The ultimate reward

But Dingee schoolgirl Alyce Falls happily admits that if it wasn’t for her older sibling Roman, she wouldn’t be about to jet off to Italy to represent her country at the novel sport of Ultimate Frisbee.

The 15-year-old had never even heard of the game when her brother returned from university two years ago, full of enthusiasm for his new past-time and keen to teach her how to play.

“He came home with all these discs and wanted me out there throwing with him,” Alyce says.

“Once he was into it, he got a real passion for it and he wanted me to have that same love for the game.

“Now when he comes back, we always have a throw and he helps me with all the little techniques and skills. He tries to be my coach - that’s what he likes to think!”

Pharmacy student Roman, 20, has proven to be a top-notch instructor.

Despite not playing in a regular competition league, young Alyce has been selected in the Australian under-19 squad to contest the World Junior Ultimate Frisbee Championships in the Italian city of Lecco in July.

She is among the youngest - and almost certainly least experienced - members of the group, but is looking forward to the challenge of playing against the world’s best.

“I was just gobsmacked,” she says of receiving the call from team officials in February telling her she had made the final cut.

“My cheek bones were hurting from smiling so much and I couldn't wait to share the news with Roman.

"Representing Australia is such a massive privilege.”

Since making the team, Alyce has been travelling to Bendigo from the family’s 5000-acre cropping farm just outside Dingee every Friday night so she can take part in a social Ultimate Frisbee competition in Flora Hill.

She also attends monthly training camps with the national squad in Melbourne and Sydney and follows a strength and conditioning program at home.

“She completes two intense fitness sessions each week and as many throwing sessions as she can fit in,” says proud mum Robyn.

“Sometimes she just throws by herself in the back yard and sets up a wheelbarrow that she aims to hit, sometimes she gets her father or me out to do it with her.

“Of course, when Roman is home, they spend a long time out there practising together.”

Roman was introduced to the sport through friends he met at RMIT and he now plays up to five times a week.

He will travel to Malaysia later this year to compete with some of his mates.

Mrs Falls says after becoming a fan of Ultimate Frisbee, her son realised his sister had all the physical attributes needed to excel in the sport: fitness, agility and hand-eye co-ordination.

He taught her the ropes and encouraged her to try out for a Victorian team that played in a tournament late last year.

Alyce so impressed with her natural ability that she was chosen in an Australian youth squad to play on the final day and invited to trials for the national junior team.

Her trip to Italy will cost about $6500, so the farm girl will use some of the money she makes from raising calves to help fund it.

Alyce buys three young dairy calves in autumn and another three in spring to rear and sell through the market, and presently has 15 head of cattle to her name.

“I’ve been raising them from before Frisbee was even in my vocabulary,” she laughs, “but that will help with the cost of things.”

East Loddon P-12 College is also supporting the talented student, with teacher Sarah Byrne helping plan a casual clothes day and a fundraising barbecue to coincide with a demonstration game of Ultimate Frisbee.

Alyce is the youngest of three children and is described by her mum as “just a normal teenager” - an energetic country kid with a zest for life. 

She plays tennis for the Tandarra Titans senior team during summer and is a goaler and mid-court netballer for Mitiamo’s under-17 squad during winter.

Mrs Falls says there is no elite sporting DNA in the family history, though her 90-year-old father Max McKay featured on the front page of the Bendigo Advertiser in January when he came down from Sydney to compete in the Oceania masters athletics championships.

She says she and husband Colin are still coming to terms with having a child in a national team.

“We love supporting our kids in whatever they do, but we are not super-competitive people ourselves and this is all very new for us. But it has come as a really lovely gift.

“Before she tried out, we sat down with Alyce and talked about the fact there would be sacrifices - not just dollars, but also social activities and being organised with her homework and other activities.

“She went in with her eyes open about the need to be focused, organised and up-to-date... and she is really stepping up at times to show she is capable of that.”

Ultimate Frisbee is played between teams of seven on a field 100m long and 37m wide, with two 18m-deep “endzones”.

Points are scored when the disc is caught inside an opposition’s endzone, like a try in rugby. 

Players have a set time to dispose of the disc and they cannot run with it.

Turnovers occur if the Frisbee is dropped, intercepted or lands out of bounds. Fouls are called for any physical contact or blocking.

One of the most unusual aspects of the sport is that it is self-refereed - players are responsible for their own foul calls and line decisions and should resolve disputes by negotiation.

If an agreement can’t be reached, the passage is replayed.

Alyce says she enjoys the positive spirit and sportsmanship that Ultimate Frisbee creates.

At most tournaments, there is an award for the team that displays the best “Spirit of the Game”, as well as the overall winner.

While not eligible for funding, the sport is recognised by the Australian Sports Commission and is growing in popularity in this country.

The Friday night social competition in Bendigo began last year with about seven participants and more than 120 people are now involved (contact Craig Barker on 0422 070 099).

Alyce leaves for Italy on July 12, with the competition scheduled for July 20-26.

Australia will face tough opposition from Canada, Japan, the US and Scandinavian nations and are not expected to win, but the teenager says it’s all about “going over there and being in the moment”.

Her mum and dad plan to be there cheering her on, but sadly Roman and older brother Jackson won’t be able to make the journey to Europe for the carnival.

“Roman will be there in spirit and soul, though,” Mrs Falls says.

“He is so supportive of Alyce and very excited for her.”

To help sponsor Alyce, email rocfalls@activ8.net.au