Home : Tournaments : Women's Tournaments : Sept. 2003

Can-can Girls bag 1st place

By Noah Lacanilao

(This article was reprinted with permission from the author)

An introduction of the hot, new contingent of International School of Manila teachers took the game to a new level as the 2nd All-Womens Hat Tournament unfurled last Saturday (September 6). It was another milestone for Philippine Ultimate that afternoon, especially for the women discers, at the fields of Collegio de San Agustin in Dasmariñas Village, Makati.

With a good chunk of last tourney’s winning team Freejam ending up together, the Can-can Girls won first place. Through the luck of the draw: Reema Chanco, Sherilyn Aton and Eva Ercilla already knew where to look for each other on the field. Add to that spectacular fitness from players like Team Captain Sandee Leong, Sheeva Zarechian and newcomer Stephanie Lynch, these gals are unstoppable. Many of whom were playing Ultimate for the first time, the ISM ladies added lots of height on the field, literally, using tricks they’ve learned through years playing team sports like basketball, soccer and net ball. The event was reinforced by several other newbies and, of course, the Vice veterans who were seeded among four teams by lottery to even out the competition.

Second place went to Sexy Snatch backed by some great handling ability at the hands of Team Captain Kellar Lambert and Gigi Almeda, who although playing together for the first time, said they found a unique “disc chemistry” on the field.

On that perfect sunny day the sidelines were bannered with the presence of the newly elected Board of directors of the Philippine Ultimate Association. Toting cold beer, male players from various co-ed teams had to sit it out that day, cheering, helping out with timekeeping and scoring. Of course they itched for a pick-up game later that afternoon.

Taking third and fourth place respectively were Disc Boom Ba and Time Of The Month. With vets like Isabelle Andraud and Team Captain Margo Flores, plus speed from Abi Ortiz, Candy Reyes, Donna Usigan, Ida Ramos and Stella Valdes, Disc-Boom-Ba made a strong line-up that unfortunately took too long for its’ offensive act together. (Look out for newcomers Lori Hymes and Erica Fife in the future.)

In a stellar first effort as team captain, G Gamboa led her team with fabulous defense and great Spirit Of The Game. Nel Belgado, former national team fencer, showed her usual speed and agility, getting a few solid hand blocks.

Tournament Director Erin Prelypchan noted that the attendance boosted to 60 women this time from 40 last league. She hopes the newbies join us for the next co-ed league. “Speed, height, great game sense…, what more could you ask for?” she quoted.