The Grand Forks Secondary School (GFSS) Wolves ultimate Frisbee team won the provincial championship tournament in Surrey, on May 27.
The two-day tournament was the first big competition for the team, but they were met with success at every game.
GFSS was one of the eight teams that made it to the quarter finals. After a few close shaves, the crew made it to the final game.
Coach Dan Macmaster said the team was thrilled to compete at the provincial level.
“It was a really neat experience to be involved in such a high-end provincial tournament.”
GFSS beat Surrey Christian, the defending champions, in the final, by one point. The final score was 11-10.
“For a few seconds after scoring, everyone just paused. It was a dead silence. Nobody could, for a moment, believe we’d won,” Macmaster said. “And then it all of a sudden it kicked in. The whole team screamed, onto the field, and there were tears and hugs. It was pretty special.”
The GFSS team is co-ed, and made up of 31 students from Grades 8 through 11, with 26 attending the competition. This makes the win even more impressive, Macmaster noted, because every team GFSS played consisted of only Grade 12 students.
The team has roots in a community ultimate team in Grand Forks. Many players on the GFSS team started out playing with their parents and families on the Grand Forks ultimate team before joining the high school squad.
The plans the GFSS team had for 2020 and 2021 were put on hold by the COVID-19 pandemic.This year, the team was able to meet to practice, and participate in competitions.
Leading up to the tournament, the team was training three days a week. Macmaster said the team worked hard in preparation for provincials, and attendance levels were high at practices.
“The respect they have for each other and for their coaches is phenomenal. There is nobody who wants to be the superstar. Everybody wants to contribute to the team’s success,” Macmaster said. “And it is incredible to see as we move forward.”
The young GFSS ultimate team shows much promise for the future.
Macmaster said a handful of GFSS team members were invited to try out for a club team in Kamloops. The B.C. club teams will compete in another provincial competition in July, from which the best will go on to nationals.
Macmaster said the whole team worked hard for this win, and they will all treasure the experience.
“This little town, out of nowhere, comes down to the Lower Mainland and takes the provincial title. That’s something those kids will be able to keep in their memories forever.”
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@audreyygunn
editor@grandforksgazette.ca
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