Teams Suit Up (or Down) for Chicago Sandblast 2012

It’s hard to preview a tournament at which the true goal is to have the most unadulterated fun. When it comes to Chicago Sandblast, who is to say that the champion of the Game division enjoyed the endless amenities and reunited with old friends better than the loser of the Spirit division? It would be impossible to predict which teams will best live out the true spirit of Sandblast this year. Instead, I present here the teams that have shown potential and success year after year.

Team Name: The Drunker Games
Division: Spirit
Captain: Rachel Driver
Previous Names: American Gladiators, Roman Gladiators, Drunks and Dragons
Best Finish: 2011 Spirit Champions!

Who are you, and how did you get involved with Sandblast?

After picking up with a coed team at Paganello back in 2002, I was hooked on the beach.  Seven years ago, or so, I partnered up with a few good friends from Ultimate Chicago league to create a team for Sandblast: the American Gladiators.  We played the Spirit Division and full-on jumped into the costumed, crazy fun. From that moment on, we continued the beach trend each year, tweaking our costume and name for every new edition! From Roman Gladiators to the Drunker Games we go!

What is the best part of Sandblast? What makes you want to come back?

Our core players have held steady throughout the years, returning to the beach each year even more excited than the last.  We love the competition, the friendly challenges, the sand, the party!  It has been so very amazing to be on the beach together each summer.  Twirly puts on a good show.  And, we love staying local and bringing in all these Utimate players to our neck of the woods, showing them a good time!

What are some of your favorite memories from Sandblast?

Our most amazing moment was the win last year, for serious. The entire team rocked it so hard. But, some of the highlights include playing in the chilly downpour that resulted in a foggy beach with 3 inch deep puddles on the fields, hanging out under the tent blasting Kevin Holt’s amp and speaker to ‘Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, and the after tournament team swim is always a good time.

 

Team Name: Sandcocks
Division: Game
Captain: Andy Foldesi

Who are you and how did you get involved with Sandblast?
My team is typically composed of a bunch of friends from college.  We’ve all played Ultimate at a pretty high level and are far too competitive to play spirit, so we’ve been in the game division every year.  Our team name this year and the last two is Sandcocks.  Before that we usually changed names each year.  No costumes, we did get jerseys before and this year we’ll be rocking left over tank tops from some frat spring break that we got from American Apparel I think.

What is the best part of Sandblast? What makes you want to come back?

Everything.  It’s basically a reunion, tournament and party all in one.

What are some of your favorite memories from Sandblast?

One is from the early times when I was pulled on stage by my friend.  Apparently it was some sort of dance/talent contest and I was apparently supposed to be lifted over his shoulders and go through his legs and back up…instead I went over the shoulders and got dropped on my head since I had no idea what was going on.

What makes Sandblast different than other tournaments?

Even in the highly competitive games in the game division there’s a more of a feeling of camaraderie between teams.  There’s also the big event feel with the sponsors out on the beach and the mingling that happens at the beach and party.

 

Team Name: Bro-Smash
Division: Game
Captain: Kevin Kelly
Previous Names: Beach for America
Best Finish: 2010 Spirit Champions

Who are you and how did you get involved with Sandblast?

I heard about Sandblast the summer after my senior year of high school (2005) from players on my Chicago summer league team. For the next 3 years I went out to Montrose Harbor and watched games with my high school friends, because we were too unorganized to get a bid, but still wanted to see the action. Finally in 2010 we got a bid and since then have been playing together along with some ringers to fill the gaps.

Our first year as a team in 2010 we were called “Beach for America” and won the Spirit Division championship. Last season we rolled with that name again and entered the Competitive Division and lost in the Championship Bracket to one of the Team USA’s. We do however take credit for being party champions, a title that was unsolicitedly given to us by the TD. This upcoming year we will again compete in the Competitive Division, but our team name has changed to “Bro-Smash”, after we spent most of our sideline time last year Bro-Smashing.  If you are unfamiliar, Bro-Smashing is the art of two people smashing almost full beer cans together to create an explosion of foamy beer. The foam gets you drunk. 

