Daily Updates: Team USA Travel & Competition

7/21/09 and 7/22/09
Japan, Japan, GOLD

Photo Gallery: 7/21/09
Photo Gallery (Scobel Wiggins): 7/21/09
Video Clip: USA vs. Japan (Pool Play, Part 1)
Video Clip: USA vs. Japan (Pool Play, Part 2)
Video Clip: USA vs. Japan (Pool Play, Part 3)
Video Clip: USA vs. Japan (Gold Medal Game, Part 1)
Video Clip: USA vs. Japan (Gold Medal Game, Part 2)
Video Clip: USA vs. Japan (Gold Medal Game, Part 3)
Video Clip: USA vs. Japan (Gold Medal Game, Part 4)
Global Post Article
Team USA on Sportscenter (Top Play #8)

Even though the team was 4 - 0 going into Tuesday, the tournament could play out in my different ways depending on how the first two rounds of the morning played out. After the first two rounds finished everything worked out so the last pool play game, our match with Japan, wouldn't have any impact on who was in the finals. No matter how the game ended the finals were going to be USA vs. Japan.

That didn't slow the game down for a second.

After waking up and taking off from the hotels at a comfortable 9am, we grouped up in the locker room and soon after ran through active warm ups. During our locker room time we shared the space for a bit with the Great Britain team who was making use of the shallow ice bath. They are quite a group! Great singers! The Fresh Prince of Bel Air theme songs sung by 8 Brits with strong accents is damn cool!

About 20 minutes before game time I headed up to my video/tweet perch, high up on the lower level of the second tier of seating. (I'm going to miss such a great place to record games!)

Japan started off the game by going up 2 - 0. This was the first time the US had been down by more than 1. The US fought back and kept the game close, but a series of unforced errors in the first half helped Japan take half 7 - 4. This was the first half the US had not won the entire tournament. The US came out a bit calmer in the second half and took it 7 - 6, but it wasn't enough and Japan won 13 - 11.

Team USA was not happy about losing, but were quite confident that they would take full charge of the second game. What went wrong in the first game was correctable and confidence was strong all around the locker room in the post game discussion. After getting cleaned up we grouped together and headed to the catering center.

Back at the stadium the team enjoyed a couple hours of rest before our 7:10pm game. A group made use of the massage table room and others watched some of the 3/4 AUS/CAN game. At around 5:30 the team started to gather in the locker room and get geared up for warmups. Players danced it out. Beau helped Chelsea color her hair. At 6pm the team gathered in the locker room and headed out to run through active warmups.

The intros for the game were longer this time around. Team USA was led onto the field by local children. The US and Japanese national anthems were played. The the game was on.

The US started out on fire and never looked back. Points were traded for a while but then Japan made a few unforced errors, the US played terrifically impressive D, and the US didn't turn the disc over. Beau took over the deep game on D and O. Bart made a gorgeous, 6-feet-off-the-ground-layout D block in the endzone as well as ran the O, Deb powered the handlers, Cara ran her defenders into the group, Chelsea was everywhere, Gwen made some huge receptions and point point throws, Dylan was a force of nature, Gabe was an unstoppable cutter (too bad they took back his greatest!)... everyone played very well. The US took half 7 - 4 and then kept up the momentum winning 13 - 6 off of a Bart to Beau huck that Beau flipped in to Dylan. (#8 on Sportscenter's top 10!). Team USA wins gold!

After the last point the teams immediately went into mixing with one another. The teams then did a lap, going right up to the stands to slap hands with fans. Chelsea ran around with an American flag. A bunch of players then threw discs into the crowd. Everyone then grouped up inside the stadium and took a bunch of pictures. Soon after we were all lined up and brought out onto the field for the medal ceremony. We walked behind the podiums and then team by team we stepped up and all the players received their medals from WFDF and World Game's officials. All of the players also got medium sized plus dolls of the mascots.

All three medal teams (AUS 3rd, Japan 2nd), stayed around the podiums for a while after the ceremony to take pictures. The fans were still out in force at this point and we did lots of waving. After many pictures we made out way back to the egde of the inside of the stadium and the teams socialized some more. Jersey trading began and shortly it was very hard to figure out who was really on each team. About 30 minutes later almost everyone was cleared out except Team USA who donned their tie dyed t-shirts and gold shorts to get a group shot on the empty field. Out on the field we took the photo and then circles up with Japan to talk about the game. Both teams spoke very well and then we found the bus outside the stadium.

