Wollongong Krank has won the Australian Mixed Ultimate Championship in Queensland. Photo: Michelle Lim / Kreatif Minds Studio.
An ultimate frisbee team from the Illawarra has dominated the top division at the Australian Ultimate Mixed Championships with their perseverance, positive attitude and team connection seeing them beat the best in the country to claim gold.
The Wollongong Krank ultimate frisbee team have been working their way up the ladder for the past decade and now they can finally call themselves national champions.
“It was really good for our club, we’ve been training for so many years together,” club president and team member Mandy Li said. “Even a few years ago we were still coming eighth.
“We weren’t really expecting it; some of the top teams this year on paper were really really strong, so we were hoping for at least top four but coming first was a shock.”
The three-day tournament in Beenleigh, Queensland brought together some of the best teams from across the country and after coming in a close second in last year’s event, the Wollongong team were at the top of their game.
“During the tournament we were so strong; we were getting really good scores against the teams; we didn’t seem to turn it over much and our connections were really strong,” Mandy said.
“Every player on our team played really well.
“There wasn’t a star player and there wasn’t anyone who didn’t perform during the tournament and I think that really helped.”
A key to their success is their strong relationships off the field, with their friendships helping to build trust and maintain a positive environment.
“We all train together all the time, we do a lot of social events together – it’s just this community where we play frisbee, we hang out and then we play more frisbee,” Mandy said.
“In this tournament we only played six games in three days so we had quite a lot of free time and in our free time we did a talent show and we went to the sauna and the spa; we would just watch frisbee on the TV and play sardines and stuff like that.
“We all stayed at one house and we all cooked for each other and it was just really nice.
“I think that just helps with the connection on the field because you’re more free to talk to people; it just opens that channel to communication and everyone’s happy so they play well.”
That sense of community is part of what drew Mandy to the game more than 10 years ago, and the sport has taken her across the country and the globe.
“There’s a huge amount of opportunities because it’s still a growing sport,” she said.
“I think I’ve been overseas six times for frisbee already.
“That’s the main reason I travel; I’ve travelled around Australia and internationally.”
She competed in Japan earlier this year, with other club members also recently representing in Portugal and Spain.
But the sport is not just for the elite, with the club also hosting social pick-ups and other opportunities for people to get involved.
“It’s both people who are technical and very athletic and you can play it at all ages as well,” Mandy said. “There are people at the club who are 40-plus and they’re still playing it at a really high level; there’s lots of opportunities.
“I think it’s super fun, super unique and more people in Wollongong should play.”
To find out more or to get involved visit the Wollongong Ultimate Frisbee website.
