Ultimately Ultimate!

Ian,

 
You were that guy - the one carrying around a frisbee disc around with you: in your car, in your backpack, in your hand, wherever you would go. I remember you and I tossing the disc across from the Spence and Briggs dorms or walking to and from Northgate for a meal - running, throwing, leaping, catching - during Gateway. 



 
People would stop, notice your athleticism, experience your joy and boundless energy. Sometimes a stray clap or “Great catch!” could be heard. Even in the Freshman dorms - moving in Spence or Moses, coming to visit, hanging out - we would always throw the disc. Could be among the Walton “hills”, around the Moses BBQ pit, in the parking lots, along the Military Walk, in back of Northgate - tossing the disc was what we did. You apparently did this with lots of others at TAMU. Much like PJ’s, the disc defined how people recognized you. Ultimately, Ultimate disc - throwing, catching and playing - was clearly central to your plans and experiences. But how did you get there???

Skills with the disc - you learned first from Danny. We all cut our teeth in our big, pie-shaped yard in Vacaville with bad, Whamo discs. Certainly in Vacaville, Danny was the Ultimate-enthusiast. You were more interested in riding bikes, skateboards and playing basketball. But, you loved watching your brother and his friends play this emerging sport. We would sit as a family - watch and you would talk, about the game we were watching, about video games, plans, anything - you just loved to talk!

When we moved to Austin, your interests stayed with skateboarding, basketball, dunking and video games. Danny would visit and we would pick up the disc and play some “family Ultimate” in the street out front or pick up games. You would join in for sure. Danny soon introduced us to Frisbee golf. I really enjoyed playing that type of golf - maybe it replaced my natural affinity to throw things on the golf course with a productive outlet. Indy would love the disc golf too - time roaming around Pease Park, Zilker or other courses around town. Danny and I tried and tried to get you to play with us - even bought you discs. I think you played twice - but got so frustrated loosing discs (spending hours finding discs in the weeds is a necessary part of the disc golf experience) and not finding the discs going where you want. Not a good match.

Things really changed as you were finishing up Jr. High at Brentwood. During Spring break, Matt Bob and the Oregon “Ego" - team came to the UT CENTEX tournament during SXSW. Teams were from California, Boston all over the US. We watched probably two games and at once it was clear that a curiosity, became an interest. We found that Summer Austin-wide YPLA league. It was there that you and Caylea actually started Ultimate. It was there you met many folks from Anderson and folks you dragged from Brentwood to play - Jacob, Andrew, Max, Derrick, Evan, Nic, and even Adam. For two Summers - you and C really enjoyed making new friends from LASA, Austin High, McCallum, Westlake, and other schools in the Austin, area. Each Sunday afternoon, we would meet at the high school off I35 South and play. The fields were on the top - blustery at times, and then down the steep hill or steps, to the lower field. This one was less windy, and had the track around. Mom and I would drop you guys off - but often stay and watch. What a joy to listen to you two talk, laugh, learn, celebrate with new friends! Everyone loved to play with you. Your positive attitude, your competitive spirit, your physical abilities and your contagious smile. 

After that first Summer, you were hooked - yes, you continued to pursue football, basketball, wrestling, soccer, ballroom dancing, on and on (really!!!), but you kept returning to Ultimate. Football at Anderson started really well - you were fast, quick, strong - but small. Sure as the world, Summer practice went well on the field, but an incident in the dressing room (something about a flying chair) left you with a cut, and a concussion. Soon, after on the field, a second concussion. Then, after playing running back significantly - you were tackled by the entire defense resulting in a hip pointer. This is when strength and tenacity played against you. Not going down quickly allowed for piling on, that your size did not prove helpful. After these health issues in the Fall and Spring training of your Freshman year, football became a sport to avoid, not pursue at the time. Ultimate seemed to be the right sport for the Spring. So, the Anderson Ultimate Team was born - you being one of it’s originators. 

The Trojan Ultimate Team formed your Freshman year and it was mainly composed of Freshman and Sophomores. I remember coming to a practice at an elementary school on Spicewood Springs (across from the Starbucks) and you announced your new nickname - Bongo Tities. We looked a bit shocked and asked - “Why?” You said that your chest was so big, tight and muscular, your friends loved to play the drums on it with their fists like a bongo. 

 

The blue uniforms were first - Nothing Gets Past a Trojan! Games commenced, traveling, sitting in the sun, under umbrellas, finding fields - looking for you among lots of teams. Any parent knows the drill at a sports tourney. But when we would see your team, we could spot you - you were always talking, laughing and cracking people up. You were the one running fast, jumping high, laying out. Opposing teams would often start by lining up with a small guy on you. Your speed may have given you a slight advantage, but your jumping ability made it easy for you to soar over their hands and score. The smaller person would be rapidly replaced by a larger person. Then it was your speed that earned separation and scoring. Finally, a top athlete would be on you and that made the game fun. You two would vie for the disc - on offense and defense, sprints or cutbacks, jumping or diving. I remember seeing many times your hand on a disc that only a person many inches taller than you was touching. The competition was fierce. Mom and I were thrilled that you were playing a safe sport - no more of the football injuries! Then it happened. You leapt in the scoring zone to catch a disc. I still remember it in slow motion - watching you in the back corner of zone, “They are throwing the disc to Ian! It looks so high! Can Ian reach that disc? He caught it!!!" You trapped it on your head like a hat and then your feet were up around your head in height, and you fell back and hit your head on the hard ground. Yep, your third concussion! But, you scored - right?!?

Three years of Anderson Ultimate - every year saw new players to integrate, new teams to play, all with the same intensity. One of my favorite matches was when your team was given uniforms from UT’s TUFF Ultimate team for a tourney. You were in the burnt orange and played Austin’s DoubleWide and other “big” teams. You guys actually scored two points on the nation’s best team - but they still trounced in the final score. You guys had a great tourney with adults and competed at high levels. The joy and pleasure in your faces was apparent at the end as you poised for pictures.

