ultimate players on a field with the concrete bleachers of Ed Burke Field behind

I’ve been to a bunch of Growler’s games over the last few years. As an ultimate player myself, it’s always great to see high level play. The Growlers have played at a few different high school football fields like Mission Bay, Clairemont, and Torrey Pines. But each location has a pretty similar feel once you get to the field. Professional ultimate typically plays on football fields for the availability of venues with end zones starting at the 10 yard line. Because of the wider field there is lots of space for lateral throws and they allow double team defenses. The game has officials to make calls quickly and the quarters are timed for predictable game length. I think those are smart choices for making a watchable sport and it’s been great to be able to watch as a fan.

A wolf mascot with a Growlers jersey riding a unicycle

The organizers do a good jobs of making it a fun, family-friendly environment. Their mascot is entertaining, frequently engaging with the fans, and sometimes has a junior mascot with him. Similar to the Super Bloom games, they have snacks and merchandise for sale and face painting for kids. One of my favorites is the 50/50 mini disc toss where you pay to throw a mini disc at a disc golf basket and the winners split half the pot. It’s fun for all ages, even if you’re just watching. At halftime they often invite kids out on the field to catch frisbees. The crowd’s aren’t big but it’s still a fun atmosphere. Usually the announcer helps boost the energy, though the last game I went to had a different announcer who was underwhelming. I hope that was a fluke because at times the games have been really well run.

man showing off a gray hat with the growler's wolf logo in front of a game.

The last game I went to, I picked up this hat. It was great to go to a game with the friends I had played pickup ultimate with earlier in the day. This year the Growlers were scraping to get into the playoffs. In the game they were able to overcome an early 5 point deficit to take a solid 10 point lead. The UFA (formerly the AUDL) has been around for well over a decade now and San Diego has moved around quite a bit in the standings. I feel like the Super Bloom games had more energy both from the players and the fans. Their season was shorter than the Growlers so that could be a factor. There’s clearly a lot of overlap in the two organizations but I hope the game continues to grow. I’m happy to support the team and I recommend it to anyone who likes to play.