Youths Throw Selves Into Disc Contest
The Frisbee started as an instant fad when it was introduced 36 years ago. Today the flying disc has evolved into an athletic pursuit for many, including 16 youngsters who competed Friday in the 1993 World Junior Frisbee Disc Contest Championship.
“Some people think it’s just throwing and catching, but there’s a whole lot more to it and you can do more with a Frisbee than with just one ball,” said competitor Renee Pardo, 12, from Fort Myers, Fla.
The eight boys and eight girls from across the country vied for top scores in four field events at Twila Reid Park in Anaheim.
The finalists competed in disc golf--using specially designed discs to play an 18-hole course--distance throwing, a discathon in which competitors throw and run over a timed course, and Maximum-Time-Aloft, an event that times how long the disc stays up in the air.
Participants will compete today at Knott’s Berry Farm, testing their accuracy of throwing a Frisbee through a hoop target, and the freestyle throw, which is considered the “hot dog event,” said Frank Kappler, spokesman for Wham-O, sponsor of the Frisbee disc contest.
Kappler said the freestyle event gives the disc athletes a chance to choreograph original routines using trick catches, throws and tosses.
The finalists competing in the 25th annual contest were selected from more than 100,000 youngsters nationwide who participated in competitions in their hometowns this summer, Kappler said.
These finalists, ages 12 to 15, take competitive flying disc play seriously and their fascination with flinging a Frisbee takes a lot of practice, patience and concentration, they said.
The sports competition, they said, is a chance to meet new friends, travel, have fun, and most of all, win prize money.
Defending champion Ian Liddell, 14, of Fairfax Station, Va., said he is competing again because of “the thrill of beating people.”
His goal this year: “I want to win again and win another $1,000 savings bond,” he said.
The champion boy and girl each will receive a $1,000 U.S. Savings Bond, with second place winners getting a $500 bond, and third place winners each receiving $250 bond.
Each finalist also receives a $100 bond and all-expense paid trip to Knott’s Berry Farm.
Aimee Reiner, 15, of West Covina, who won the girls’ championship last year, said her quest is to retain her title.
“But I have a lot of competition on my tail,” said Reiner, who holds a world record in her age group for Maximum-Time-Aloft with a time of 9.45 seconds.
Reiner’s competition is Mary Uhlarik, 14, of Whittier, who holds a world record for women under 19 in distance throwing.
“It’s satisfying and fun to compete,” Uhlarik said. “I just hope I do really good, and as long as I do, I’ll be happy.”
Her parents, Irene and Bill Uhlarik, also avid Frisbee players, said their daughter has a good chance at winning the championship.
“But it’s not winning” that counts, Irene Uhlarik said. “It’s a time to learn more about the sport and improve your game. Whether you win or not, it’s a fun experience.”