As part of our 2014 Skyd Fundraiser celebrating 3 years of Skyd, we wanted to turn the page back to look at all of the great ultimate work our awesome contributors have put together. The Skyd Staff and contributors will be counting down the days of our fund with their favorite pieces.
Skyd Fund 2014 is presented by RISE UP Ultimate!
Be a part of the fund and get a RISE UP season pass at the $40 level, or a RISE UP Lifetime pass at the $500 level.
Celebrate Skyd with Skyd Fund 2014
Day 28 – Dobyns
It’s amazing how one little video can inspire so many people and turn a man into a legend. Thanks to Amazing Games, Ken Dobyns became an unofficial spokesmen for ultimate players who craved legitimacy for their sport. Dobyns’ unbridled, animalistic passion reflected something deep within us that ignited a sense of purpose when we took the field, plastic in hand.
In late 2011, I had the honor of speaking with Ken about his career and legacy with the sport of ultimate. What started as research for an article turned into a 3-part podcast that revealed the astounding rise of one of ultimate’s legends in his own words. It remains to be one of my favorite interviews every done on Skyd. Ken’s telling of the sports importance to him resonates in a very personal way, as I’m sure it does to many others.
“Ultimate’s lifespan is short enough for the sport to have only a handful of heroes and recognizable names. Contemporaries like Brodie Smith or Alex Snyder join the ranks of Nord, Ziperstein, Parinella, Grant, Sparling-Beckley, Roth, Goodwin, Donnelly and others. But if you draw those lines back to the sport in an early prime, to a team that many consider the greatest team ever to take the field, the name of Kenny Dobyns resounds perhaps louder than the rest.
Known for his intense play and win-at-all-costs attitude, Ken Dobyns helped lead New York New York to 6 US Championships from 1989-1993 (5 of which were back to back) and 5 World titles (’88, ’90- ’91, ’93-’94). But it was not just his medals or skill on the field that made Ken Dobyns the legend he is today. It was his incredible work ethic, unflinching stare into the heart of his opponents, and a game-IQ able to isolate weakness and eat it alive. Ken brought a perspective to the game that extended far beyond the reaches of the play-field, beyond even the practice fields and into the metaphysical realm of sport and the human struggle itself.” – Original Article
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