When our team was Beach for America, we worked in an “Educational” theme where set up a relay race for opponents after games were over. Each team had to spin around a yard stick, put on a cap and gown, run to take a shot of alcohol, and run back and write the alphabet before their teammates then took their turn. We also had a dunce cap for players who made mistakes during the game to wear. We’ve made up tank tops each year to keep us cool in the summer heat, while keeping us looking fresh as a team.

What are some of your favorite memories from Sandblast?

I had to work on the Saturday of Sandblast, but decided to go out to the party that night just to hang out and see if I would know anyone there. I was coming off my college season with Kansas and ran into an opponent who came in with an alumni team from Oklahoma. We had rarely ever talked due to our competitive nature on the field, but when we saw each other there we had a great time exchanging stories, laughs, and in the end he ended up inviting me to play with his team the following day, where I finally got my first taste of beach competition at Sandblast.

What makes Sandblast different than other tournaments?

How well it is managed from top to bottom. They do more to bring in big name sponsors than any other tournament. Because of this, there are tons of amenities and product samples for players that you don’t get elsewhere. Large staffs of trainers, DJ’s at the field, Qdoba/Chipotle/Potbelly lunches, unlimited free sports drinks, free food samples, free sunblock, sideline games like bags or spike ball, a huge party with a wide variety free name brand alcohols, and player gift packs just to scratch the surface.

 

Team Name: Duffel Bags (D-Bags)
Division: Game
Captain: John Groess

Who are you, and how did you get involved with Sandblast?

It all started my freshman year of college. I was sitting in my dorm room and a teammate from Chicago told me about the tournament, we signed up on the spot and started calling other players/alumni from St. John’s [Minnesota] and St. Ben’s (our sister school) to recruit the team.

Our team name is Mr. Dufflebag (or the D-bags) and we play in the Game division. The game division doesn’t usually use costumes but we have tried to pick uniforms that make us easy to find on the beach; bright orange and plaid 5 shorts make us stick out pretty well. This year our Jerseys will have a bit of Jon Stamos mixed in for good flavor.

What is the best part of Sandblast? What makes you want to come back?

It encourages a fun, light hearted games, yet still allows us to compete and enjoy the beach. Even in pouring rain (3 years ago Saturday was horrid weather) it is a highlight of the season. Adam does an amazing job each year communicating with teams, getting sponsors, and making sure everything is well done. It is by far the most organized, well-run tourney I have played in, including the USA series.

[Also] Free burritos, spending all day on the beach with your friends, and the days when the beach isn’t closed so that you can swim after getting all sweaty and covered in sand.

What are some of your favorite memories from Sandblast?

One of my favorite memories from sandblast was from our second year there. We went to the party (always another highlight) and then back to the house we were staying at. After being a bit too loud the neighbors, who also had been partying, came out and it went down hill from there. The cops came and hilarity ensued. The next day in the quarters we were down 3-4 points to a very good Red Stripe team. With a chant of “do it for the neighbors” we can back and won sending, us to the semis, the best finish we have every had.

What makes Sandblast different than other tournaments?

Adam. He sets it apart with all the work he does. It really makes it a cut above the rest.

 

Team Name: Unbirthday Party
Division: Spirit
Captain: Stephanie Folk
Previous Names: Party, Birthday Party, Wedding Party, Slumber Party, Labor Party

Who are you, and how did you get involved with Sandblast?

It must have been roughly 7 years ago when I first played at Sandblast. A friend was organizing a team with some of her friends who came from Ireland to play. The team was called Paddy Murphy. We did an Irish theme with green jerseys.

After that, I joined up with some friends to play with team known as “Party.” This will be our sixth Sandblast for the team I think. We have been Birthday Party, Wedding Party, Slumber Party, Labor Party, and now Unbirthday Party.

