Ripon College Days

Issue date: 4/16/08 Section: Features

Field of dreams. Last year, the men of Phi Kappa Pi painted the field outside the Merriman House for people to play Ultimate Frisbee.

For the 18th consectuve year, Phi Kappi Pi will be hosting a campus-wide Ultimate Frisbee Tournament to raise money for a local area family struggling with leukemia. 

The tournament will be held on the lawn next to the Merriman House Saturday, April 19 from 9 a.m. until a winner is crowned.

Each year, Merriman tries to find a family in the Ripon area who is struggling with leukemia. This tradition began when a Merriman brother was diagnosed with the disease and his fellow fraternity brothers raised money for him.

This year, the tournament is benefiting Alyse Zabel, an 11 year-old girl living in Ripon.

"We just try to find a family we can help who is in the area," says Jeff Judd, the Phi Kappa Pi vice president.

Raising money is something that the fraternity does all year long, but this event caps off one of the most appreciated causes they handle.

"Throughout the year, we hold events and have change jars around town to raise money for the cause," says Judd. "Having an Ultimate (Frisbee) tournament is what really raises the most money. We like knowing that we can help someone and have fun while we do it."

In addition to the tournament and the jars, brothers of Phi Kappa Pi write letters to family and friends asking for donations. It is usually these other forms of fundraising that put their efforts over the top.

All of the fundraising usually leads to around a $4,500 donation to the family in need. This money is then used to help the family pay off steep medical bills.

The families of the past have greatly appreciated all the help the Merriman House has provided and the students of Ripon College are also grateful for the opportunity to play an organized Ultimate Frisbee Tournament.

Although most people know general rules for playing Ultimate Frisbee, Merriman has a traditional set of rules it has followed for several years.

Each game consists of two teams of seven players each taking the field at a time with substitutions occurring only when the Frisbee is out of play. The game has two 15 minute halves with a five minute halftime.

In the event of a tie, overtime will occur with a 5 minute playing period that works most similarly to a basketball overtime.

While on offense, progression is only made by throwing and catching the Frisbee. Once the Frisbee is caught, a player can only take three steps. To score, a player must catch it in the end zone, they may not walk in to score. The game ends when one team reaches 7 scores and wins by more than 2.

To enter the tournament, a team needs 7-12 players and the cost is $50 per team. Sign up sheets are available during lunch and dinner at the Commons and they must be returned and completed no later than April 18. 

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