DC SHADOW - MARCH 12TH 2024
DC Shadow Players Travel to CA, FL for U.S. National Team Tryout | A Peek Behind the Scene
DC Shadow players at the USA Ultimate WUC East Coast National Team tryout - Pictured above (left to right): Kami Groom, Claire Trop, Erin McCann, Sami Smalling, Caroline Tornquist, Amanda Murphy
Across the two weekends of February 24-25 and March 2-3, a total of 12 D.C. Shadow athletes packed their cleats, discs, and dreams and hiked to either San Francisco, California or Sarasota, Florida to compete against the best of the best. Each coastal tryout included about 100 athletes (around 50 of each gender-match) with drills, scrimmages, bruises, and turf burns spanning two powerful 8-hour days. 72 athletes will be selected from the two tryouts for the three National Teams (24 for Men’s, 24 for Women’s, 12 of each for Mixed). The tryouts were grueling, intense, and physical, yet also energizing, engaging, and remarkably enjoyable. Allie Wallace, Kami Groom, and Clare Frantz say more:
Q: How would you summarize your tryout experience?
AW: Tryouts were an amazing experience. It was a GRIND of a weekend. You are out there each day from 8:00am-4:00pm just getting intense and competitive rep after rep. There is very little resting mentally and physically once you step on the field because you are surrounded by the best frisbee players in the whole world…battling against them, getting to watch and learn from them, and personally getting to know them and strategize with them. So many strong frisbee personalities in one setting, you learn so much and your body has to work so hard every single rep. I was coming back from injury, so I was unable to play both days, but Saturday was SO fun and extremely competitive. After day one, your body feels like it played in an entire tournament weekend because of the consistent high-level reps and points you play all day long. Getting to know players that you have spent so long playing against was one of the biggest highlights. Watching so many frisbee icons and leaders come together and play and compete is an unreal experience and creates an awesome atmosphere.
CF: This tryout might sit atop my list of best frisbee experiences ever. It was super fun, high energy, and very supportive. Everyone was just happy to be there, and that was definitely the best part. The unyielding care and encouragement from every single person there was something I had never experienced before. No chippy calls, no testy arguments, just pure enjoyment of the sport we all love. My west coast tryout was also *kissed* from above with truly perfect weather (65 and sunny, insert cool sunglasses emoji here) and virtually no wind. Throw in 1000 pickles and electrolyte packs in an attempt to replenish all that I was losing, and I had myself a grand ol’ time!
Q: How did you prepare for tryouts?
CF: I was fortunate enough to already be engaged with a workout plan that was fitting for tryout prep: lots of McDonald’s and Netflix. Kidding! Lots of explosive lifting and sprint endurance, seriously. I played a ton of goaltimate and mini for quick, heavy-breathing reps. I made my friends simulate a bunch of weird scenarios that I cooked up, and then bought them smoothies after. I studied film of other tryouters (to feel confident playing with and against them). I watched mental toughness videos, visualized a variety of scenarios (good and bad), slept a ton, developed a tryout mantra, and talked to as many people as I could about the tryout. My goal was to go in feeling comfortable and confident so that I could fully commit to 100% effort and enjoyment. I was very pleased with my preparation and how it served me throughout the weekend.
KG: I take a holistic approach to preparing for tryouts. Physically, I lift twice a week for explosiveness and run or play at least three times a week. Skills-wise, I do intentional sessions that focus on defensive reps in both the handler and cutter spaces and particular throws. Specifically, I have an "It's Your World" throwing routine that I like to do where I get to throw a bunch of throws in a row while 2-3 of my friends mark and cut/defend for me. Mentally, I have a visualization routine that includes confidence conditioning, past recall of times I've performed well, and future rehearsal, where I get to envision performing well at the tryout. Finally, I'm careful about my "information diet" leading up to tryouts. I try to consume content that feels empowering and productive to my mentality. I watch film of myself playing well for additional confidence conditioning. I also watch film of other tryout invitees so that I can play well with and against them at tryouts.
Q: What goals did you have coming into the tryout?
AW: Just staying in the moment and getting better through this experience. Giving it my all so that I was pushing myself and seeing how I could execute my game amongst all these amazing players!
KG: 1) Play well enough to earn a roster spot; 2) Take away the unders and contest the deeps; 3) Continue to grind late in the day on Sunday; 4) Make at least one new friend; 5) Enjoy the experience!
Q: What situations/drills challenged you the most at tryouts?
AW: On the Women’s division field, we spent the majority of our time in 4v4 and 7v7. I really focused on trying to be consistent and getting timing down on offense so that I could add to the flow and minimize turnovers; that was constantly on my mind. It was important to be decisive when cutting and clearing. With so many talented players on the field, defense was extremely hard so it was just important to try and stay focused on your match-up and deny your person from getting the disc in advantageous ways as much as possible…but there was never an easy match-up or a time where you could relax on the field, so staying dialed in the entire time was really important.