Back at the hotel everyone got cleaned up while I ordered some (well, alot) of pizza. It turns out that it takes about 5 people to help in ordering pizza. The team devoured the pizza and then headed over to the Garden hotel for the player social. I joined them a few hours later and found them well integrated into the party social which was being dominated by a group of singing GB players. The social lasted late into the night.

The next morning Greg took off early to catch his flight. The team spent the day all over the city, with the bulk of them heading to the 4-person gymnastics event that involved vertical formations. It was apparently very, very impressive. The team bussed up at 5pm and by 5:30 we were all at the Zuoying train station. By 8pm we were back at the Cosmos hotel where we took a short rest and then headed out to the Shihlin night market.

It was the first time to the market for most of the group and they soaked it in with a terrific intensity. The group ate just about everything and picked up some nice new shoes, tie dyed dresses, and various other local items. After a couple hours of navigating the torrent of people, we grouped up back at the metro and headed back to the Cosmos where no one went to bed too early.

This morning (7/22) 9 members of the group woke up early to catch a 6am bus to the airport. Several hours later the rest of the group woke up and decided to head to the National Palace Museum. Others went to the Taipei 101. I'm currently enjoying the air conditioning of a Starbucks over looking the Taipei Main Station.

The rest of us take off for home in the next 24 hours.

Here's what Matty Tsang had to say about the day (7/21):

The US had a dominating performance in the finals after losing to Japan earlier in the day.

The US went up 6-2 on Japan before they had their 1st turn. They had only 4 turns total in the game. The US didn’t allow any Japan any second chances  after they made a mistake. This offensive efficiency was demoralizing to the Japanese team.

The difference in the 1st two games was dramatic. 1st of all the temperature was manageable. In the morning the temperature climbed to 96F. It definitely had a huge affect on the 1st Jap vs Usa and Can vs Aus matches. A couple of players in both matches were unable to play because of heat stroke.

Second, the defense was much, much better. Markers were smarter and more dynamic. Lane defenders played close to their check. A common misconception when playing Japan is that there can be a bigger cushion on D because of the height disparity. Against the Japanese it is important  play D with the assumption that they are faster than you are ('cause they generally are).  The buffer has to enable you to be able to gain immediate inside position on a deep cut when you hear the "up" call. Japanese hucks don't float, so you don't the luxury to reposition once you hear the "up" call.

3rd the US made plays. They came out amped up and when the opportunities presented themselves, made the big play. This came from every member of the team. In the 1st 8 points the US effectively shut down Japans deep game.  By the time Japan adjusted it was too late.

The MVP of the finals was without a doubt Beau Kittredge. On both O and D he controlled the deep space and the air. Most of time he was matched up on Japan’s best player Masahiro Matsuno. If Beau is the best athlete in our game Masahiro is not far behind. He can’t be more than 5’9 or so but has jaw dropping leaping abilities. Masahiro’s great throws, vision, and tireless work ethic on both O and D made him arguably the best player at this tournament.

On the women’s side there were strong performances across the board, but Alicia White stands out. She spent much of her time on Japan’s top female threat, Eri Hirai. Alicia managed to limit where Eri got the disc and got a key point block on  her, very difficult to do considering Eri’s quick release. Alicia’s tireless cutting kept the O going earned her a couple of goals on offense.

For the tournament 3 people stood out on a ridiculously talented team. Bart Watson had a MVP performance. He probably had more touches in the handling position than any other player. He often was the iso cutter in pull plays. He D’d up both handlers and cutters and had a numerous key plays in the air.  Gabe Saunkeah was another standout. His dynamic play especially on O made the US attack unpredictable. The offensive connection between Bart and Gabe was particularly effective. This was only the second time I have ever seen Dylan Tunnel play.  He does so many things well.  Large bodied cutter, good in the air, great disc skills. I was impressed with his decision-making abilities despite being such a young player.