 

Soccer became your Spring focus your Senior year. Maybe Ultimate politics got the best of it, or you loved watching the soccer players gauk at your weightlifting abilities!!! But no Ultimate that year. 

At A&M, you went out your Freshman year to try out for the A&M’s Dozen. And, in your first year, you made the “A” team - wow!!! You played in games in the TAMU tournament - beating several top ranked teams. You went to University of Oklahoma tourney where Momma Jean, Poppa Gene, Mom, Becky and Avery all came to watch you play. It was cold, windy and, I think, rained - miserable weather. But they loved watching you cheer your team mates on and play some minutes. 

 I would often call you in the evenings - you would be biking to practice (before your bike was stolen), walked or ran to practice or more often drove your car. You were always a buzz about the fun. It was very hard to keep up with practice and school work and you let the team know that you were cutting back as you worked toward finals that second semester. The back burner worked and your grades looked up. Even though you were not with them to the end, they dedicated their time in the 2013 National Tournament in your honor.

Ultimate was a family sport - I think my stories made that clear. You watched Danny play; Danny came to watch you play; Caylea played with you; Mom was at EVERY game; I was at most games to watch; Danny and I played with you at Zilker on a Sunday afternoon, and we threw the disc often when we got together. Coming to TAMU to move you in for the Summer, for the Fall Semester, visiting you on campus - out came the disc and we would run through campus throwing and catching. I was so thankful, yes even proud, that every kid and parent saw that my son, my amazing son, would want to play disc with his dad. You never left me out, but included me with your friends in circles, pickups, etc. You made the disc a family event - one we all shared with you. Indeed, after you went home, Danny, Caylea, Seraina and your friends spontaneously went out front of the house to throw the disc - in your honor. 

In front of our house, you and I would throw - running up our lawn, ducking under trees, leaping over curbs to catch the disc. You would leap and catch my errant throws so they would not hit a neighbors garage door. Well, sometimes the throws were so bad that - well, BANG!!! We would play into the dark, throw like a football to catch going up the stairs to the front door and try to throw like a basketball to make a goal. If I threw a worm burner, it sometimes would go down the street drain. You would immediately pop open the man hole and jump down, toss out the disc and climb back out. Then, we were off and going again. Good times! 

I remember the last time we threw the disc at A&M. Caylea and I came to visit you and she was hangry, and you were late. Well, we got food - save our relationships and then went to the Research Park to throw a disc. Well, you had not brought a disc and all I had were my Frisbee golf discs. Well, that was good enough - C, you and I through the discs around. C through once near the water and you warned her that if she is not careful, it will land in the water and sink to the bottom, lost. We acknowledged your wisdom and started throwing again. Then we looked at you, and you were aiming my Orc disc across the little lake. You ran forward and let it rip - well, rip up and curve, and back and SPASH!!! in the middle of the lake. C and I let out the obvious “REALLY??!!!???” and we laughed and laughed. We walked across the bridge that I proposed to Mom on and I looked forlornly for my sunken Orc. C and I then started to think what was the Elvish name for Orc Slayer - we needed to name you as they would name a sword. We searched online and deemed you the Orcrist!!! Again we laughed and laughed.
 

We still have your discs - discs to remind us of our Family Sport, to remind us of you. Danny has one of your purple Discrafts. It has gone with him from Austin, CT, FL back to Austin. He cherishes your disc as he does you.

 

Caylea has a disc you shared in the Summer leagues and holds her memories playing with you tightly. Mom and I have the Dragon Yin-Yang disc. It reminds me to fight being tight, and to live generously as Jesus did, as you did. We bought this one and the purple Discrafts in between Semesters at DiscNation. You lost your others - it was time for me to buy, not you. You remember the story. 

Your friends remembered you in discs - Erin painted the picture of you “holding up” the Howdy sign on a disc and brought it to your Homecoming. It has the entire 23rd Psalm written in it. Amazing. It is one of our most prized possessions. Aunt Stephanie, Uncle Brian, Will and Kenedy sent a disc with an encouraging verse and signatures to support us. Your first Going Home Celebration - 12 months after - was greeted by a rousing game of Ultimate with your friends. Your Remembrance Table had Erin's disc on it - to remind us of our boy. 

Your brother "wears" his disc with you on his body - the tattoo he designed. It characterizes your relationship, its link between then and the future. You are laying out in the tattoo - laying out to catch the disc Danny has thrown. You will catch it - that connection between the two of you remains. The discs are around our house and lives - again reminding us of you, of your laugh, your smile, your leap, your life.

 

I can’t walk out the front door, but to yearn to throw a disc with you again in the street. When I remember El Salvador, I remember you teaching kids to throw the disc and giving your best discs away out of love. I can’t think about Zilker without memories of you throwing discs with Poppa Gene and I there. Playing pickup Ultimate with you and Danny near Rock Island. Seeing you and Derrick play disc there on TV - you leaping, catching and looking so cool upon landing.  It was there we last threw the disc with you after your Going Home Service.

 

I can’t forget searching for places around Brentwood and North Austin to practice throwing when we needed “space” because we sucked. Throwing discs with you and C with Indy and Charlie watching on the fairways and on the greens on the Great Hills Country Club course. 

TAMU’s sidewalks are lonely without your feet on them, pursuing a disc thrown to you. The grass there seems empty without you. So is my heart - yes, 27 months later - my heart still feels empty without you. Each of these brief stories are just reminders of a world of memories you left me, you left us, just about discs. There is so much more than discs.

Ian, I miss you. I love you.

Dad