JV Parents -- Drivers Wanted

No, I'm not selling Volkswagens. We need transportation for the March 13th tournament at St. John's!

SJU Indoor is a one-day tournament in Collegeville, MN (74 miles from HHS). Players will need to be at the Warner Palestra at 1:00pm. The tournament could conclude as late as 11:30pm with Finals and the 3rd place game.

Sign up in the comments section. Please indicate whether you can drive to SJU, from SJU, or round trip.

Thanks in advance!

JV Players -- St. John's Indoor Sign-Up (Closed)

Hey JV Team!

The SJU Indoor tournament is nearly upon us. If you will be coming, please sign-up in the comments. Here are the details:

What: SJU Indoor Tournament
Who: Hopkins JV and 7 other high school teams
When: Saturday, March 13, 1:00pm - 11:30pm at the latest
Where: Warner Palestra, Collegeville, MN
Cost: $15 / player, bring meal money or pack a meal

4 games guaranteed, bananas & bagels provided.

Huck, Dump, Kick Some Rump!

Update (2/27): Cost per-player is $15. Please bring payment to next Sunday's all-club meeting.

Update (3/8): We have reached our roster limit for this tournament. Sign-ups are now closed effective immediately.

March 7 All-club meeting

All Hopkins Ultimate parents and players are urged to attend an All-Club meeting.
When: Sun., March 7 at 5 :30
Where: Hopkins H.S. Little Theater
What's it about? All sorts of important stuff...

• Spring schedule including tournaments and league game info
• Sign up for Madison Mudbath (drivers and players)
• Info on the Hopkins Hustle
• Breakout discussion with each team's coaches, players and parents
• We'll finish before 6:30 p.m. so that players can go to the practice at NJH.

***JV jerseys are expected to be available for distribution at this meeting; varsity and girls will have to wait a little longer.

Tell your teammates and parents about this meeting. See you there!

Girls Sweatshirts

We are going to be ordering sweatshirts in the next couple of weeks and here is what they look like: sweatshirts

If you're interested in buying one, comment here with:

1. The name you would like on back
2. Your number
3. Your size (they are men's sizes I believe)

They will be about $33-36, depending on how many people want them. The stars (for captains) will be on the sleeve, as well as the 2010.

Chicago Invite costs

The girls and varsity teams will be traveling via bus to Chicago Invite March 19. Yes, that's the start of our first outdoor Ultimate competition! We have booked Bullet as our bus driver again. (He took good care of us on our trip to Winnipeg!). We have rooms at the Best Western of Romeoville 3.5 miles from the field.

The per player cost for the trip is $155 (includes bus and driver, hotel, tournament fee, continental breakfast) . We cannot break out the bus costs separately. In order to make the trip economics work, all players need to ride the bus. Cash or checks payable to Hopkins Ultimate are due by March 7 (2317 Archers Lane, Minnetonka, MN 55305)

The following players said they were planning on going to this tournament. If you no longer plan to go to Chicago and should be taken off the list, please comment. If you now are planning to attend this tournament and aren't on this list, please let us know with a comment.
Girls:
Arenson, Haley
Bronstein, Mia
Daley, Jenna
Hudek, Maddie
Maustbaum, Alex
Oswald, Laurel
Peaslee, Emma
Petersen, Emily
Saltzman, Mara
Schoonover, Val
Taylor, Bailey
Abby
Boys:
Bhatka, Nihal
Bumsted, Sam
Cousins, Greg
Finkelstein, Jason
Fish
Gollin, Danny
Hoffman, Jake
Klane, Josh
Leonard, Eli
Mekler, Wyatt
Mekler, Zach
Rassmussen, Ethan
Ruble, Michael
Sanders, Noah
Sussman, Jack

We have three parents who plan to chaperone: Sara Mekler, Mimi Klane and Sheri Brenden. Other parents who are interested, we'd love to have you come. Call 815-372-1000 to book a room. Tell them you are with the Chicago Invite for a great room rate. Post your name to save a spot on the bus. (Only $100 for a roundtrip seat.)

Weekend Practice Update

As we are having practice Friday night on the turf field at the Plymouth Dome (bring your cleats!), we are not having practice on Sunday night, 2/14. We do not have the space on Sunday.

See you Friday night, 9-10:30 PM.

Mikey K

The Work Ethic of Wisconsin Ultimate

Just want to show you guys how an Ultimate team wins 3 National Championships in 5 years:  

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

The Work Ethic of Wisconsin Ultimate…

…is at an all time high. And this statement currently extends to all facets of the program. 