Finally, it was nice to see Cara Crouch and Chelsea Putnam finally earn a medal. These are 2 players that I have admired and coached against since their college days. They have been leaders on all the teams that they have played for. Fiery,  competitive, and entertaining players, they still have the ability to acknowledge those they play against. They are great ambassadors of the sport. . Many great players never get a chance to win a championship. I am glad these two finally got their shot and earned one.

More of Matty's thought's on the day:

I feel so fortunate to have gotten to watch these games. My description cannot do justice to what has occurred these last 3 days.The 78 athletes from 6 countries have gotten to something that has never happened before for ultimate, and most likely will never happen again. They have been treated as professional athletes for the last three days. They have played in a $150 million dollar stadium dedicated to their sport. They have been shuttled from place to place in their private busses. At the stadium: locker rooms, media rooms,live commentary and stats. Their teams have dedicated guides, team officials, and trainers. On the field: restricted access, dozens of volunteers, and today they added.... INSTANT REPLAY!

So awesome! Replay of all highlights on the Jumbotron. Was it a foul? Just wait for the replay. Sick grab? You get to see it 3 more times. Wonder how the injury occurred? You'll get to see it close-up. Is the coach chewing out the team? You'll get to read his lips on the screen. Don't have a ticket to get into the stadium? One of the 2 jumbotrons broadcasts from both sides so you can watch the action from the food court outside.

Real crowds with actual fans. Fans that want autographs. Fans that make banners for players that they have no personal connection with. Two different strangers (young ladies) made #24 signs for Bart Watson. There was a big Dylan sign as well. So many fans wanting you to sign things that you are late to warmups or getting back to the team bus. Fans that want you to take a picture with their young child. No joke! Seth Wiggins was getting his picture taken with a stranger's baby in his arms.

And the athletes came through on the field. They showcased what is best about our sport with exciting competitive and spirited play.

I agree with everything in Matty's post except for one thing. I am absolutely certain that we will see these kinds of days again, on a daily basis. What an honor it was to see such a vivid preview of the future.

- Josh

7/20/09
Taipe, Great Britain, and The Prom

Photo Gallery: 7/20/09
Photo Gallery (Scobel Wiggins): 7/20/09
Video Clip: USA vs. Taipei (Part 1)
Video Clip: USA vs. Taipei (Part 2)
Video Clip: USA vs. Great Britain (Part 1)
Video Clip: USA vs. Great Britain (Part 2)
Video Clip: USA vs. Great Britain (Part 3)

We all woke up a bit early in order to make the bus to our 10am game. While it was nice to play in the last morning game, it's also nice to play early and not have to run through lunch!

We made it to the fields by around 8:30am and had about a half an our to lounge and watch the AUS/GB game. GB was down by 4 but came back to close within one at 12 - 11, and had the disc to tie it all up, but then turned it. AUS quickly capitalized and the game was over.

Our game with Taipei started off fast and furious with Taipei scoring first. Taipei stayed with the US for the first portion of the game, but then the US took it away, cruising to a 13 - 4 win. After the game both teams came together inside for a great spirit circle. There were lots of cheers, speeches by players, and exchanged gifts. The US players and coaches received some very nice World Games discs!

The last game of the morning was Canada/Japan and we all stayed around to watch. Japan pulled ahead with an early break and stayed ahead with their blistering speed. Canada managed to pull together some momentum, but couldn't bring it over the top. Japan ended up winning 13 - 9.

Next we headed off to another cool lunch at the catering center. Lots of pasta, fried chicken, tea, juice, fish, and various soy dishes later, we were back at the stadium where we got some good rest time in the massage room.

At 3pm Team USA started their active warm up, at 4:10 the lines were called, and soon after the game started. GB played tough and stuck with Team USA for the entire game. Even though USA pulled off a 4 point win, GB never really broke. They played very hard the entire game.

After the GB spirit circle we packed up and head back to the hotel where everyone got about 45 minutes of downtime before we all headed out to dinner at Outback! The theme for the night was "Prom Night" so everyone got as dressed up as they could. We all had a great time eating and being social. We all left very, very full.

Back at the hotel everyone got to bed early.

- Josh

Here's what Matty Tsang had to say about the day:
Well, Australia did it. They came through with the 13-12 victory over Japan to make things very interesting tomorrow. If they hadn't won, the last pool play games tomorrow morning would have been irrelevant. Then the exact same match ups would have been played for a second time in a row in the afternoon for placement. I like it much better this way.