2007 – 2008: Birthday Party! Several members of the team have July birthdays, so we had a birthday party theme with streamers and balloons on the sidelines and birthday games like pin the tail on the donkey (with a teammate dressed as the donkey).

2009: Wedding Party. Several members of the team were engaged so we dressed as members of a wedding party. The bridesmaids even had matching dresses made by a member of the team. Spirit points included the “ball and chain” point, where each player had to hold hands with a partner throughout the point.

2010: Slumber Party! All the ladies wore silky nighties and the guys wore boxers and white t-shirts  . . . or in one case, nothing but a pair of red underwear with a lightning bolt design. We played pillow fight points where everyone carried a pillow and using the pillow to hit opponents was not considered a foul.

2011: Labor Party! A couple on the team were expecting a baby, so we dressed as people you’d find in a maternity ward. We were doctors, nurses, expecting parents (including our teammate who was actually 9 months pregnant) and babies. We included lots of fun spirit points such as a pregnancy point when everyone had to walk and had to put a balloon under their shirts. Our pregnant team member played these points. We also had a “birthing coach” point, in which each player had a coach who had to stay within 10 feet of the player at all times while shouting constant encouragement. We won the spirit prize this year!

2012: Unbirthday Party! (a.k.a. Alice in Wonderland Tea Party).

See: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdsZT7WKjW8

What is the best part of Sandblast? What makes you want to come back?

I love getting out and playing with friends, and it’s always a bit of a reunion for our team.  A few of our regular team members have moved away, but they come back for Sandblast. One even travels from the United Arab Emirates, where he’s been living for the past few years. It’s great to see everyone and we have fun playing together and hanging out.

What are some of your favorite memories from Sandblast?

The pillow fight points were a blast when we were Slumber Party. We did an all girl pillow fight point in our little nighties, and I think that made it onto the event video for the year. People seemed to find that entertaining.

It was also awesome to see our teammate Vicki playing a walking point last year while 9 months pregnant. She’s hard core!   

What makes Sandblast different than other tournaments?

It’s pretty unique to play a tournament right in the heart of a major city. So for people who aren’t from Chicago, it’s a chance to see the city as well as play a tournament. Last year a team from Toronto came down after hearing about it from Chicago people who were in Canada for Gender Blender. They came down early to see the city, and some of the Chicagoans invited them out for beers to welcome them to the city. From what I hear, they had a blast.

 

Team Name: From Under the Grass
Division: Spirit
Captain: Ernie Miyashita
Previous Names: Who Brought the Grass, Get Off My Lawn

Who are you, and how did you get involved with Sandblast?

The team’s first Sandblast was in 2004 as “Who Brought the Grass.”  The team consisted of regular Ultimate Chicago league players looking to try playing on the beach and having a good time.  We were not as competitive as most of the teams out there, but we started out by giving out spirit prizes to a guy and girl on each opposing team.  They were homemade prizes that were usually grass-themed.

We started off wearing grass skirts for the first few years.  In 2009, we determined that we are probably one of the oldest if not the oldest teams in the tournament.  Since we were old and cranky, we changed the team name and theme to “Get Off My Lawn!”  Most of us dressed as old people.  A few of the younger players dressed as grandchildren.  In 2011, we determined that we were so old, we died and came back as zombies and our new team name was “From Under the Grass.”

We also brought more than just costumes.  During the early years as Who Brought the Grass? we made up a lawn setting on the sidelines complete with artificial grass and lawn ornaments.  During the Get Off My Lawn years we had various spirit points such as play a point with a cane in your hand, a social security point (young player carries old, young scores the point and the old person gets to keep it for themselves), arthritis point (play with oven mitts).  From last year’s “From Under the Grass,” we played a few zombie style points and even stopped a game right in the middle to do the Thriller dance.

What is the best part of Sandblast? What makes you want to come back?

Having a Spirit Division where the focus is more on spirited games against other teams that have developed costumes/themes have made the experience more enjoyable.  It’s fun to play against teams that we’ve been played against for years and watch how they have changed.