CF: With our gorgeous weather, the offense really flourished, so I had a hard time taking away unders and contesting deeps on defense. I felt like every throw was a dime, and I was just in awe of how hard defense was against such exceptional offense. I couldn’t “bait” D’s like I’m used to because the talent-level was so high, but it was just such an awesome challenge anyway. The 4v4 full field mixed was tricky tricky tricky. New folks, big space, cross-gender play, but time flies when you’re having fun!
Q: What would you encourage players hoping to qualify for Worlds to consider in their training?
AW: Focus on getting better with each rep and every workout you do. You can’t control the outcome as much as you can control the process.
KG: Make a training plan and commit to it. The training plan doesn't have to be perfect, but it's important for the placebo effect of knowing you stayed on track and paid attention to the details. Film, focused skill sessions, interval/track running, visualization/confidence conditioning are areas untapped by a lot of players. Also finding a trusted friend who can go along the journey with you is truly invaluable – someone who can allay your insecurities, keep you accountable when you feel unmotivated, consult on your training regimen, etc.
Community Shows Up for the PUL’s Player Sponsorship Program
DC Shadow would like to thank all of the fans and community members who purchased gear from VC Ultimate for the Player Sponsorship Program! We sold 125 player jerseys and raised nearly $12,500. Your support is critical to DC Shadow and we could not do our work without the community behind us. We’d also like to thank VC Ultimate, our partner in the PSP, for all of their support of the PUL.
Discraft returns as PUL sponsor for 2024
As the new season comes rushing in, Tayara Romero Peña, our talented creative and media director since 2023 provides our organization with a brand new disc design. Tayara says more about the creative process:
“It’s like playing with legos.” - Tayara Romero Peña
“When it comes to creating anything for the DC Shadow, there is so much reflection needed to be done. What I mean by that isn’t like I go through a personal crisis of reflection every time I need to design something haha, but more that it is beyond important to me and our organization that we value and incorporate elements from our surrounding environment and history into any design to honor said things.”
“For the disc design this year, we wanted to keep it simple yet still pushing our brand forward as we grow and bloom.
A simple curved text of ‘WASHINGTON DC SHADOW’ around the disc so when it’s spinning through the air it’ll give off a centripetal effect but also the chance of reading our name through whatever orientation someone might find themselves stumbling upon our disc. With mandatory integrated 3 stars from our DC flag in the middle of the texts to provide some balance to the disc and design, but to also connect the two elements. With our iconic cherry blossoms peaking through the design gently in homage to a time of joy and beauty across the district and nation when the cherry blossoms across the District bloom in the Spring time, from 1912 when Japan gifted the planting of cherry blossom trees to celebrate the friendship between the Japanese and American people.
And lastly, our beloved emblem adorned in the center.”
Sponsor Spotlight: Discraft
Discraft, established in 1978, is one of the sponsors of the Premier Ultimate League and DC Shadow. The company manufacturers products for Disc Golf, Ultimate and Freestyle. We got in touch with Discraft to hear from them why they support the PUL and its players:
“Discraft is very excited to once again partner with the PUL this year! We have been providing discs to the league since 2019, as part of our commitment to supporting women and non-binary athletes in the sport. It's our hope that together we can encourage new players to join the vibrant Ultimate community, through youth initiatives and the endorsement of high level competition. We look forward to many seasons of cooperation in the future!”
- Melanie Schoen | Discraft Ultimate
Ultimate DC: Pro-Training Circuit with Tayara Romero Peña and AJ Merriman for Middle School & High School Players
Part of Ultimate DC’s launch with new programs and partnerships across the District- One of them being a new professional training circuit, this clinic with our DC Shadow player, Tayara Romero Peña, and the DC Breeze and Team USA player, AJ Merriman, and will help participants become their best ultimate frisbee player. Focus will be on athleticism, skill building, and strategy. This clinic is for both MMP and WMP comprised of 7 hour and a half practice sessions. The clinic will culminate in a 'mini' tournament on the last scheduled practice date April 25th 2024; jerseys will be provided for the tournament as well as a filmed game at the end of the training program.
“I’m super excited to get to work with Ultimate DC and AJ Merriman! It is immensely important to me that we can dedicate as much time, energy, and effort to the youth community around and across the DMV. We have been long awaiting the launch of our first program, the “Pro Training Circuit” starting in the middle of March. One of my biggest priorities is striving to grow more opportunities for male and woman matching players alike across the community to at least provide a chance for a kid to possibly fall in love with this sport like I did 9 years ago during my freshman year of High School.” - Tayara Romero Peña
Ultimate DC is a Washington D.C. based nonprofit organization devoted to expanding opportunities for youth Ultimate players through programming, coaching, and player participation, committed to breaking barriers for underserved communities and providing heightened entry into the sport. Ultimate DC will work within and outside of the existing community to help unify players and strengthen networks, providing quality programming to players of all skill levels. Founded by DC Breeze and Team USA player, Rowan McDonnell and former captain of American University’s Womens Ultimate team, Katie Loscalzo.
DC Shadow Tickets on Sale Now!
We hope to see you at all three of the DC Shadow home games on April 13 (Nashville Nightshade), May 4 (Raleigh Radiance), and June 1 (Austin Torch). You can save 20% if you buy a season pass! Single tickets and group rates are also available.