This game was fantastic! One of the best I've ever seen. Too bad there weren't many ultimate players there to truly appreciate what was happening. Very tight defense on both sides. Very different styles of offense and big exciting plays. Australia took half 7-5. Japan battles back scoring 3 in a row to take the lead. It was point for point the rest of the game.

Masahiro Matsuno and Eri Hirai should be familiar to anyone who has watched the Buzz Bullets or the Japanese National Women's team. Masahiro can do it all. He has huge aggressive lefty throws, he's quick, fast and can jump. I remember Eri Hirai catching something like 40 goals at World's last year. On this team she's throwing large gainers. More impressive that the length of her throws (which is impressive) is how quick her release is.

On the Aussie men side Michael Neild, and the Dowle bro's stood out in very solid crew. Hammers consistently got the Aussies out of trouble. On the women's side Liz Edye was consistent all day as the swing. Speedy Katie Bradstock had tough matchup against Sachiko Sameshima who had been getting free deep all tournament, but she did a great job of making her take unders most of the game.

The US has a relatively easy day. Beau was all over the place today, making multiple plays on O and D. I think he has recovered from eating that pork knuckle.

7/19/09
Australia, Canada, and Stadium Night Games

Photo Gallery: 7/19/09
Photo Gallery (Scobel Wiggins): 7/19/09
Video Clip: USA vs. Australia (Part 1)
Video Clip: USA vs. Australia (Part 2)
Video Clip: USA vs. Australia (Part 3)
Video Clip: USA vs. Canada (Part 1)
Video Clip: USA vs. Canada (Part 2)

Everyone was super pumped on the bus on the way into the stadium. Some people showed their excitement physically (dancing), and other's through personal focus. By the time we arrived everyone was ready for action.

We gathered up in one of the four stadium locker rooms and geared up. Moving across the hall the team started active warm ups in the indoor half-arc track. Even though almost all of the indoor space is air-conditioned, the indoor space is not so it's a tad warm in the room. This actually turned out to be a plus since it was a good transitional environment to the outside heat.

After warming up the team gathered their game gear and headed to the waiting area. The captains checked the team in and then everyone made their way into the field. Walking onto the field for the first time during competition was quite exciting, especially since there were several thousand people in the stands. The team moved out into the field and went through several long and short throwing drills. Then it was game time.

Australia is one of two teams that we hadn't played sometime over the summer, so we were quite sure what to expect other than that Australia was going to be strong. AUS came out swinging right from the start and some early jitters on the part of the US led to some unforced turns. The game stayed close and the US took half 7-6. The team kept momentum through the second half and ended up winning 13-11.

Next we headed off to a quick lunch and then bounced back to the stadium for the opening ceremonies for Flying Disc. On the way over the catering center we shared a bus with the Dragon Boat team and showed them our amazing singing skills.

At the opening ceremonies we lined up, walked to a spot, there was some talking, we walked to another spot, there was some talking and cheering, then we walked back inside after a round of speeches. After the ceremony was got to watch Chinese Taipei play Australia. TPE managed to go up 5-4 on AUS with ~12,000 people rooting them on from the stands. We're pretty sure that the crowd's during Sunday's TPE games were the largest ever for any Ultimate game, ever. Does anyone know of an Ultimate game that had a crowd watching it larger than 12,000?

TPE fought hard but AUS stayed ahead, winning 13 - 9.

The team then gathered up and went through their warm up routine before their game against Canada. On the field the rosters were announced. By the time the game started the lights had been on for a while and a night time light breeze kept things a little cool. Canada started off by scoring first and holding it close for a bit, but then the US took off and never looked back, winning 13 - 6. There were many spectacular plays and very few mistakes made by the US. You can read through the game on the Twitter feed (witter.com/upaorg) and also watch the game on the YouTube channel (youtube.com/upamedia).

After the game was over we packed up and headed over to the dining hall. After piling in as much food as we could manage, we all headed back to the hotels. Meredith and I then headed out on a laundry run, and made it back around mid night to find the entire team fast asleep.

- Josh

Here's what Sam CK has to say about the Australia game:

"Day 1 of competition was pretty successful, starting with a fairly windy and ugly, or perhaps we'll call it "gritty", win against Australia. We went down a break to start, but had taken the lead by the half. We won the second half as well, with a final score of 13-11."

