Cassidy Rasmussen of the California Santa Cruz Slugs is one of the best player in College Ultimate, also having succeeded at the Club Level with Revolver in recent years. He started early, learning a flick in 5th grade and playing coed club during high school. One of the players you better watch if you’re making the trip to Boulder.
Rasmussen in the game to go against SDSU
Introduction to Ultimate
I was first introduced to Ultimate in 5th grade PE. I was the only one who picked up a flick during the weeks we learned.After that I played for a high school in Santa Cruz where I grew up. We took second in the state my senior year behind Alameda, a team that has players on the Santa Cruz womens team, Cal, and Standford now. During High school i started playing co-ed club. I played with Family Style and local Co-ed team run by Kenbrah (a local who won 1991 college national championships with UCSC). My senior year I played with Daryl who ran Family Style.
Sports background and how what you learned transitioned into Ultimate?
The Sport I started with was Baseball, I was an infielder and pitcher into high school, but baseball wasn’t enough fast enough for me. I started running track and cross country and playing soccer in junior high as well as basketball. I stuck with basketball and played point guard on my high school basketball team of for 2 year and played soccer recreationally through high school.
Career with the Slugs so far?
Layout Grab in the Regional Final
My freshman year we went to Nationals, it was a pretty high start. I won freshman of the year in the NW that year but only got to play one game at Nationals before I received a heavy high ankle sprain. My Sophomore year was a down year an was tough for me. I broke my hand on a layout D during sectionals and had to play regionals with a cast. It was still a fun tournament even though I really wasn’t that effective, I was really surprised when I got All-Region second team despite my injury. My junior year was my first year as a captain, the Slugs voted and we decided we wanted to go to hawaii to play in Kaimana. I was really excited for this tournament and our chances in the series. However, during a practice in February I lost footing on a cut and rolled over my left foot and broke my 5th metatarsal, this left me on crutches for hawaii and until sectionals. I was able to play at sectionals, which we won and regionals, where we were eliminated in a tough game vs. UBC. I was happy i got to play, but I was limited to staying in the backfield since my endurance and my foot itself weren’t 100% yet. This year has been the highest high for me so far. I was healthy, I had just won a World and National Championship with Revolver and the team looked better than it had since my freshman year. We came into the series hard and Im happy to say that we made it back to the big show in my last year.
What do you do outside of Ultimate?
I am a biology major. Hobbies include Basketball and being a huge nerd. Im a pretty big gamer and read a lot of sci-fi/ fantasy books. Can’t wait for the last Wheel of Time book.
Ultimate after college, observing, coaching, playing club, etc.
I plan to continue playing with Revolver while I live in the Bay Area. I may stick around and help the UCSC team if I find myself in Santa Cruz after graduation. I have no plan for observing but would be open to it, I think its a good way to give back to the ultimate community and have a chance to see great games.
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