FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Welcome to Stanford Women’s Ultimate!
Whether you’re a prospective/incoming/current student or a complete stranger, we’re glad you’re interested in the teams. You probably have a few questions…
What’s Ultimate Frisbee?
Super fun!!! This video explains the idea of the game well, but we encourage you to come to practice to see it in person. Ultimate Frisbee is a club sport at Stanford. That means we get some funding from the university, but we are not part of the varsity sports program. We represent Stanford at intercollegiate competitions around the country, in a league organized by USA Ultimate.
When and where is practice?
Once the quarter starts, we will update this! Likely on Roble Field, Mondays & Thursdays, in the late afternoon.
What do I bring to practice?
Plenty of water, a light and dark shirt, shoes you’re comfortable running in, and your best self! Cleats are recommended if you have them, but not necessary.
Is ultimate coed?
Men and women compete in separate divisions at the college level. Check out our men’s team!
I’ve never played before. Can I still try out?
Yes! Come play with us, even if you have never played a sport before. We will teach you how to play.
I can’t come to every practice. Is that ok?
Yes, but of course we’d like you to come to as many as you can. Practices do build off of one another, so coming to as many of them as you can will help you to learn the game and build your skills faster. But we’re also here to teach you and help you learn to play, no matter the pace.
Is this a full year commitment? Can I play for just one quarter?
Superfly (our A team) is a full year commitment. Firefly (our B team) takes new members at any time.
Are there time commitments outside of practice?
We have occasional weekend tournaments where we play against other schools or club teams. Superfly has about one tournament per month in the winter and spring, and Firefly has local tournaments in the area throughout the year as well. We also have social events, but these are optional. But tournaments and social events are both super fun!
Why are there two teams? How does that work?
In fall quarter, we all practice together as Stanford Women’s Ultimate (SWU). Towards the end of fall quarter, we will hold tryouts and split into Superfly (A team) and Firefly (B team). We have two teams because we have enough people to do it and having two teams maximizes player growth and development. With two teams, players get more attention from coaches at practice and more playing time at both practices and tournaments. It also provides players with options when it comes to team philosophy and intensity. Superfly is nationally competitive and attends about 4 travel tournaments in the winter, and competes in the D-I college championship series in the spring. Firefly is regionally competitive, attends fewer travel tournaments and competes in the developmental championship series in the spring. Superfly holds three mandatory practices per week in the winter, and four in the spring. Firefly holds two practices per week in the winter and spring. Both teams aim to foster a welcoming and inclusive environment and boast full coaching staffs to help our players grow throughout the season.
How do tryouts work?
Later in the fall quarter, there will be an opportunity to try out for Superfly. The tryouts will be scheduled separately from the regular Mon/Thu practices. There will be a few tryout practices and a tryout tournament that players interested in Superfly should attend. The team will be finalized in the week before Thanksgiving break.
Are you any good?
Yes 😉 Our ultimate program has a long history of success. Stanford Superfly has been in the national championship finals thirteen times since 1995, with eight title wins – including 2016! We have, arguably, the best women’s program in the country. Our B team also has a tradition of being one of the best women’s B teams in the nation. You can find USA Ultimate’s top 25 rankings at their website. Note how many top teams are on the west coast: that means we have excellent competition at every tournament! Last year, we lost to the three-time national champions in quarterfinals, and are hoping to go even further in the coming season.
Are you open to non-cis women?
Yes. You should self-select if Stanford Men’s or Womxn’s Ultimate is right for you. We follow guidelines set by the governing body, USA Ultimate (USAU). USAU recognizes that the men’s, women’s, and mixed divisions “default to using the gender binary to determine participation in each division… However, we recognize not all individuals’ gender identities are binary, and a gender binary default for participation potentially could make some individuals feel excluded and unsafe.” Ultimately, “Athletes should select to participate in the division in which they feel most comfortable and safe.” USA Ultimate Gender Inclusion Policy
Where do I sign up?
Fill out our interest form here! Or just show up to practice and we’ll get you connected 🙂
What if I missed fall quarter?
For winter and spring quarters, we divide into our A and B teams. If you find out about the team in the winter and want to join, check out the B Team page!
Check out the rest of our website for more information, or email our captains or coaches with any other questions!
Contact Information?
SUPERFLY: For questions about the Stanford Women’s Ultimate A team:
Captains – superfly.captains@gmail.com
Instagram – dm @stanford_superfly
FIREFLY: For questions about the Stanford Women’s Ultimate B team:
Karen “Argos” Ge – Co-Captain – kge@stanford.edu
Hannah “Zest” Cussen – Co-Captain – hcussen@stanford.edu
Jolene “Sonic” Lee – Co-Captain – jolenel@stanford.edu