Ballarat ultimate in 2008?

Been a while, hasn't it? Now that I've finished uni I seem to have some free time.

Nearly five months since the last post. Since then, BUUF finished 13th at AUG (and won spirit), and Ballarat was represented on 3 teams at Mixed Nats - Station 59 (Dan & Wood - 4th place), MUCUS (Amanda & Troy - 11th) and Gary (Sizz, Spanka, Major & myself - 17th). The 2007 BUUF (Buufies?) went down after the North/South game (North triumphed 15-5). Congratulations to the award winners...

Most Improved Player: Kieran Moloney
Most Outstanding Player: Dan Rule
Spirit Award: Greta Hunt
Clubperson of the Year: Kieran Moloney
Coach's Award: Maria Antoniou & Freeman Trebilcock
Rookie of the Year: Sam Cass

Female MVP: Amanda Eastwood
Male MVP: Sam Kuchel


Four more players reached milestones (Spanka & Mon 50 games, Sizz & Timmers 100 games), and Woodley pulled on the green and gold at the Asia/Pacific championships. Timill was appointed assistant coach to Aussie Thunder for 2008. Three regional youngsters (Tarrant, Lyra and Mel) earned places in the Australian U20 squad. And of course the biggest news of the last week or so is "Dingo" Dan Rule being selected on the Australian open team for Worlds 2008.

For the first time, Ballarat entered a team in Albert Park summer league this year. Straying from the BUUF or B-Town Massive banners, we've opted for a more summery name - Ballafornia. We've got a few alumni back on board (Troy, Major, Rohan), and also a few rookies (Jo, Mark, Jarrod and Nathan) in addition to the usual crew.

Plus there's the now usual slew of Ballarat players running with Nationals sides - Heads of State claiming all but one of the boys (I'm trying out with Chilly for 2008) and the girls trying out with Team Box. A Ballarat women's team was talked about but never eventuated, and I think a Ballarat men's team is still two or three years away.

So now that you're up to date, how is 2008 looking for Ballarat ultimate?

BUUF has lost "The Buds" - Wood, Timmers and Sizz - to that pesky 'graduation' thing, and Dan's Dingoes campaign rules him out, so 2008 is looking like a "rebuilding" year for the uni side. O-Week will be more important to the team than ever, with a lot of new faces required to get a solid squad together for AUG08. It won't be easy, especially with the senior players (Doobie, Greta and Amanda) tied up with Nationals commitments, but I've got faith in the 2007 recruitments to step up this year.