Colorado's first pro ultimate frisbee team for women holds tryouts
Nearly 100 players are vying for a spot on Colorado's first professional women's ultimate frisbee team. A men's professional ultimate frisbee team, the Colorado Summit, formed one year ago. Now women are taking a toss at pro Frisbee.
"This is the very first tryout for the very first team and so this is a part of history," said team founder and player Betsy Basch.
The Colorado Alpenglow will join 7 other teams in the Western Ultimate League. While we might think of frisbee as a casual backyard game, many of these players have years of competitive experience in college and club leagues. Now they're hoping to make the jump and become professional athletes.
"Pride, excitement, it's just so thrilling to be part of building this community and bringing professional women's ultimate to Denver," said head coach Stephanie Schlosser.
Women and non-binary players will be paid about $25 a game, plus travel expenses.
"No one's getting rich out here for sure," said Basch, "we're all here because we love the game, we love the sport."
The first round of tryouts took place over the weekend in Arvada, and coaches will have to whittle down the dozens of prospective players to just 35 by early next year.
"Our first game will probably be the weekend of March 10, and rosters are due Jan. 9, so we have a lot of work to do," says Basch.
Coaches say the sport is community-oriented, and even in tryouts, they want players to feel like family.
"This was not a silent sideline of people nervous or uncomfortable, this was a bunch of friends that were just enjoying playing frisbee together, and yes it also happened to be professional women's tryouts," said Schlosser.
The Alpenglow are making strides for representation in professional sports, one throw at a time.
"We want to show other girls and non-binary youth that this is something you can accomplish," said Basch.
