Introduction:
Ultimate Frisbee is designed to promote unity and equity as teams cannot compete unless they have a balanced number of boys and girls on each team. It is designed to build gender equity and confidence in the children. Thamarai has partnered with “Play equity” to start a program in Annai Nagar village.
Learnings From Children:
Bhavani 7th std
“I like all Frisbee games, before Frisbee I never used to go on the sports ground, now I go every day.
Before I wasn’t doing any exercise, now I have energy.
Frisbee is only for girls now, after we will teach the boys too.
Selvi and Gothai are our coaches. Our parents don’t let us play at the sports ground if there is no coach or a female facilitator from Thamarai.
We are now coached three times in the week. We manage to practice every day.”
Kayalvizhi 7th std
“I enjoy Frisbee very much, my body is feeling energy, I feel good, I feel free.”
Hasini 8th std
“I enjoy playing with my friends. Now I am getting muscles and I feel strong.
Before I was bored, I now enjoy Frisbee, it releases my mind.
I would like to be a national champion, like Selvi, our coach.”
And the point of view of our Facilitators :
Logeswari age 22
“Before Frisbee, I had never played on the ground. Now I play with the children and I feel like a child myself. I can see that they are interested and everyone feels happy to be there.
There was a change with the girls’ dress, they now wear trousers and the parents allow it.
Unfortunately, the girls also have to do the housework on top of taking time for the Frisbee.
The coaches are giving a lot of space for the children and they are very friendly. The girls are very close to the coaches. They encourage the children a lot, never blaming them.
In the end, they do a closing circle to express and share about the session. There is space for the children to speak up.
Then there is a spirit circle where they make a game. The children are in the process to find a name for their team.
I wish that the children can have the opportunity to play outside. I also would like them to play in a more confident way.
In the team, even if I am a facilitator, I am at the same level as the children, learning Frisbee with them.”
Jagadeswari age 26
“We have been organizing the Frisbee classes for the past 4 months in Annai Nagar and I am noticing many changes in the children. Before they were never to be seen on the sports ground, now they go there even outside the Frisbee classes. There is one 3rd std child who joined the class quite late but she made amazing improvements in her game just within 1 month.
The children show leadership and courage. They also show unity, they all have a very good relationship, even if they are of different ages.
The parents are happy that their children play. I was there last Thursday and one parent who is the mother of an 8 years old girl asked me if she could join the class with the children.
I am very happy to have the opportunity to organize these classes.”