As Texas A&M Women’s Ultimate Frisbee looks forward to kicking off its competitive season March 18, the team hosted its annual fundraising Hat Tournament Saturday, Feb. 11, at the Penberthy Rec Sports Complex.

While the team will open competitive play at the University of Texas in Austin next month, it first participates in the annual Hat Tournament, a signature community-building and fundraising event. Throwoff began at 10 a.m. with 72 participants divided into six randomly assigned teams. From returning professional players to new inductees into the sport, the teams competed in back-to-back games until 4 p.m, all in the name of Spirit of the Game. Funds from the tournament will help pay for the team’s season tournaments and travel expenses.

The Hat Tournament has been a testament to how a diverse community of players can come together, all in one place, and encourage each other to have fun, psychology senior Aimee Graham said. Graham joined the first Hat Tournament in 2019 and said she would continue to be a part of the frisbee community after graduating from Texas A&M. 

“I think the Hat Tournament is the epitome of frisbee,” Graham said. “We don’t all know each other … but everyone is getting to grow as a player and trying out something new and playing with people that they haven’t played before.”

Although the Hat Tournament is still a competition, players from all backgrounds were on the field learning and encouraging each other, said marketing senior Carmen Fann, second-year team captain. 

“Everyone wants to teach; everyone wants everyone to get better,” Fann said. “I think that frisbee is one of the best sports out there.”  

This year’s Hat Tournament faced a unique set of challenges with inclement weather delaying the tournament’s initial date in January and facing a lower-than-expected turnout. These challenges did not deter the Women’s Ultimate team from hosting a high-energy, welcoming environment and successfully reaching their fundraising goal, team president and genetics senior Cheyenne Allen said. 

“Maybe we need to do more in-person advertisements,” Allen said, “but we surpassed that goal, so I think we have done what we need for the Hat Tournament.”

The biggest hesitation people have attending a Hat event is worry they can’t throw the frisbee, said Todd Schrader, College Station city frisbee league organizer. The Hat Tournament is one where everyone is looking for new players to join a growing community, he added. 

“Don’t worry about being good. Being good at it comes with time; just come out and have fun,” Schrader said.

Women’s Ultimate Frisbee will open competitive play at the University of Texas at Austin in the Centrex tournament March 18-19 against the University of Texas, Rice University, the University of Texas at Dallas and the University of Texas at San Antonio. 

Follow the Women’s Ultimate @stackedultimate on Instagram for additional tournament information and competition results.
Logan Russell is a recreation, park and tourism sciences junior and contributed this article from the course JOUR 359, Reporting Sports, to The Battalion.