iligan (1)
• Iligan Red Horses - Mr. Raizoli Hassan
• Kidapawan (1)
• TUPAK – Mr. Jepot Bustamante
• Davao (2)
• Davao Disc Squad – Mr. Mark Chua
• Bad Goyz – Mr. Ipe Sevilla

-Program-

(This program is temporary and will be updated or changed
before the tournament. Just keep posted!)

October 19, 2007 Friday

1130 – 1300 hours Orientation lunch
1300 – 1400 hours Break time
1400 – 1930 hours Elimination Games
1930 – 2100 hours Dinner
2100 to sawa SOCIALS

__________________

October 20, 2007 Saturday

0800 – 1700 hours Elimination/Semi finals PART A (Round Robin)
1800 to sawa HIGH SCHOOL PARTY (wear your old high school uniform or nothing at all)

__________________

October 21, 2007 Sunday

0800 – 1200 hours Semi finals PART B and Championship
1200 – 1400 hours Lunch break
1400 – 1500 hours to the beach
1600 to sawa CULMINATION OVERNIGHT PARTY (Luau party)

October 22, 2007 Monday

0900 hours Back to DABAW!!!

- END -

NOTICE: To all the teams participating, we would like to ask you to bring your tents (coz it will be used on the last day) , sarongs for our luau party during the culmination and old high school uniforms for our Sabado ki-at (gimik)! Further updates will be posted soon. For now, let's continue playing ULTIMATE!!! Awooo!!!