#ultimatephotos

[gostreetdotph-blog]

JOBELLE SPEAKS! (ULTIMATE GUEST BLOGGER)

We have another Ultimate Guest Blogger who would like to share her thoughts about our beloved sport, Ultimate Frisbee!

Jobelle Engo is a Lasallian from Bacolod city. Played Ultimate for 3 years now and is currently a vital member of a new Bacolod Ultimate team, Team Kaiju. 

Read on:

Anything and Everything about Ultimate

By Jobelle G. Engo

  I’ve learned that the best stories to read are those that are real and personal to the writer. So here is what I have to say.

  My Frisbee story starts on the first summer of my college days. I had just been through my freshman year in USLS and learned more things that a high school classroom could not teach.

  In a twist of fate, (for I believe all things are part of destiny), I was introduced to “Frisbee” by my club mates in LAmbs a.k.a. Lasallian Ambassadors. I had no idea until later that it was officially called “Ultimate Frisbee”.

  Remember where we had our First Ever Indoor Ultimate during Lasallian Week 2014? Yes, that’s where I had my first go at the sport.

  We weren’t aware of any specific rules or strict dos and don’ts of the game, and we were having the time of our lives. Ignorance is bliss indeed. I remember we were just wearing our civilian clothes but that did not stop us from playing. (I have one pair of jeans ripped in the knee due to this).

  As a college student, it was just a new pastime after class. I had not yet fathomed that it would grow much more than that.

   The years went by, and I am now in my third year of Ultimate Frisbee lifestyle. Playing the sport gradually transitioned from the College Covered Court onto the Field. Needless to say, it is one of the things that take up a lot of space in my heart.

  Why do I love it? Let me count the ways. (In no particular order.)

First, I get to meet new people. The more people to enjoy Ultimate with, the better. That’s why baby teams and newbie players are ALWAYS encouraged by everyone. Bata, matanda, may ngipin o wala, anyone is welcome to play.

  Second, it gives me free and FUN exercise. Nothing is more bothering than the obligatory workout to keep ourselves healthy. What better way to shed sweat than through an interactive sport?  

  Third, it becomes a form of stress reliever. When the going gets tough, ultimate keeps the strain away. You’ll be busy playing hard to get that disc to the endzone, thus keeping your school/family/work/love/financial/you-name-it troubles tucked far away for the moment.

  Fourth, it gives people the chance to practice self-discipline. Ultimate does not have ‘official referees’ to see to it that players follow every rule in the book. Any discussions are carried out among the players themselves. It’s up to us to hold out to Honesty and Integrity. 

Fifth is the building of Teamwork. On the field, there are seven of you playing against seven of the other team. Give your teammates a chance to get a hold of that disc and show what they’ve got. Success is so much sweeter when EVERYONE worked hard for it.

  Sixth is I get to go to places. Literally! Travelling is one of the greatest perks of playing Ultimate. When you have no reason to go someplace, Ultimate Frisbee gives you a reason. May it be a National Tournament, a Local Tournament or just a Pass-d-hat for a team; save up for the travel and go get your bags packed. It’s also a form of vacation! Enjoy the journey, play ultimate, explore the city and come back home with lessons and lots of memories.

Lastly is the Socials Night. In what Sports Event is a party made official in its itinerary? In Ultimate of course! After a hard day’s work, you get to look forward to the fun night ahead. Awards, music, dancing, games and drinking (optional of course)… nothing better gets you in the mood to highlight the weekend and have a good time with your teammates.

  All these times that I’ve played Ultimate I say: Win or lose, just the fact that you’re playing is something to celebrate. It’s not always about bringing home the championship trophy. Be happy for those who made it on top. Sure it’s the best possible outcome, but sometimes doing your best FOR the team and having fun WITH the team, that is fulfilling enough. Cheers!

