Sports: Reports - Ultimate Frisbee
The Merton Marshmallows have had a fantastic year, continuing to grow as an established and spirited ultimate frisbee team within the College. With a partially fresh captaincy team – myself, joined by our seasoned co-captains Jake Anderson (2023) and Kevin Miner (2023) – we’ve worked hard to build on the foundations of past years and carry the team forward.
We kicked things off by introducing the sport to the wider MCR community during Freshers’ Week and again at the end of the year, welcoming both experienced players and total newcomers. While we were sad to say goodbye to several graduating teammates, including one of our previous captains, we were thrilled to see many new faces join us. Whether playing for the first time or bringing past experience, everyone brought energy, team spirit, and a good dose of fair play – the very essence of ultimate, much needed in a sport where referees don’t exist, even at the highest levels.
As in previous years, the Marshmallows continued to foster a fun, inclusive and competitive environment where players of all levels can connect through sport. Some of our members joined a University practice session, getting a glimpse of frisbee at a broader level and getting to know players from across Oxford.
We competed once again in the college league, enjoying a series of weekly matches during the first two terms that included both victories and some hard-fought losses.
The highlight of our year was the Trinity term Cuppers tournament, where we made a huge leap forward from last year’s performance. With two wins, one draw and two losses, we narrowly missed out on advancing to the play-off stage – a sign of how much the team has developed. The day was made all the more enjoyable by our fantastic turnout, which meant everyone could rotate off for rest and return to the pitch with full energy. The only downside was the absence of our brilliant co-captain Jake, who was sidelined by injury just before the tournament and whose presence was truly missed.
A huge thank you to all our players for their commitment and enthusiasm, and to those who came to support us from the sidelines. We’re taking a well-earned break over summer and already looking forward to an exciting new season full of frisbee starting in Michaelmas. We are hoping to grow our team again with new players from the JCR, MCR, SCR, and even from among our alumni. Here’s to another year of frisbee, friendship and fun!
Natálie Klaudie Koscelanská van IJcken (2023)
Merton Marshmallows Co-Captain 2024–25
The Merton Marshmallows have enjoyed their inaugural year as Merton’s first-ever ultimate frisbee team, and it’s been a great joy co-captaining them alongside Jake Anderson and Kevin Miner. Many of us started Michaelmas never having played the sport before, and it has been fantastic to see how we have all grown as a team and honed our frisbee-playing abilities. Our progress has been evident in the way we went from a record ratio of 0-to-6 wins to losses in Michaelmas to a 4-to-2 record in Hilary.
We also had a great performance at the Trinity Cuppers tournament. We may not have made it to the finals, but we showcased the exponential progress that we made over only two short terms, and had a wonderful, sunny Sunday full of frisbee. During Cuppers, there were many moments where our passing and movement on the field was completely in sync, and it was great to see how all our hard work over Michaelmas and Hilary had paid off. In addition to weekend games and the Cuppers tournament, we enjoyed weekly practices and many informal scrimmages, where people had the opportunity to learn and play the sport in a more relaxed environment. After Sunday games, win or lose, the Marshmallows could always be found in Hall, enjoying each other’s company and celebrating a fun morning of frisbee over brunch.
In my opinion, ultimate frisbee has always been one of the most welcoming sports, which brings people together from all walks of life and across all levels of skill. Ultimate has no referees, a fact which requires everyone who plays to adhere to a code of mutual respect and sportsmanship. I truly believe that the Merton Marshmallows have exhibited this spirit of the game in their first season, and it has been an honour serving as their captain. I leave them in good hands for next year, and I can’t wait to see how they continue to grow. I’ll sign off with a final ‘Let’s gooooo Marshmallows!’
Zoe Neirink (2023)
Marshmallows Co-Captain 2023–24