LIVING in Dingee, teenager Alyce Falls says she’s “isolated from the frisbee world”.
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Yet that hasn’t stopped her being picked to represent Australia at the World Junior Ultimate Championships to be held in the Polish city of Wroclaw.
For 17-year-old Falls, this year’s tournament from July 31 to August 6 will be her second time competing for Australia at the bi-annual world junior championships, having also done so in 2014.
What makes Falls’ selection all the more impressive is she has done it without honing her frisbee skills as part of a club.
“Living in Dingee I’m a bit isolated from the frisbee world and don’t actually have a club that I play for,” Falls said on Wednesday.
“I just try out for various teams and try to play in tournaments where I can.
“I do a lot of fitness training myself, and my parents and brother help me with my throwing, but I do a lot of it on my own.”
Falls – the school captain at East Loddon P-12 College – took up the sport of ultimate frisbee after her older brother, Roman, played it at university.
“Ultimate frisbee is very much a university sport and that’s where a lot of people first hear of it,” said Falls, who plays the position of cutter.
“My brother started playing it and I then developed a love for the sport as well.
“One of the things I really like about the sport is it’s self-umpired, so it relies a lot on honesty and the spirit of the game.
“And the atmosphere is great… I’ve made a lot of life-long friends from frisbee.”
Living in Dingee I’m a bit isolated from the frisbee world
- Alyce Falls
Ultimate Frisbee is seven-a-side on the field, non-contact and described as a mix of netball and American football. Scoring is by catching the frisbee in the end zone.
Falls has been named vice-captain of the Australian team.
“I feel really privileged to be part of the leadership team,” Falls said.
“I’m a bit lost for words about it. It’s such an honour and I’m really excited to see how we go.”
Falls is one of 17 members of the Australian team.