Whatever you believe about the cycles of rest and recovery – Wisconsin has decimated through disregard. 
In Madison, the only caliber for a successful workout is threshold of physical pain and how well one can push through that discomfort. 
Last night was the fourth straight day of complete cardio and leg strength failure. Hitting the snooze button and falling out of bed was never so much fun.
Besides for the intrinsic fitness benefits (and setbacks) – the goal is to mentally “win” the workout. 
Not to finish, but to win workouts that on average rated a 9/10 by 25 of the hardest dudes you see walking to class. 
But the Hodags are not the only squad pushing. Bella Donna’s workout google-doc is getting lengthier by the day. Without fail, each player signs in to account for the work they put into the season, and every day the list grows. Last night for example, I saw the Pimpdags doing a running and agility workout. The Hodags were killing a long set of plyos and tabatas, while Bella Donna was running sprint intervals and lifting weights. Atropa girls were also seen on the track and in the weight room – putting the total number of ultimate players in the Shell at approximately 75 with the 4 teams combined. And that was just last night. 
But that’s really the only alternative. Besides for once a week indoor practice for 2 hours, beginning maybe a week or two before the first big tournaments of the season; Wisconsin has no other way to prepare. It speaks volumes to the commitment level each player has individually invested into the season and the program. No other school has 80 college students busting their ass every single day of the week for the mere enjoyment and excitement of chasing a piece of plastic. But that’s the best part; it’s fun, it creates lifelong friendships, and it prepares an individual for future obstacles. Unlike most ultimate teams – Wisconsin has matured into a mentoring program. Your buddy not only runs sprints and lifts with you, but teaches and guides you. He is the second opinion, who has already experienced your struggle. Wisconsin’s success comes from the fact that being a part of the team is so much more than an athletic endeavor. It is an experience, a guiding force which teaches an individual to balance their time, activities, money, and life. It teaches a work ethic, a competitive drive, and the ability to succeed. When you have finished your time with the Hodags – you are a man’s man. 
For all the glamor of being able to play ultimate outside year long – Wisconsin fights with discipline and delayed gratification. No one wants to sprint on the track, jump over hurdles, and touch backboards until they want to puke – but Madison player’s consistently do these activities with the final goal in mind. 
Three days ago the Spring Season officially began as almost every player had fully returned from winter vacation. The first short 6 minutes of complete suffering was exactly to the point. But it was the post-running talk that seized my attention. Captain Matt Young began to speak of his goals for the team and his expectations from his teammates. He cemented the first building blocks of something great and took strides to imprinting the importance of this season on the 27 eager faces around him. Matt Young also spoke of his personal sacrifice to the team. As a medical student – Matt must complete several month long rotations as part of his school, which means Crumb is driving many hours on the road just to make it to Hodag functions. Soon I realized that Matt was not talking of sacrifices, but of opportunities. “Every day I drive to practice, I have to pass Breese Steven’s Stadium. That is four times a day I pass it, and every time I get so jacked up thinking that this is the location of National Finals.” In the loud and crowded Shell, I still felt the shiver of excitement roll through the tightly packed group of eager young men. I’m two years removed and even my heart quickened at that thought.
Then Jon Masler took front and center, making his first introduction to the 2010 team. Having been in Israel for the last 5 months, Jon had been waiting and stewing in the thoughts of his 5th year. With enthusiasm to spare, Masler stated his heart-felt commitment to the team and proved it with a quick flash of his freshly marked Hodag tattoo. The group hooted in approval as the first indoor Hodag Love roared and echoed throughout the Shell. 
Wisconsin will have legs to spare this season and will most likely push another team's top player into total failure. Late in a hot tournament, he will bend over and put heat exhaustion in a big pile on the field. And the reason will be none other than the tenacity of the Hodags. Wisconsin will sprint you into the ground this season by throwing the fastest, most gritty, eager blanket defenders on you again and again.

All Team Practice - Friday Night

Notice the schedule for this weekend - All Team Practice on Friday night from 9-10:30 PM.

It's not a school night, but it is our last chance this year to get on the indoor turf at the Plymouth Dome! See you all there!

Mikey K

Pick up on Superbowl Sunday

For those of you who still want to run around on Sunday:

There will be pick up from 6-10pm at Bethel on Sunday. The space was reserved for TCUL winter league but games were canceled on account of superbowl.

If you have any additional questions, please let me know.

Erin