FACES of OCUA

WELCOME TO FACES of OCUA

The players and members of OCUA are truly special. Not only because they play this inclusive and exciting sport, but also because many have interesting jobs, hobbies and interests.

Because of that, we will publish this regular section in each issue of Ultimate Happenings and through our social media channels to share more about the unique members of OCUA. Enjoy.

Karen Kavanagh | Marcus Brady

Name: KAREN KAVANAGH  (aka Pepper)

Name explanation? Yes, my nickname is a combo of my drinking a lot of diet Dr Pepper (sometimes you’ll see me at late games trying to get some caffeine in me). But also, because at one point all women competitive players had nicknames and I once was speedy and peppy. Or that’s what I tell myself.

Years playing Ultimate? Gosh. Wow. Hard to remember. I joined a couple of years after moving back to Ottawa, so I think it was 1999 or 2000. It was the pre-UPI Sod Farm days.

What do you love about the sport and league? The community, for sure. Everyone is so nice and friendly. I may be looking at it through rose-coloured glasses given the people I’ve personally met and the friends I’ve made, but it feels as though at the league-level, everyone is supportive of each other. In my year’s in OCUA, I’ve also made a choice to support new players. I’ve volunteered at clinics, was part of Women’s Outreach Marketing Group in the past and join the winter Women’s League every year to help players develop. Women’s participation in OCUA and the sport has been at the highest it’s ever been, but there is still growth work to do. And OCUA has done a commendable job developing junior players to fill up the future squads and levels. I also enjoy the competitive side with touring teams.

I’ve spent many years captaining and coaching development women’s teams at most levels – Seniors (back when there wasn’t Masters), Masters, Grandmasters and Great Grandmasters. My friend Clare Gee and I launched the inaugural Grandmasters (2018, Solstice), and Great Grandmasters (2023, Silver Sisters) Ottawa Women’s teams. (If you’re reading this and are a woman 45+ that is interested in learning more about competitive Great Grandmasters Ultimate, reach out to me!)

Being at the start means building it more for future players. Now there is Grandmasters Women’s at Canadian Nationals (CUC) and Great Grandmaster’s at US Nationals. But these divisions are only going into their second and third year, respectively.

I believe Ultimate is inclusive for players at all levels, but the opportunities for older women to play in tournaments specific to their age division, is limited. I’ll never be the young gun on any team, but still get joy out of others having that experience.

How do you think it helps people (adults, youth)? For league play, outside of the positives of keeping active and healthy, all participants, if they are playing within the Spirit of the Game, are benefitting from other less tangible things. They learn to play positively, help others, and develop team-working skills. Great teammates take ownership of their actions and learn when something goes wrong, and they aim to resolve conflict in the true nature of a self-officiated sport. And everyone benefits from the social aspect of a truly inclusive sport. Again, those rose-coloured glasses are on. It sounds like I’m part of the Ultimate Cult.

What is your job? What do you love about this career choice? Any challenges? Rewards? I’m a professor and coordinator at Algonquin College. I teach in the Bachelor of Digital Marketing Communication (Honours) (Co-op) degree and the Advertising and Marketing Communications Management advanced diploma. Before joining the college full-time, I worked at several advertising agencies in Toronto and Ottawa. I love teaching the next group industry professionals. Their energy and enthusiasm are contagious. I learn a lot of them, too. It’s a happy career, for sure.

What’s next? On the Ultimate front, continuing to play as long as possible. I’m older so keeping active and healthy is important. I’m still playing league a lot but with age, have to manage injuries differently. Recently I tweaked my calf and did the ‘mature’ thing and didn’t play for three weeks. I was pretty proud of myself for doing that as getting older means a longer recovery time. I also want to continue to play tournaments and travel.

My GGM Women’s team is planning to go to U.S. Nationals (as we have since the inaugural 2023 year), but given the political tensions, the final decision on that tournament will be made later. Which is a sad situation given this is the only tournament that has a GGM Women specific division. And I do want to help launch the inaugural Legends Women’s division. Hopefully it’s possibility within the next few years. Currently, women join Open teams to play Legends.

Otherwise, I want to keep enjoying my work and socializing with teammates and friends on and off the field. And enjoy life at home with my retired husband, Dean. He’d hate that I mentioned his name here. So please ignore that I typed it.

Name: MARCUS BRADY

Years playing Ultimate? To date, 44yrs, since 1981 when we started a McGill University intramural team.

How were you introduced to the sport?
 

While hanging out and throwing at McGill I met Paul Stern (Rye, New York) and he taught us to play Ultimate. We organized our players to go to U.S. open and university tournaments in 1983 and 1984.  Paul suggested that we go to World's in Luzerne, Switzerland in 1984 with a full squad of … (9) players.

What sparked you and Brian Guthrie to start Ultimate in Ottawa, and how did that go?

Independent of each other we had both started pick-up groups with friends. Brian pulled from the high tech community; me, I rallied and herded high school buddies. 

After World's I was focused on finding and developing good players. My father told me that there was a group playing Ultimate on Riverside Drive. I would camp out after work to try and meet up with them.

Once I connected with Brian, we merged our players and made teams. Soon after we took Ottawa players to the tourneys in the U.S. and created opportunities to promote the sport (e.g. March Meltdown, Parliament Hill; City of Ottawa, Parks and Recreation).

The enthusiasm in Ottawa was FANTASTIC!  Before long we were going to multiple summer tournaments, and we decided we wanted teams to come to Ottawa to infect more possible players. 

We organized No Borders (1986), and then hosted Canadian Nationals in 1987. During this time the 'Screaming Yellow Zonkers' and 'Bruce and the Usuals' appeared and developed an amazing league structure . . .creating what is today, OCUA. 

In preparation for 1986 World's we gathered information about Canadian Ultimate efforts and players from across the country; invited players to submit applications to join the team; and assembled a Team Canada roster from the best players and most infectious personalities and organizers. 

What do you love about the sport and league?

The players’ passion.

The portability.

Playing without referees (we self-govern).

The flow of the game.

The chill and silliness. 

. . . and that my son's Kyle and Ethan play.

How do you think it helps people (adults, youth)?

The sport of Ultimate can occupy 20 people with one Frisbee.

You can’t win a game by yourself.

It’s beautiful to watch.

It’s infectious.

It combines fitness, fun and fluidity. 

People are attracted to the spirit and vibe it provides. 

What is your job?

   I used to help build early-stage biotechnology companies. Later I worked with companies to solve technological problems using global innovation networks. 

What do you love about this career choice?

   It requires rapid melding expertise from scientists and business. 

What are the challenges or rewards of what you were a part of?

   The reward is seeing the game played and enjoyed by thousands of kids, youth and adults.  

You got away from playing, why?

   Too many preventable injuries. It’s a sport, and my health is/was important.   

Now you’re back playing . . . why?

   I joined a pick-up game and it felt like 1984 again. 

What’s next?

   Find an Elder/Old Person team or group to play with this summer and fall. Could we please organize a group?

Final comments?

Just a major thank you to the many 'builders' of this sport that is now played world-wide. Congratulations to Craig Fielding, Brian Guthrie, Keith Whyte, Amanda Brady, Rod Nicholls, Mike Shockett, Chris Lowcock, Willie Herndon, Dante Anderson, Laura and Mike Davis, John Atkinson, Greg Lange, Jean Luc Forêt, photographer Rick Collins and many others. Your collective passion and contributions have built something so many love — Ultimate.

(Read more about Marcus and other OCUA Hall of Fame members at this link.)