Frisbee fires up city's community spirit

As sunlight spills over St Andrews Beach, a flash of white passes through the air, a flying disc cutting across the morning haze. Around it, a small but energetic group of people runs, dives, and cheers, their movements as fluid as the waves beside them. What began a few years ago as a handful of enthusiasts tossing frisbee on the shore has now grown into Trivandrum Ultimate a community bound by the simple joy of play. Benoy Stephen was the one who introduced us to Ultimate, says Sankar Ram, manager of Trivandrum Ultimate. He studied at St Stephens College, Delhi, where he first discovered the sport. They had a college frisbee team. What attracted him to the game was its mixed-gender and self-refereed nature. Later, he began using it as a tool to support underprivileged children in Delhi, forming a team called GK Mad. Some of their players even went on to represent India at the World Ultimate Championships. During the pandemic, Benoy was back in Thiruvananthapuram. Thats when a few of us started playing casually on the beach. We started with just a small circle of friends, and soon others began bringing their friends along. Then it slowly turned into a real community. By 2022, it had grown strong enough to take shape as Trivandrum Ultimate. Recognising the games potential and its unique appeal, the group began introducing ultimate frisbee to a wider audience through local festivals and flea markets. By 2023, it had grown into an organised club. That is how Thira, the competitive wing of Trivandrum Ultimate, took shape. Within Trivandrum Ultimate, we have two kinds of players: those who play for fun and those who train for tournaments. What makes it special is how inclusive it is; theres no age barrier. Our oldest member is around sixty, and the youngest, including my daughter, is just six. Beyond the sport, we tried to build a healthy space for young people to interact, stay active, and keep away from unhealthy influences, says Sankar Ram. Over time, the group has introduced the basics of the game to over 500 people. The Thira group currently has around 60 active members players who focus on the competitive side. Selection for tournaments happens through an informal tryout process, with the final team often changing based on availability and commitment. The larger Trivandrum Ultimate community has grown to nearly 600 members, most of whom have attended at least one session. We have played in several informal tournaments and even at the Beach Nationals, where we managed to win three games, the first time a club team from Kerala has done that. Earlier this year, when the Bharat Trophy, the state championship, was announced, teams formed across Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, and Alappuzha. Around eight or nine players from here made it to the mens team, and five women players from Thiruvananthapuram represented Kerala. The tournament, held in May 2025, went really well for us and showed that Ultimate is growing stronger in the state, says Sankar, who was also the assistant coach of the Kerala team. But they say its still in the early stages and needs a stronger push with more people joining and more clubs forming within the Trivandrum Ultimate community, as seen in cities like Bengaluru and Chennai. He adds that the lack of recognition from the Sports Authority of India is a major hurdle. Having official approval, he says, would also help them host a Kerala-based tournament in the future. Ground availability remains another major challenge. We need a 100-metre field, but getting permission to play in such open spaces is difficult. Grass grounds are few. Now, we only get to play on proper fields during tournaments, says Sankar. Alongside training for the competitive team, the group holds beginner-friendly sessions every Wednesday at Soccer Hub Turf from 6 to 8 am, and almost every Sunday at the turf in Kazhakootam. Weekend sessions also happen at St Andrews Beach, says Niveditha S N, a team member. We are an open community, she adds, anyone can join, play, or just watch.