From a fringe sport played by college kids in the 1970s to one of the largest adult sport in the city, province and country, the game of ultimate has grown so much its pioneers thought it was time to preserve the sport's history with the official launch of the Canadian Ultimate Hall of Fame.
"What really got it going about a year ago is when we started realizing... some of us are turning 60 and it's time we get this history both written down, gathered and recognized while the pioneers of the sport are still around," said Scott Lewis, who started the first organized disc games in B.C.
Lewis was among one of the sport's builders who was selected last fall as the inaugural class of inductees, which also included top players, teams and founders. But Lewis said the first class of inductees was kept secret until the official launch of the CUHF's website--a virtual hall of fame that includes pictures, stats and bios of each of the inductees at canadianultimate.com.
"I think it's part of the process of turning it into an actual sport," Lewis said. "When you think about the recognized sports, they all have hall of fames, so it's a further step of the institutionalization."
Lewis added that the sport continues to mature with Ultimate Canada recently recognized as a national sports organization. He said he could never foresee this level of growth back in 1974, when he got together dozens of people to play a game he invented called Frisbee Football at Willows Beach in Victoria.
Lewis said the sport took its first big step after he moved to Vancouver in 1988 and helped build the Vancouver Ultimate League with Adam Berson, one of its founders.
The two, along with other ultimate enthusiasts, started an outreach program that got the sport in high schools. Then the VUL was accepted as a provincial organization, which led to access to grants and sponsorships.
"Right around that time it reached a critical mass," said Lewis, adding that ultimate exploded in the same way as Canada's winter sport following a campaign to put a hockey stick into the hands of each kid in the country. "It turns into an epidemic and the same thing applies [with ultimate], it just sort of simmers and when it reaches a certain level it takes off."
Lewis joked he could tell the sport was really catching on by the early '90s when one could say they played ultimate and wouldn't have to explain it anymore.
One of Lewis's personal highlights was when he recruited more than 350 volunteers while serving as a volunteer coordinator at the 1997 World Club Championships, an event held at the University of British Columbia, considered one of the pinnacle moments in the sport.
According to Lewis, Vancouver is seen worldwide as one of the homes of ultimate because of the world-class tournaments the city has hosted such as the World Ultimate Championships in 2008, which has been "a step forward for setting the bar" in showcasing the sport.
Lewis said the success Vancouver has had with hosting major events is not surprising with the overall enthusiasm the city holds for the sport. The VUL has grown into the largest sports league in the province with the league registering an average of 240 teams and more than 4,000 players each of the last few years.
The fact that the sport is co-ed and costs little to play is a key factor in drawing such high numbers. It's also a great way for socializing and meeting people, and couples and groups of friends can sign up on the same team, Lewis said.
But one of the biggest draws, is the sport's concept of spirit and sportsmanship.
"The number one rule is that you will respect the spirit of the game and you won't try and cheat. So this kind of self-enforcement is quite a wonderful thing and it's a real draw as well."
For Lewis, to be recognized for all his efforts building the game, which has spanned more than three decades, is an enormous honour.
"It's a remarkable story with how much this sport has grown in B.C. in 25 years and to know that I've been involved with all these amazing people and created something that will continue long past the time I'm gone really has been a privilege."
Twitter: @JaredGnam
