Strike’s Team “Lat Attack” plays hard during 2012 Week of the Eagles Ultimate Frisbee Tournament

August 16, 2012 |

Written by Specialist Bart Wigal
2nd Brigade Combat Team PAO

Fort Campbell, KY – This year, for the first time in the Screaming Eagle’s history, the game of Ultimate Frisbee is a part of the Week of the Eagles competition.  The Week of the Eagles is celebrated each year to honor the activation of the 101st Airborne Division in 1942.  This year is the division’s 70th anniversary.

Many ask, what is Ultimate Frisbee and the answer is quite long. The game of Ultimate Frisbee is like soccer mixed with football, mixed with hockey. It’s played with a seven-person team, on a 100-yard field with two 10-yard end zones. There is a “throw-off” down the field, after which the offense begins passing the disk.

A soldier from team “Lat Attack” 2nd Brigade Combat Team 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) gets some air going for the Frisbee, Tuesday August 14, during the 2012 “Week of the Eagles.” This is the first time Ultimate Frisbee has been played. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Bart Wigal, 2nd BCT PAO, 101st ABN. Div.)

The first ever Ultimate Frisbee tournament was held between the brigades on Perez Field August 14th. Team “Lat Attack” lead by Capt. Evan Peck, the company commander with Company D, 1st Battalion 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, also known as Wardogs, had been preparing for months. The team’s name was taken from the rule stating ‘only players lat muscles may make contact while jumping for the disk, no other physical contact is allowed.’

The team started with two tryouts across the brigade that ended with 13-players, all having ultimate frisbee experience.  Each soldier had at least played in high school and a few played in college.

“We’ve been practicing everyday at least 2-hours in 100-degree heat, but we’re having fun,” said Sgt. Thomas Crees, an infantryman from Company B, 2nd Battalion 502nd Infantry Regiment, the Renegades.

Crees said that he was walking back from the motor pool one day, and saw the team practicing, so he went to the tryouts and made it.

Team picture of 2nd Brigade Combat Team 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). Team “Lat Attack,” on Tuesday. The Ultimate Frisbee team lost to 101st Sustainment 16 to 8 taking them out of the tournament. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Bart Wigal, 2nd BCT PAO, 101st ABN. Div.)

After a rainout August 13th, Team Lat Attack came out strong scoring the first 2 points against the team representing the 101st Sustainment Brigade. They played aggressively and with passion, but were still behind in score. At the half, “Lat Attack” was down 12-6.

Peck rallied the “Strike” team closing the point gap to four, but the momentum couldn’t be maintained and the 101st Sustainment team came back scoring four more points ending the game 16-8, advancing to semifinals. Though defeated, the Strike team walks away from the new sport proud.

“Nobody made a fool of themselves, and we played our hardest,” said Peck, “We can still leave with our heads high.”

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