Here's a recap of the day from Matty Tsang:

"The last game of Day 1 is after 7pm under the lights. Wind has died down and the temperature is a frigid 85F.

The US spanks Canada 13-6.

The US plays well makes some great defensive plays and was efficient with the disc converting quickly on blocks and Canadian mistakes.

Canada's performance was disappointing. This roster has a ton of talent. But with the exception of Kirk Savage and Walker, you didn't see the individuals on the team showcase their strengths during this game. Offensively they seemed out of sync (no doubt helped by US D) and had a number of early-in-the possession turnovers, and defensively they consistently gave up big yardage throws.

An interesting thing on the US side. Without the alternates here at the Games the US is left with very few true handlers. As a result, for much of the game, players like Bart and CK end up behind the disc. Players that perhaps in the most ideal situation would be able to showcase their strengths most as cutters. However one thing that is even harder to find than a player that is both a throwing and cutting threat is a defender that can play on lane cutters and handlers equally well. The US with their roster, and the way they have keeping their positions interchangeable are a defensive nightmare. When you line up against Bart, CK, Dylan, Cara, Gwen, Seth, and Gabe, you can't be sure what position they will be playing. To make it worse they will switch mid point.

A couple of US highlights:
At 4-3 US Cate Foster gets the D, moments later a huge huck, Cate lays out but mac's it 15 feet in the air enough time for a bunch of people to get under it, Dylan looks like he has position to get it but it drift backwards right into the hand of ... Cate!

Cara 65 yard to bomb to Bart, and then on the next offensive point Cussen does the same to Alicia!

Chelsea catch-block on the her own goaline. A couple passes later the US takes half.

After the game, bare chested US male players were a big hit with the young taiwanese ladies. Lot's of pictures, autographs and giggling. Chelsea Putnam may be the mascot for the team, she is very popular with the fans.

UK had the toughest schedule today and went 0-2. They will have to depend on a lot of help from others and and win out their games if they want to get to finals.

Australia has the ingredients to make a run in the tournament. They have a solid roster and the Dowle twins are dynamic weapons. Unfortunately, lapses in focus have led to moments of poor play. If they can become more consistent they will make things a lot more interesting after tomorrow."

7/18/09
Wind, 40,000, and Karaoke

Photo Gallery: 7/18/09
Video Clip: 7/18/09
Video Extra: Dragon Boating

It rained rather hard last night but stopped a couple hours before we took off for the fields. We all met in the lobby at 10 and soon after took a coach bus to the fields. All of our tournament transport is done by comfortable coach busses. I wonder if we can bring them back with us?

We headed north from the hotels to the practice field, located across the street from the stadium. We arrived about 20 minutes before our time slot so the team started warming up in some side space while Japan and Taiwan finished their practices. (The field was being used by two teams at once.) The day was bright, warm, and very windy. Very, windy. We were told a typhoon was passing the island and not hitting it, so the wind should clear up by the early afternoon. It turned out that was correct, but for the duration of the practice we got to experience some gusts that were upwards of 50-60mph.

The team started off with some easy throwing, small box drill, and a set of marking drills. After warming up the team moved into half field scrimmaging with various zone defenses. The team looked smooth working the disc quickly and with purpose through the very strong wind. At just before noon the team wrapped up and we headed back to the bus for the short ride to the stadium.

We unloaded at the player's entrance and met our guide who took us into the stadium for our tour. We started off by seeing the locker rooms and indoor warm up area. We were all very impressed by the size of the space, the four massage tables, and a room that seemed to be used for technical work. Next we headed to the media center which was filled with banks of computers and phones. Down the hall we got to see some of the Ultimate press conference. Gwen was our rep at the event and we got to see her speak for a while. Go Gwen!

Next we headed out into the stadium and on to the field! The grass was in decent condition and once again we were awestruck with the size of the stadium. Out in the center of the field there is large "World Games 2009 Ultimate" text written on the field. Awesome.

The team milled around for a bit on the field soaking in the sheer enormity of the playing environment. We took several pictures with some of the volunteers and then I headed up to the second level of the stadium to get some group shots from above. As I took the pictures I noticed I was in the space that was used by the Taiwan president during the opening ceremonies.

