THE JOY OF ULTIMATE FRISBEE
Great Moments in Sport-for-Development
Ben Searle
CED G62, RPCV
There are many ways to bring out the best in a young person. Few are more fun and simple than teaching them to
make a disc fly.
In my experience as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Panama, I have observed
that the joy and simplicity of Frisbee can serve both as a medium of
cultural exchange and, more surprisingly, a highly influential development
tool.
One of the great challenges faced by nearly all community leaders and
development workers is the initial process of bringing people together. In
most cases, news of a meeting or a new community initiative is not
something to celebrate. In the Peace Corps, I consistently observed two
ways guaranteed to increase participation and enthusiasm for a project.
The first is to make food for everyone; the second is to tie in a sporting
event. Sports are most effective as a youth development tool when they
used to create an environment where adults can interact constructively
with young people and promote the abilities needed to live happy, healthy,
and productive lives.
Frisbee: the greatest sport ever?
Frisbees appeal to just about
everyone because of their
simple design and the brilliant
ease with which they fly. At first,
the
a disk is difficult to throw and
the
path of the disk is often
deceptive. This adds greatly to
the
entertainment value of the toy.
Especially if there is someone
around who has already
mastered the technique. The
distance and accuracy of the
disk is a spectacular mystery
and
the urge to experiment is
irresistible for just about
everyone. For girls and boys
alike, it does not take long to
catch on; when it does, throwing
the
disk becomes an extremely
exciting and rewarding activity.
Frisbee is an activity that can pro-vide a context for rapid learning, accomplishment, and increased self-confidence.
Even children with very low self-esteem can be coaxed into participating because half the fun is running after the
flying disk and watching it fly. Any throw, as inaccurate as it may be, is entertaining and opens a window to provide
positive feedback. Gradually, with a small amount of encouragement, they will improve. The result is a big smile
every time and the will to try again.
Ben Searle, CED Group 62, is the founder of Volazo, a sport-for-development organization that uses the sport of Ultimate
Frisbee to reach, teach, and inspire youth in Latin America.