bHOENIX

bHOENIX (BHX) is a Men’s competitive club representing Ottawa and the National Capital Region of Canada. Our team's objectives are twofold: (i) to provide its members with a positive, competitive and dynamic environment in which to play, improve, and develop in the sport of ultimate and (ii) to seek to positively contribute towards improving sportsmanship and spirited play in Canadian competitive ultimate. In short, we believe that competitive play can be balanced with a spirited dynamic (both internally and with the other team), and that prioritizing this approach improves the experience of the game (and, arguably, the competitive output) in all aspects. This approach has contributed to the club’s resurgence and expansion. While our team's average age fluctuates between 22-25 years old, some of our players are as old as 41. Younger players want to develop in an ecosystem that will balance competitive and spirited play. Older (in some cases, much older), national level players have had the times of their lives finding a new way to love this game. All-in, the team's personality reflects the above in a gloriously youthful way. Through an abundance of “out of pocket comments,” random team sing-a-longs in the middle of games, or absurd stories about merchandise tents during timeouts (you can’t miss a hot deal), we maintain positive vibes through the highs and lows of competitive ultimate. With respect, we feel that many North American open teams miss this in their approach. Whether or not we have designs on winning a tournament, you can be assured we always try to win the tournament party by committing to D(ance floor)! In terms of Frisbee output, our yearly goals typically include qualifying for the Canadian Ultimate Championships and competing for a top 8 finish and continuing to develop players seeking to play a higher level of ultimate (Canadian national teams and USAU Nationals competing teams). Again, perhaps reinforcing the relatively unique fabric of our team culture, we have sent several of our youngest club members to various Canadian national programs (juniors, U24, etc.) along with several of our oldest (via Canada’s master national teams, as well). As such, bHOENIX has players who have competed and won Canadian championships at the university, club, and masters level, in addition to Canada’s indoor (4:4 circuit). We love having fun, playing hard, and sometimes partying even harder. As above, we believe this focus on spirited play is a critical contribution to our competitive ecosystem. Our expectation is simple: we ask (and expect that) all players will work hard in a positive, safe, and supportive environment both in practice and in competition and that we are all equally responsible for creating and maintaining this ecosystem. This approach has drawn a wonderful and diverse group of players, driven by a youthful core, benefitting all involved. For example, our younger players have ably guided the older players through TikTok dance routines and the use of current slang (it is a fast changing world out there). By contrast, our older players have mentored the younger players on topics as wide ranging as “how and (more importantly, when) to visit the merchandise tent at a tournament” and “how to make a dirty gin martini under field conditions”, along with a range of on-field instructional ultimate topics. We look to each player to make a positive contribution to the whole in respect of the team’s spirit, competitive, and off field conduct. We appreciate your consideration in reviewing the above.