We then headed out of the stadium and boarded our bus. A few minutes into the ride the big discovery of the way was made -- a fully functional Karaoke system with multiple mics was on the bus! So, the whole team started signing! We rocked out to classics like "Hey Jude", "Mambo #5", "Desperado", and many other classics. Dylan won the actual voice contest, Chelsea and Beau won the seated dance portion of the night, and Gwen and Cara won the "do what they are doing in the video" contest. Such style. Such grace.

Our next stop was lunch at the catering center where we filled up on another tasty buffet lunch. The highlight of the meal was connecting with the US Dragon Boat team who told us all about how their sport works and how their race went. We learned that boats aren't supposed to block each other, but they do anyway, it's a very rough sport (broken oars, bloody arms), and that it's played all over the globe. We also had some fun playing the game "Which team would be able to win at another sport if the teams playing in that sport didn't participate".

Back at the hotel everyone was unloaded and headed out to enjoy a few hours of free time. Some people headed out to see fist ball and another group went to see softball. At 6:00 we met up to catch the bus to dinner and again enjoyed the cool chill of the catering center. After dinner the players all headed back to the Queen Hotel for a team meeting. Greg and Meredith headed to the nightly WFDF logistics check in meeting, and I scoped out the local laundromat.

After the team meeting I headed out and completed the laundry run as the team went to sleep.

Everyone is very excited for tomorrow's games. We play Australia at 11:30 and then Canada at 7:10. It should be one heck of a day. We'll be covering the games live via the Twitter feed. WFDF's coverage is online right here. I put up a score reporter page for the tournament right here.

Time to sleep.

- Josh

7/17/09
Practice, Dragons, and Prawns

Photo Gallery: 7/17/09
Video Clip: 7/17/09

Buffet breakfasts are absolutely the way to go. Over at the Garden Hotel the US officials (Greg, Meredith, Josh) enjoyed the massive array of dining options and discussed the upcoming day. We also enjoyed the company of Canadian super star Jeff Cruickshank before he headed out to coordinate the day for his team. After polishing off a nice round of tea, the "officials" (that's what their tags call them anyway), walked for 10 minutes over the the player's hotel, The Queen.

Over at the Queen all of the players were finishing up breakfast surrounded by many Ultimate (Flying Disc) players from other countries. (All Ultimate players are being housed at The Queen.) After socializing in the lobby for a little while and catching up with the newest arrival (Deb), the entire US Ultimate delegation, including parents and friends, gathered on the 10th floor for a team meeting. After some introductions, Twizzler consumption, and some fun prodding at Bart, Greg outlined the schedule for the next few days. The meeting was capped by a quick cheer and then everyone headed out into the heat.

Greg and Meredith headed up to the main stadium for an all Ultimate teams meeting to look over the field condition. The players and I gathered up in the lobby and at a little after 10am headed out to their practice field location. Jai Hui was Team USA's guide for the day and she did an excellent job of leading us all to the field, located right outside the Korfball arena. Along the way we made a quick stop at metro station that had a gloriously colored ceiling lit by natural light.

After running through a set of plyos and throwing exercises, Team USA next did some short and long throwing drills. After a quick break to help acclimate to the heat the team ran a few more drills and played a quick scrimmage. During one of the practice rest times. I headed out find water and came back with some "Acari Sweat" a clear Gatorade-like drink. It turns out the stuff is pretty dang good!

The practice ended with a USA cheer, and as we gathered up our stuff a group of local teens came by and asked for a group picture. We happily obliged and headed out of to find the metro. As we excited was saw some of the guards using a hose to wash down the road. Chelsea wanted her head dowsed with water so we walked over and pantomimed what she wanted. Either her mime isn't that good (doubtful) or the guards were having a little fun, because instead of just getting her head, they showered he whole body with water.

A few blocks later we were at the metro which took us north via a transfer to a station several blocks away from the catering center. At the station we met up with Mr. and Mrs. Wiggins and as one big group packed into a small city bus which took us a short ways to lunch.

At the catering center we met up with Greg and Meredith who informed us that the stadium field was in some rough shape after being used for opening ceremonies practice for three weeks straight. As a result they are letting the field rest and our practice session scheduled for the stadium has been moved to a field across the street. Lunch was another solid round of buffet dining and soaking in the absolutely heavenly air conditioning.