What are some of your favorite memories from Sandblast?

I think it was 2010 where the beach got flooded and it was foggy in the morning.  It felt like Sandblast moved to Scotland or something.

 

Team Name: Red Stripe
Division: Game
Captain: Jacob Dee

Who are you, and how did you get involved with Sandblast?

Red Stripe first played Sandblast – under a previous name – in 2004.  We have almost been there since the beginning. Most of the team is from [University of] Illinois, so this was really a fantastic tournament in our backyard. We have a great time every year at Sandblast, and really feel it is a great place to be expressive and just be who you are. Our thing is really  great guys in matching Speedos dancing to killer music. The Speedos are like our secret identity that we get to play out at Sandblast.

What is the best part of Sandblast? What makes you want to come back?

I think it’s just a great place for people to be themselves, whatever their lifestyle. As a LGBT-S (Speedo) team, we love the high-stepping, the skylarking, the peacocking. But everyone does their own thing and there is always a really great group of guys out there. It just makes everyone feel comfortable and accepted and just ready to have a great time.

What are some of your favorite memories from Sandblast?

Last year a guy from a different team showed up in a homemade version of our Red Stripe Speedo uniform and tried to play a couple points with us–and we totally let him. He was a great guy.

 

Team Name: Drazba XXI
Division: Game
Captain: John Hock

Who are you, and how did you get involved with Sandblast?

Our team name is Drazba XXI.  Dennis Drazba was a close friend of mine and many others who tragically passed away at way to young of an age in a car accident. We held a memorial tournament in his honor in Carbondale for 20 years. Our team was a reunion group and the tournament was about good friends, good times and (sometimes) good ultimate. When the memorial tournament run ended, I got a bid for Sandblast to continue the theme and named the team Drazba XXI. The concept remains the same with this team; only the names of the friends have changed.

What are some of your favorite memories from Sandblast?

Winning the “trick competition” run by Xtehn Titcomb during half time of the finals by making a “Gitis” type catch.   I still use the duffle bag I won.

What makes Sandblast different than other tournaments?

Sandblast was one of the first to have multiple sponsors who would come out to the “fields”.  I always have thought Twirly has done an excellent job gaining support and promoting the tournament, including having drinks and food at the “fields’.  Adding the spirit division is also unique to me, in that you combine the multiple levels of competition in one large tournament.  Even in the competitive division, most of the teams have a “reunion” flavor that makes the whole event a great time.

 

Team Name: Threat Level Magenta

Division: Game

Captain: Cullen Geppert [Answers provided by Matt Davidman]

Who are you guys, and how did you get involved with Sandblast?

While the team name has changed a lot over the years, we are currently Threat Level Magenta with Cullen Geppert taking over as captain for the first time and play in game division. We are generally not a big theme bunch.

What is the best part of Sandblast? What makes you want to come back?

Sandblast is probably the most fun tournament outside of Nationals or Australia University Games that I have ever played in. The TD, Adam, does an amazing job. There are so many extra activities and events involved with this tournament that you cannot help but look forward to it from months out.

Sponsor village is great, tons of free stuff and you get to meet some cool vendors. Theres the bags sets that have been around for a few years now, good trainers, food and beverage and more. Then there is the tourney party. It is one of the most fun Ulti-parties you will ever go to. ‘Nough said.

What makes Sandblast different than other tournaments?

The biggest part is the individual attention you feel you get from the organization of the tournament. There are so much free and cool activities and swag you get that you find stuff weeks after the tournament is over. It is also a very social tournament where people are friendly and generous (think sharing drinks…)

Is there anything else readers ought to know about this tournament?

To all the Skyd readers that are only hearing about Sandblast for the first time or have heard but have not tried to attend, I ask you why? How have you not heard about this awesome weekend or why have you not come. Not only do you have 2 days of beach Ultimate crazyness, you also have Chicago to party in. Seriously come, now, do it!