Scottish Athletes at the European Youth Ultimate Championships 2024 | The Release Point

Following the World Junior Ultimate Championships, it’s time for the European Youth Ultimate Championships to start! Taking place from 6th to 10th August in Belgium, the age requirement for this tournament is under-17, which is the youngest age bracket at an international level. We’re delighted to say that Glasgow locals Andrew Bain (15), Suzie Ferguson (16) and Zoe Taylor (16) will be heading over to represent Great Britain. Andrew will be playing in the open division, whilst Suzie and Zoe will be playing with the womens team.

Notably, all three athletes started out as part of Glasgow Ultimate’s youth programme, which is an excellent sign in the context of Scottish youth ultimate. Whilst of course this is a great achievement for Andrew, Suzie and Zoe, it’s also a testament to the work of Shaun Webb, who for several years has been putting big efforts into the development of youth ultimate in Glasgow. Hopefully this is only the beginning of what seems to be a blossoming youth ultimate contingent.

Ahead of the tournament, we spoke to Andrew, Suzie and Zoe to find out more about them and their GB experiences!

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When/where did you start playing, and why? What drew you in? 

Andrew: I started in 2019. [Glasgow Ultimate was] running a summer taster session at my local sports club and some of my friends went and told me it was fun. I went along the next week and had a great time.

Suzie: I started playing ultimate in the summer of 2019 when I went to a taster session the coaches at Glasgow Ultimate were holding. Then I joined the club because there was such a nice atmosphere and the sport was really fun.

Zoe: I started ultimate 5 years ago during the summer. A group of us went to try it out and found a club that we have grown to love and want to play all the time. 

What made you go to trials? What was the selection process like? Did you expect to make the team? 

Suzie: Going into the trials I had no expectations of making it to the next trial let alone onto the team. The reason I did the first trial was just for a good learning experience as my coach from GU had recommended it as a great opportunity.

Zoe: My coach told us about the trials and suggested we give it a go.  I went in with the expectation that I wasn’t necessarily going to make it that far, but no matter what happened, I would have a great experience just being around some of the best players of my age. 

What’s the build up been like to EYUC? How does training compare to training with your club? 

Andrew: Training is definitely a lot more intense and technical than what I would experience at my club. My club only has a few boys playing who are my age so it’s nice to play entirely with boys of similar age to me.

Suzie: With the exception of new strategies and more intense strength and endurance training in the run up to EYUC, it is similar to training with my club. Although, it is very different playing with new people.

Zoe: Throughout the year, I’ve been able to develop my skills and learn new strategies that have been really good to use in games back at my club too. I also feel that I’ve really benefitted from playing with so many new people as I’ve had to adapt my game to their style. 

What’s the vibe like in the squad? How does it feel to be Scottish on a GB team? 

Andrew: The squad are a really good laugh. I get a lot of stick for being Scottish but it’s all good natured. My teammates sometimes speak slowly to me because apparently I have a “language barrier”.

Zoe: The morale of the team is amazing. The girls were really easy to connect with.  It was also the first time I ever had someone compliment my accent, which I found amusing. I think the main part of our team though, is the positivity – even on the sideline, we’re cheering on our players loudly.

 What’s one thing you’ve learned from your GB coaches or teammates? 

Andrew: We have focused a lot on zone defence and that for me has helped me a lot. A lot of the boys have played in tournaments before so it’s good to hear some of their experiences and tips.

Suzie: From my GB coaches I’ve learned lots about defending which was an aspect of ultimate I wasn’t so good at before joining the team. We also did new zone defence which was really fun to learn.

Zoe: I’ve learnt a number of things from my coaches, focusing on all aspects of the game. However, throughout my training sessions, my throws have become more consistent and my defence has greatly improved. 

Do you have any team or personal expectations for EYUC? 

Andrew: Our team has all mixed well together, and on the pitch we all play well together. I have no idea how good we are compared to other u17 open teams but I’m confident we will do well. I’m looking forward to it, I think it will be a lot of fun.

Zoe: To do as well as we can! I am just so grateful that I get to play at this tournament. I do hope that my team does well and I am just excited to get this great experience.

What do you enjoy most about ultimate, compared to other sports you might have played? 

Andrew: Well I play a lot of rugby and one thing that really made frisbee enjoyable for me was that it was non-contact which was a nice break from rugby. I also like how it is self-refereed and very sportsmanship centred.

Suzie: Along with playing ultimate I have played football, but there is a distinct difference in the community of the sports. Ultimate frisbee is all about sportsmanship and spirit, and is very welcoming to new people of any level which is why I enjoy it more than any other sports.

Zoe: I’ve played a few different sports throughout my life so far, but ultimate frisbee is the one I have stuck with. I personally enjoy the team aspect the most out of the game, and I think that everyone is easy to get along with because of the camaraderie in the sport. 

What do your friends and family think about you being a GB athlete? 

Andrew: Everyone has been very supportive, especially my parents. My dad has been having to drive 6 hours every other weekend to drive either me or my brother down to training in England which is very kind of him.

Zoe: My parents are so supportive and despite not fully understanding every aspect of the sport, have put in the effort to help me throughout my training. My brother is also a little jealous that I am representing GB before he could in his sport, so I get to gloat a little! 

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Good luck to Andrew, Suzie and Zoe! We hope you have a great time and manage to trade some cool kit! For those at home, you can stream games via SolidSport, however you’ll need to buy a membership. There may be some free games kicking about at times though, so keep a look out! Either way, you can keep up with results here.