After lunch everyone headed out to make good use of 3 hours of free time. The main group of people headed a few blocks over to the Lotus Pond, the site for Dragon Boating and Canoe Polo. Over at the very large pond we found the Canoe Polo competition but couldn't get seats because it was sold out. At that point we found out that almost all of the events are sold out. It will be very interesting to see how many tickets have sold for Ultimate. 38,000 seats are available. We're holding out hope that every single seat will be filled :)

We found some good seats on a rocky beach area that gave us a view of the Canoe polo and watched as New Zealand downed Australia. Canoe Polo is played in solo boats that look alot like Kayaks. The game is played with a ball that is a bit smaller than a volley ball, and goals are scored by throwing the balls into ~4x6 rectangular nets which are about 10 feet above the surface of the water. It's a pretty rough, fun to watch sport! Next up the Dragon Boats came out and did a few warm up laps before their race began. The 22 person boat teams can paddle the large Dragon boats very quickly! Helping them along are one drummer and the person that steers. It's quite intense even from a distance. We cheered on the US each time they passed, but unfortunately they did not medal.

Next we all headed south, back to the hotel. Some players pealed off to find their own way back via rental bikes, but most of us used the metro. Back at the hotel we got cleaned up and rested a bit before dinner. With the help of the front desk we found a very nice seafood restaurant that could easily seat all 25+ people in our group. At 7pm we left the hotel and headed to dinner.

At the restaurant we were seated at three tables and I figured out that it was a set menu for each tables. We began the meal by figuring out how to eat peanuts one by one with chopsticks as quickly as possible, and then moved into the barrage of dinner items. We had spicy chicken, sautéed greens, prawns with heads, winter melon soup, mackerel, thin noodles with squash, and many other items. Highlights of the meal include Beau eating an entire pig knuckle, Christi's various facial expressions, June explaining several of the dinner items, Lloyd's Blade Runner reference, and the whole group ordering 10 ice cream cones on the walk home.

On the walk back to the hotel we passed by the softball stadium and heard the roar of the crowd. Back at the hotel we lounged in the lobby and waited for the WFDF captain's meeting to finish and the player social to start. The social started soon after and the whole team enjoyed some relaxing time talking to players from other countries. A few hours later everyone was asleep.

- Josh

7/16/09
Sights, Heat, and a Train

Photo Gallery: 7/15 and 7/16
Video Clip: 7/15 and 7/16

The morning began with a filling buffet breakfast at the hotel. We consumed lots of noodles, many types of veggies, several soups, lots of tea, and many other items. Everyone was well rested and just before 8am we headed out into the city.

We began our morning by catching the red line metro through the Taipei main station and two stops later we made it to the Taipei City Hall. Back above ground we were blasted by the morning heat as we walked the 3 blocks to the Chiang Kai-Shek memorial square.

While taking in the view from the center of the massive square, someone brought a disc out and started making long throws. Several group pictures later we made our way up the memorial, giving us a great view of the whole square.

After almost losing a disc to a gardener, we headed back across the square to the metro stop. From Chiang Kai-Shek we headed 8 stops east to the Taipei City Hall station, leaving us only 4 blocks to walk to the Taipei 101, the tallest building in the world.

We made good speed on the above ground skywalk through the surrounding shopping district. Along the way we saw the central movie theater for the city along with a couple very large posters of Kobe. Towards the end of the skyway we needed to make a detour around a section that wasn't open yet, but by 10am we made it to the building.

Entering near a corner on the base of the building we all headed 5 stories up to the high speed elevator that takes everyone to the top of the building. Once the elevator started the move it took us only 36 seconds to make it to the top! (1010 meters per minutes.)

From the top of the building we had a very, very long 360 degree view of the entire region. Taller buildings are all the more impressive when there are no other buildings of considerable height anywhere near them! While at the top we all got a kick out of the window cleaners, a profession that seems even more exciting than normal when you're hanging 1,200+ feet off of the ground!

Next we climbed up 2 floors and spent a little while walking around the outside observation deck. The day was bright and not so windy, so it was quite nice to be outside.