 -Jobelle Engo

" I'm trying to prove that girls can play great in Ultimate too... Girl Power!" - Jobelle Engo

Thank you so much, Jobelle, for this wonderful write-up! I totally agree on point number six. Travelling is definitely one of the perks of being an Ultimate player. or even for an Ultimate Photographer. Because of Ultimate, I've been to places that I haven't been to before. And I get the chance to do the thing that I love all at the same time? Why the hell not! 

Looking forward to see Jobelle in action next weekend in Smile Ultimate Tournament in Bacolod city. Good luck, Jobelle! 

Until then... TULOY LANG ANG PARTY!!

If you would like to share your thoughts about the sport and would like to share it to the whole Ultimate community, please do send me a Private Message on Facebook or send me an Email: [email protected] 

English or Tagalog, pwede! Sulat na!

www.facebook.com/donlacziphoto

www.instagram.com/donlacziart

www.twitter.com/donlaczi

[gostreetdotph-blog]

CABALEN ULTIMATE OPEN 2014. EAT.DRINK.ULTIMATE.REPEAT

Eat. Drink. Ultimate. Repeat.

I think that's the best statement to describe The Cabalen Ultimate Open 2014 in Pampanga. They say, Pampanga is the Culinary Capital of the Philippines. I say, Pampanga is the FREAKIN' Food Haven in the Philippines! "Ngayong tournament lang nangyari na hindi ako nalasing sa alak.... Nalasing ako sa sobrang dami ng masasarap na pagkain!"

It was such a wonderful experience to be there and witness the teams from Luzon battle it out to grab the first ever Cabalen Ultimate Open (CUO) crown. It was also great to finally tasted the best Sisig on the planet. Having "Betuteng Tugak (frog)" for dinner at "MATAM-IH" was a close second. It does taste like chicken. (If you're in Pampanga, you really have to try this place, "Matam-ih". Maja Salavador and Kim Chiu works there as waitresses when they are off from making Telenovelas!) The Sinigang na Baka from Kopung Kopung (Did I spell it right?), The Palabok, Sapin-Sapin and Ham & Cheese Empanada from Susies. The Dinuguang Pata, Kilayin, Bopis, Buro, etc. etc. Every food that I shoved in to my mouth was pure works of art! It was amazing!

But enough with the food talk and let's talk about Ultimate!

From Mabalacat, my brother gave me a ride to Essel Park in San Fernando where the tournament takes place. When I arrived at the venue, I finally met Jansie and Russell for the first time, two of the organizers of the tournament and members of Team Pamp'ed Up Chicks and Chongs. Very cool bunch of kids! The tournament was so kind enough to hand me an event shirt that fits me (FINALLY!!). The Tie-dyed shirt was beautifully made. I also saw some familiar faces from Sunken Pleasure and DJ Tutay's team, Team Disco Po! It was pretty cool to see them there. So, I put away the shirt, grab my camera, went out on the field, and started shooting.

My best bud, The great ball of fire, is starting to heat up the field (as usual). Trying to keep me off the pitch. But I am more prepared now after the fire ball beat me singlehandedly in Dumaguete. The answer? Protective sleeves, and a cap. With lots of water and Gulaman to drink, these two simple things helps keep my skin protected from sun burns. "Not this time" I said. I will shoot the heck out of this tournament....

While I was having my own battle against the sun, a member of Team Minions of Subic approached me, introduced himself and asked me if I was the guy that flew from Iloilo. He told me that they are religiously following my Page on Facebook. He also mentioned that, just by looking at the photos from Visayas and Mindanao tournaments, they feel like they were there with me even if they are not. They were so thankful that I was there in Pampanga covering CUO.  But let me tell you this... I am the one that should be thankful to all of you for giving your best on the pitch and making the pictures look good. You are the ones that are making this possible. I was just there to capture the moment, and preserve it forever. I am nothing without you all great athletes!

