U.S. National Team Tryout

Behind the Scenes |   U.S. National Team Tryout

By Clare Frantz, a player for the DC Shadow, a professional ultimate team in the Premier Ultimate League based in Washington, DC. 

For the first time since 2016, the world ultimate community will gather to compete for the 2024 WFDF World Ultimate Championships.  Thirty-seven countries are sending teams this summer to Australia to what is the most prestigious ultimate-only championship event.  One hundred and four female-matching athletes were invited recently to try out for one of the only 36 spots on Team USA and earn a trip to Australia. DC Shadow had 12 players invited to tryouts and we asked Clare Frantz to provide a behind-the-scenes look at preparing for and participating in this year’s tryouts. Here’s her report.

DC Shadow Hits Team USA Tryouts

Across the two weekends of February 24-25 and March 2-3, a total of 10 DC Shadow athletes packed their cleats, discs, and dreams and hiked to either San Francisco, California or Sarasota, Florida to compete against the best of the best. Each coastal tryout included about 100 athletes (around 50 of each gender-match) with drills, scrimmages, bruises, and turf burns spanning two powerful 8-hour days. 72 athletes will be selected from the two tryouts for the three National Teams (24 for Men’s, 24 for Women’s, 12 of each for Mixed).

The tryouts were gruelling, intense, and physical, yet also energizing, engaging, and remarkably enjoyable.

Allie Wallace, Kami Groom, and Clare Frantz say more:

How would you summarize your tryout experience?

Allie Wallace (AW): Tryouts were an amazing experience. It was a GRIND of a weekend. You are out there each day from 8:00am-4:00pm just getting intense and competitive rep after rep. There is very little resting mentally and physically once you step on the field because you are surrounded by the best frisbee players in the whole country…battling against them, getting to watch and learn from them, and personally getting to know them and strategize with them. So many strong frisbee personalities in one setting, you learn so much and your body has to work so hard every single rep.

Photo by Kevin Leclaire (support https://www.ultiphotos.com/!)

I was coming back from injury, so I was unable to play both days, but Saturday was SO fun and extremely competitive. After day one, your body feels like it played in an entire tournament weekend because of the consistent high-level reps and points you play all day long. Getting to know players that you have spent so long playing against was one of the biggest highlights. Watching so many frisbee icons and leaders come together and play and compete is an unreal experience and creates an awesome atmosphere.

So many strong frisbee personalities in one setting, you learn so much and your body has to work so hard every single rep.

Clare Frantz (CF): This tryout might sit atop my list of best frisbee experiences ever. It was super fun, high energy, and very supportive. Everyone was just happy to be there, and that was definitely the best part. The unyielding care and encouragement from every single person there was something I had never experienced before. No chippy calls, no testy arguments, just pure enjoyment of the sport we all love.

Photo by Kevin Leclaire

My west coast tryout was also *kissed* from above with truly perfect weather (65 and sunny, insert cool sunglasses emoji here) and virtually no wind. Throw in 1000 pickles and electrolyte packs in an attempt to replenish all that I was losing, and I had myself a grand ol’ time!

The unyielding care and encouragement from every single person there was something I had never experienced before.

How did you prepare for tryouts?

CF: I was fortunate enough to already be engaged with a workout plan that was fitting for tryout prep: lots of McDonald’s and Netflix. Kidding! Lots of explosive lifting and sprint endurance, seriously. I played a ton of goaltimate and mini for quick, heavy-breathing reps. I made my friends simulate a bunch of weird scenarios that I cooked up, and then bought them smoothies after. I studied film of other tryout invitees (to feel confident playing with and against them). I watched mental toughness videos, visualized a variety of scenarios (good and bad), slept a ton, developed a tryout mantra, and talked to as many people as I could about the tryout. My goal was to go in feeling comfortable and confident so that I could fully commit to 100% effort and enjoyment. I was very pleased with my preparation and how it served me throughout the weekend.

Kami Groom (KG): I take a holistic approach to preparing for tryouts. Physically, I lift twice a week for explosiveness and run or play at least three times a week. Skills-wise, I do intentional sessions that focus on defensive reps in both the handler and cutter spaces and particular throws.

Photo by Kevin Leclaire

Specifically, I have an "It's Your World" throwing routine that I like to do where I get to throw a bunch of throws in a row while 2-3 of my friends mark and cut/defend for me. Mentally, I have a visualization routine that includes confidence conditioning, past recall of times I've performed well, and future rehearsal, where I get to envision performing well at the tryout. Finally, I'm careful about my "information diet" leading up to tryouts. I try to consume content that feels empowering and productive to my mentality. I watch film of myself playing well for additional confidence conditioning. I also watch film of other tryout invitees so that I can play well with and against them at tryouts.

I'm careful about my "information diet" leading up to tryouts. I try to consume content that feels empowering and productive to my mentality.

What goals did you have coming into the tryout?

AW: Just staying in the moment and getting better through this experience. Giving it my all so that I was pushing myself and seeing how I could execute my game amongst all these amazing players!

KG: 1) Play well enough to earn a roster spot; 2) Take away the unders and contest the deeps; 3) Continue to grind late in the day on Sunday; 4) Make at least one new friend; 5) Enjoy the experience!

What situations/drills challenged you the most at tryouts?

AW: On the Women’s division field, we spent the majority of our time in 4v4 and 7v7. I really focused on trying to be consistent and getting timing down on offense so that I could add to the flow and minimize turnovers; that was constantly on my mind. It was important to be decisive when cutting and clearing. With so many talented players on the field, defense was extremely hard so it was just important to try and stay focused on your match-up and deny your person from getting the disc in advantageous ways as much as possible…but there was never an easy match-up or a time where you could relax on the field, so staying dialed in the entire time was really important.

CF: With our gorgeous weather, the offense really flourished, so I had a hard time taking away unders and contesting deeps on defense. I felt like every throw was a dime, and I was just in awe of how hard defense was against such exceptional offense. I couldn’t “bait” D’s like I’m used to because the talent-level was so high, but it was just such an awesome challenge anyway. The 4v4 full field mixed was tricky tricky tricky. New folks, big space, cross-gender play, but time flies when you’re having fun!

What would you encourage players hoping to qualify for Worlds to consider in their training?

AW: Focus on getting better with each rep and every workout you do. You can’t control the outcome as much as you can control the process.

You can’t control the outcome as much as you can control the process.

KG: Make a training plan and commit to it. The training plan doesn't have to be perfect, but it's important for the placebo effect of knowing you stayed on track and paid attention to the details. Film, focused skill sessions, interval/track running, visualization/confidence conditioning are areas untapped by a lot of players. Also finding a trusted friend who can go along the journey with you is truly invaluable – someone who can allay your insecurities, keep you accountable when you feel unmotivated, consult on your training regimen, etc. Mine was Clare Frantz, and I’m so thankful for her!!!

(Okay, I added that last sentence on Kami’s, but I think it’d be hilarious to see if she notices hahaha)

Make a training plan and commit to it.