By 10:15 we had made our way through the red Jade jewelry store and was on our way home to the Cosmos. By 10:55 we were back at the hotel and soon after 11am we were all out the door headed to the HSR station.

After doing brief battle with an automated ticket dispensing machine, we finally figured the system out and everyone got their ticket. During the 30 minutes we had to wait for the train almost everyone grabbed lunch. By noon sharp the train was in motion and we were off!

The train ride was smooth, fast, comfortable, and uneventful. We really need to build a HSR system in the States! By 1:40 we were at Zuoying station and about an hour after that we made it to the accreditation center where we all received our badges and lots of other gear. After gathering our luggage and putting on our large ID badge, we headed to the Queen where all players were let off. Greg, Meredith, and I have separate rooms at another hotel (Hotel Garden).

At 4:30 we were back on a bus, this time headed to the catering center. There we found 400+ other athletes already eating. We had a chance to talk with with the US Dragon Boat team, as well as connect with a couple of the other Ultimate teams. After filling up on many different dinner items, we were led by Emily (our local guide, provided by the IWGA) to our transport bus.

By 6:15 we made it to the main stadium and found is swarming with people. After unloading, Emily led us to the outdoor staging area where we greeted warmly by a large group of locals. We grouped up with the other US athletes and waited to be led into the stadium. While waiting we socialized with other teams. We talked to the a US rock climber as well as the US Skydiving and Sumo teams. 45 minutes into socializing the sun was down. Even with a slight breeze the weather was still brutally hot and humid.

Next we were led into the stadium via a long procession flanked by thousands of cheering spectators. After walking the length of the stadium and hearing the crowd within, we entered through a large service entrance and found ourselves in a large space underneath the seating area. We were quite literally inside the stadium, but not on the field.

We ended up waiting in this holding area for close to an hour. The heat and humidity was brutal but we were surrounded by thousands of other athletes so that made things more fun. Eventually we were lined back up and led to the entrance to the field!

We walked out into the field as a group and 50 yards in the US was announced to the crowd of 40,000. What a life changing experience!

As we continued out into the field everyone's eye's were swiveling around the stadium trying to take in the enormity of the event. We were brought to an area in the center of the field where we were stationed for the rest of the ceremony. We saw speeches by the mayor of Kaohsiung, the head of the IWGA, the VP of the IOC, and the president of Taiwan! To cap off the event there was a concert by 4 regionally famous singers and then a large fireworks display.

After the fireworks we found our guide to our bus transport and 20 minutes later we back in the very, very welcome embrace of bus air conditioning. On the bus Meredith, Greg, and I interacted with some of the Australian Ultimate players and some members of the Dutch Jujitsu team.

Back at the hotel everyone headed straight to bed.

- Josh

Thursday, 7/16
All is well in Taipei.

In the past 24 hours 11 of 13 players plus several family members have made it into Taipei. The last two players make it in tomorrow afternoon around the time we all catch the high speed train from Taipei to Kaohsiung.

This morning 7 of us headed up to the National Palace Museum and saw one of the largest collections of Chinese artwork in the world. When we left the museum at around noon the temperature outside was a cool 90 with a very high humidity level that I can't begin to estimate. Next we headed to Danshui, located at the north end of the red metro line.

On the metro up we all decided that the system was not designed for people of Beau's stature. In Danshui we walked along the edge of the river leading from the bay and enjoyed a lunch of steamed pork dumplings, noodles, and bubble tea. Jon, Greg, and Beau also took some time playing a few local carnival games. The verdict is that the group is semi-decent at a few of the games and terrible at the rest.

Back at the hotel we rested for a while and then headed out to the Taipei 101, the tallest building in the world. We made it to the top on the high speed elevator in under 40 seconds and had a very long, clear view of the city. Next we headed up to the Shilin night market and rode the waves of people through the many city blocks of food and clothing stalls. We learned that dumplings are indeed our friends, squid on a stick is quite nice, and stinky tofu really is quite stinky.

At around 10:30pm the second wave of players started to arrive. By 11pm everyone that was supposed to make it in, was in. By midnight everyone was sleeping.

Tomorrow morning almost everyone is getting up early to head out into the city for 3-4 hours of exploring before we catch our high speed train at noon. By 2pm we'll be in Kaohsiung, in the full embrace of the World Games.

- Josh