Lots of amazing plays are happening on both playing fields. But, what really caught my attention are the women of every teams in this tournament. The ladies from Sunken Pleasure are always on their A game. Ysa of Team Moon Cake was phenomenal. And Of course, The Liwanag sisters of Pamp'ed up Chicks & Chongs. These two girls plays high quality Ultimate Frisbee every single game. They are fun to watch. I am looking forward to see them play again, if I will get an opportunity to photograph Manila Spirits in November (fingers crossed).

After the Saturday night Flower People themed socials at Nepo parking lot, as usual, the players took the field with hangovers and lots of excitement on Day 2 of the tournament. Quarters, Semis and Championship games are up for grabs. A loud voice called my name from the distance while I was trying to walk properly going to the event (Hangover is a B*tch, indeed).  Boss Peng is in the building! Or shall I say, Boss Peng is on the battle field! It's always great to see him in tournaments.

Day 2 started with a bang. Big plays here and there. All teams are in it to win it! There was one time that it only took a second for me to put my camera away from my shooting eye because there a lot of awesome plays from one field to another. It was so tough to capture everything. But I sure do had a great time being there up close in both playing fields. Bodies flying all over the place just a few feet away from me. It was like you're in a warzone where you are being bombed by people with discs on their hands... It was awesome! The Cabalen Ultimate Open has finally arrived!

CUO2014 sure did put on a great show, but what struck me the most until now was the presence of the Spirit Of The Game the whole weekend. High fiving opponents after a great score. Low fiving opponents after making an impressive D. Cheering on the other team even though they are far more ahead of you in scoring. Helping an opponent stand on their feet after a bad fall. Mikko of Sunken Pleasure helped one of the Liwanag sisters when she had an injury by carrying her on his arms off the field. The huddles are always fun to watch. There's not much arguments or conflicts happened during the weekend. The positive vibe was electric on every players on and off the field. The Spirit Of The Game is totally upon them.

In the end, Sunken Pleasure won the CUO 2014 title versus Pampanga's Pamp'ed up Chicks & Chongs in Pool A, and Team Minions took the championship away from Team Disco Po! in Pool B. After all the games were done, coolers full of beers were pouring in on the field. Party time! The organizers prepared a Kapampangan food festival themed awards night in Suburbia Village, were everyone was catered with authentic Kapampangan dishes. I, myself had a great time on that one. Having Buro for the first time was an awesome experience and of course (and I will say this all over again) The Best Sisig On The Planet was the highlight of the night! A wonderful video highlight from Day 1 of the tournament by Tim & Co. Creative Solutions was prepared for all of us to see, but due to some technical difficulties, we all watched Sponge Bob Squarepants and Squidward battle it out on the projector and watched the Day 1 highlights using a laptop instead. We sure all do had a blast on that one!

If you love food and Ultimate all at the same time, The Cabalen Ultimate Open in Pampanga is definitely the tournament that you need to be a part of. Pampanga has a lot to offer, and it would be great to see this tournament grow bigger next year and the rest of the years to come. Congratulations to all the organizers of CUO 2014. You all did a phenomenal job in organizing this event! I would really love to see you all here and visit Iloilo city for a tournament. Mag-Batchoy naman kayo! Hope to see you again next year in Pampanga mga Cabalen!

Big thanks to my brother Sal, and the Morales family for putting on a roof on my head and a cool van to ride on during my stay in Pampanga!

What's next for The Lokal Perspective? I will be on a one day coverage of Smile Ultimate Tournament in Bacolod city this coming October 12. Masskara na! See you there Bacolodnons!

I've finally reached my goal to shoot Ultimate in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao in just 7 months of shooting Frisbee. There's no way that I could make this goal without the help of The Philippine Ultimate community. I wholeheartedly thank every single one of you! Ibang klase talaga kayong lahat!

Until then... TULOY LANG ANG PARTY!!!

www.facebook.com/donlacziphoto

www.instagram.com/donlacziart

www.twitter.com/donlaczi