Back by popular demand is our Athlete of The Week feature. This week we are featuring a third year returning veteran on the varsity ultimate frisbee team. Angus Boswell has been playing ultimate for Tight (a collaboration team composed of boys from St. George’s and girls from York House) for the past four years. The team most recently finished second place at the St. George’s invite during the April 11th and 12th weekend.

Angus first became interested in the sport through his brother “I first became interested in ultimate when I was in grade 8. My brother was playing and encouraged me to tryout. I went to the tryout with absolutely no ultimate knowledge and ended up being cut. I started taking ultimate more seriously when I was in grade 9 and playing on the junior team.” One of the ways Angus started taking ultimate more seriously was through playing in the strong B.C juniors program. “I play club ultimate with the BC provincial team (West Coast Wildcard in 2013 and West Coast Tribe in 2014). I also play rec leagues and pick up every now and then.” Angus also wishes to carry his love for the game in his future endeavours. “I will be trying out for the u19 Canadian Junior National Team in 2016. As for post-secondary ultimate at university, I’m going to have to see where I end up going and how my course load shapes up. I’d love to play ultimate at university, but school comes first.”

Angus has highlighted the school’s ultimate program as one that he believes is one of the best in the region. “I think the school has one of the best ultimate programs in the region. The resources we get from the school are incredible and the coaching stall is excellent. Perhaps the best part of Tight ultimate is the developmental aspect. With 4 teams, we can afford to take players with potential that other teams may have to cut. The programs focus on development is why we consistently have great teams, and why so many amazing ultimate players have graduated from the program.” Angus has also expressed his utmost gratitude for the coaches at the school not only for his development as player, but also as a person. “I’ve been extremely lucky to have had some brilliant ultimate players coach me during my time at Saints. Jon Hayduk, Matt Berezan, and Rumi Tejpar all have been extremely influential in my development as a player and person.”

Angus also shared with us the goals for Tight and the provincial team for the upcoming seasons. “We haven’t really discussed goals yet as a team, but it’s quite clear that our goal this year is to win both high school provincials and nationals. Personally, I would love to win provincials more so than nationals, as never in my 4 years of ultimate have I won the title. The goal for the provincial team this year is definitely to win nationals. The coaching staff is making a big effort to ensure that the best players all have an opportunity to play. With B.C. teams coming in 3rd and 4th last year in Waterloo, a congregation of talent will be sure to put B.C in a strong position to succeed in 2015.”

After losing in the provincial final last May on double game point, Angus talked about what he thought has changed for himself and for the team in order to win the title this year. “After losing in the finals last year on double game point (highlights from the game can be seen here), a lot of things have changed, but a lot of things have remained the same as well. I think the dedication and focus is at an all-time high. Players are stepping out of their comfort zones, filling new roles and making big plays. However, the team philosophy and the system remain unchanged. We believe in our system and continue to play by it at all times. Personally, my role on the team is much the same, but I now have leeway to play outside that position as we have many capable handlers to fill in for me.”

Angus also reflected on one the team’s first tournament of the season, the St. George’s Invite (highlights from the semi-finals can be found here, and the finals here). “In regards to our performance last weekend at Saints invite, overall I was very impressed with the team. We showed great resilience and our technical skill has never been higher. We ended the weekend with a 5-1 record. I think that for an early season tournament our chemistry and flow was exceptional. Our finals loss was more of a mental lapse than anything in my opinion. I don’t think the score was indicative of our performance as a team, and while Sutherland is still a great team, I feel like we can definitely give them a run for their money. Personally, I felt I had a good weekend, but there is still huge room for improvemen. I think that while I have all the fundamental skills, if I can put it all together and consistently execute my impact on a game will increase exponentially. Looking forward I am looking to turn the disc less and continue to fine tune my decision making, all while being more active with my legs.”

Lastly, Angus wanted to leave this final message about his final high school ultimate season. “I am so excited for my final season of ultimate! After having played with most of the team since grade 9, I have developed a unique bond with the team. They have been my family these past 4 years and I have grown so much as a player and a person because of them. While some may judge the success of our season by the championships we win, I have my own measure of success. At the end of the day, I want to leave the field after our last game with no regrets, and if I can do that, I will be more than happy with my years playing with Tight.”