Ultimate frisbee may be a popular pastime, but for some kids in Boracay island, it’s a serious sport.
Assistant coach Anais Silvestre believes that the Island Kids Boracay team is the biggest group of young ultimate frisbee players. “I am not aware of any country that would have these many players. In Boracay alone, we can easily have five to six teams for the 6-13 year old category.”
The players were recently cited for their remarkable performance in the Asia Oceanic Beach Ultimate Championship (AOBUC), an exhibition game held in Shirarahama Beach, Wakayama, Japan.
While it may seem natural for islanders to excel in beach sports, the kid’s love for ultimate games stemmed from their parents who happen to be members of the Philippine Ultimate (Frisbee) National Team.
Coach Anais started playing during her college days in UP. She officially joined the national team in 2012. “Many of us frisbee parents continue playing even after getting married and having kids. And we want our kids to enjoy the sport as much as we do.”
When her family moved to Boracay she was just as happy to be amongst fellow players. “The ultimate games are a big thing in Boracay. I was surprised because they are very competitive. They have been fielding teams to compete in France Dubai, and London and they have been winning.”
In 2023, they decided to join the Ultimate Beach Championship in California. The entire island witnessed the rigorous training leading up to the tournament. Everyone was so thrilled by the experience that after the US, it was decided that the team would join the Ocean Beach Championship in Japan. “When the kids heard about it they asked if they could also join. The parents asked the organizers, and since the Philippines will field different teams, the kids were included.”
With the cooperation of parents, friends, and relatives, the Island Kids team was officially formed composed of kids from Boracay and Iloilo. “We made sure that they played every day and coordinated who among the parents would be available to train them. I had the most flexible schedule so I was with them almost every day.”
Apart from the training, several tournaments were held to prepare them for The Asia Oceanic Beach Ultimate Championship (AOBUC), in Japan “At some point, we started getting excited because these kids are so good. A lot of kids from the island have been playing for a long time and we really should start organizing tournaments for all the kids.”
It was the first time the Philippines sent a delegation of 10 kiddie players (aged 6-13) for the prestigious exhibition games. Apart from the three Gold medals for the Philippine team, the Island Kids won six developmental games.
Coach Anais and other frisbee parents plan to bring the kids to the same tournament next year. “We plan to do this regularly,” she said. To date, there are no professional ultimate frisbee players in the kids category. The exceptional talent and commitment of the Island Kids team in Boracay usher in a new set of professional players and further broaden the scope of ultimate sports.
