Upper Valley Ultimate Creates a Third Space for Lebanon Residents

Many people reach a point in their lives when it becomes difficult to meet new people. Thankfully, Upper Valley Ultimate has been remedying this problem for decades by providing a third space to play Ultimate Frisbee. To clarify, “…in social theory, a ‘third space’ refers to a place, separate from home (first space) and work (second space), where people gather to socialize, relax, and build community. It’s a neutral ground for informal interactions, fostering a sense of belonging and connection.” (AI search summary) At Sachem Field in West Lebanon, over thirty people meet at 6pm on a Monday to throw the disc in a friendly pick-up game.

Becca Bates, a current Enfield resident who grew up in Lebanon, first found the group around two decades ago. She was looking for a place to meet friends and saw an ad in the paper for a co-ed Ultimate Frisbee league. When she asked if she could play, the group said yes, but she wasn’t sure if she was “in” until all of the players went to the Salt Hill Pub after the game. After ordering a Pabst Blue Ribbon in front of one of the regular players, she knew she was when someone said, “You’re a frisbee person if you’re ordering a PBR.”

It’s important to note – preferring specific adult beverages has never been necessary in attending the Upper Valley Ultimate group, as the group is welcoming to all. Attendees range from 16 years old to those in their 70s, though most are more centered around the middle of that age range. Though there are several residents from Lebanon and the surrounding Upper Valley area, some players drive over an hour to play, such as some from St. Johnsbury. Part of the reason for this is simple. Although other areas in the region have pickup games, this is one of the most well-attended groups, so there are always enough people to play.

Over the years, Bates has seen the group transform with a few different organizers, and even ran it herself for a few years. After COVID, she stopped running it, and now it is a committee-run group. A group of four sets up communication through emails and a Discord server, coordinating all sorts of logistics.

Beyond pick-up games, the Upper Valley Ultimate group hosts an additional league night during the summer. Teams are internally constructed within the group with co-ed teams of equal gender-mixing. One of the coordinators’ hardest jobs is making sure teams are balanced effectively for fair play. The latest summer league that just finished had four teams. Team names are typically constructed based on a theme, and this year’s was medieval professions: the Bladesmiths, the Shepherds, the Town Criers, and the Jesters.

Finals trophy – top and underside – the years reveal how far back the summer league goes.

Despite the league being a bit more involved, all games exude a casual hangout feel. Two Lebanon residents, Jeffy Wang and Lily Frappier, are two new attendees standing on the sidelines for the first time. When asked if they’ve ever played Ultimate Frisbee before, Frappier says she “played a little in high school” and Wang says, “I’ve thrown a disc before. Does that count?” Their lack of experience doesn’t seem to intimidate them either, as they each eagerly wait for their turn to play.

They both found out about the group from Adam Jones, an engineer and current Lebanon resident here on work rotation. Originally from London, England, he played Ultimate Frisbee regularly there, and he was shocked he could keep it up in Lebanon, NH. He found out about it from the Upper Valley Ultimate Facebook page and said it helped him meet other people in the area when he moved here this May.

Upper Valley Ultimate attendees stress that the group is for everyone, and a unique aspect of the sport that furthers this outlook is “the spirit of the game,” something that has, over time, been written directly into the rulebook. The gist is that players are encouraged to respect each other on the field, and games have no referees. Instead, when a foul is called, both players talk out the call and have to agree on its legitimacy, making it completely self-regulated. The rule furthers the inclusivity and community aspect of the sport.

In the last four years, the group found another way to be more inclusive by creating and running a separate women and nonbinary players’ night. The intention was for it to be a space for new players that was less intimidating. Originally, the group held practices and drills to increase the skills of these players, but this made it difficult for those who couldn’t make it every week. Eventually, coordinators shifted it to a separate pick-up night.

Though Sachem Field is perfect during the summer, fall makes the area less viable due to several school teams needing it for games. This is when the Upper Valley Ultimate group moves down to one night a week. Though still able to utilize the field for a time in the fall, when the weather turns, they meet inside and whittle down their games to a four-on-four player structure.

One of the greatest challenges the group has is spreading the word about the group. Though there are several returning members, a great deal of the members are transient, including students and medical residents at Dartmouth Hitchcock. Flyers have been utilized in the past, but most come to know about the group through the over 400-follower Upper Valley Ultimate Facebook page. The group is always looking for more players. Those interested can simply show up to a pickup game held on Monday or Wednesday at Sachem Field or reach out to the Facebook group for more information.

If you’re someone who’s looking for a way to be outside more frequently and meet new people, the Upper Valley Ultimate group is here for you. Whether you’re athletically inclined or not, the group stresses they’ve always been more about community-building than anything else. Though many argue about the vanishing “third space,” when you look around Sachem Field, you’ll find Upper Valley Ultimate is keeping it alive as those from all walks of life gather to play a friendly, casual game together.