Live from LA: The Pre-Season
Above: Monster at Discos Calientes in Chico, CA
Pre-Season Write-Up:
In ultimate, more so than other sports, whose placement in the playoffs depends on their record in earlier competition, its been said that everything pre-UPA Series is all pre-season. So, here's a wrap-up of Monster's pre-season and a little bit on our UPA Series expectations.
In January, Entourage got together and I went with the team down to Vegas. This was an LA team that gelled pretty well, losing on double-game point in the semis. LA Entourage brought in some guys who hadn't played on the LA scene yet with some Monster returners.
LA Entourage went to Davis for DUI where we played some pretty good NW teams and we beat a major SW rival, the Condors. LA ultimate then hosted a hat tournament a couple months later. This served as a tryout; I served as a captain of one of the hat tourney teams; this was a sign that I made the team; this was my message to LA that I would be playing here instead of in Santa Barbara or Atlanta. Over the next month or so, various players picked their teams while the teams picked their players. Some friends, including Jimmy Chu, Robbie Gillies, and Adam Raty all came down on one or the other side of the LA/SB fence.
Another month later, LA went to Cal States in Santa Cruz and lost lots of games but learned at the same time. (I also got cited for speeding in Santa Cruz, costing me $300!)
LA went to Chico, CA a couple weeks ago and the team is going to Santa Cruz this weekend. Tons of top teams are going to be at this Labor Day weekend tournament and its our team's chance to test our legs, run our sets against the best teams, and enjoy the Nationals-level competition. I'm disappointed that I'll miss the tournament.
Series Knowledge:
Sectionals is in three weeks, Regionals in four. San Diego teams will make our trip through Sectionals an exciting one; we expect to beat those teams (like we did this past weekend). Johnny Bravo and the Condors are two powerhouses in the region. Sectionals is in San Diego; Regionals in San Bernardino; Nationals is in Sarasota.
6 comments:
Photo credits, what what! I took 8 of those team pictures and that picture was the only one where I didn't accidentally crop someone out.
For some reason, I thought running 75 yards away (instead of focusing with the enormous lens) was more effective.
I have your regionals marked on my calendar!
ballin pre-season dude.
p.s. venus+camera=ill-nasty-skill :P
p.p.s. sam looks so happy in that picture it makes me laugh
ballllllllllllin go get em ben
How many bids do you guys have?
last year the southwest region had 3 bids to nationals and monster took the 3rd.
this year, the southwest probably has 2 bids to nationals.
Post a Comment