Disc-connect: The Rise of Frisbee in St Andrews

Final-year Tony Kavalam shares his love for the sport

In sports, athletes often have an idol, coach, or mentor that they look up to. For Tony Kavalam, a final-year geology student and ultimate frisbee player, that person is Jimmy Chu. 

“Not the designer Jimmy Choo,” Kavalam laughed. “I mean the professional frisbee player and coach from Seattle — he’s been my inspiration since I started playing at fourteen. He taught me the value of discipline.” 

Invented in the late 1960s in the US, ultimate frisbee has flown across the Atlantic, becoming a popular sport throughout Europe.

Ultimate frisbee is an intense, full-body sport — you’re constantly catching, throwing, changing direction, running, and jumping.

“The turnovers in frisbee are so quick, with rapid changes of possession,” Kavalam explained. “This is what makes the sport so exciting.” 

As a self-refereed game, players are responsible for calling their own fouls and violations. It’s entirely up to participants to remain honest, disciplined, and fair on the pitch. 

At St Andrews, both male and female teams take part in six tournaments throughout the year — indoors, outdoors, and in mixed formats.

Training at St Andrews is led by Kavalam, alongside coordinators Daniel Lindsay and Manuela Nicolussi, who run indoor and outdoor sessions. Sessions run at all hours — some starting early in the morning and some late at night — to allow maximum flexibility for players. 

“Many students start playing at university and are still able to play at a high level,” Kavalam emphasised. A development team also welcomes recreational and new players eager to get involved.

Come rain or shine, the team plays. “We even played in Storm Amy,” Kavalam added, though he admits throwing a ‘hammer’ — an advanced shot — in those winds has a much lower success rate. 

The highlight of the season is the UKU Nationals, held in Nottingham every April — a long bus ride for the club’s best players.

Recent successes include the Saints Ultimate team claiming the 2024-25 Scottish Championship title. Building on that success, the women’s team went on to win silver at the 2025 Division 1 Women’s Nationals.

Their momentum carried into the summer, when some of the UK’s best frisbee players — including several from St Andrews — travelled to Logroño, in northern Spain, in June to compete on the international stage at the 2025 World Under-24 Ultimate Championship, facing teams from New Zealand, Belgium, Ireland, and Italy. 

Spain may be famous for its warm, sunny weather, but there was little chance for a siesta in Logroño. The only breaks were for rehydration. “The climate made playing intense — it was 35 degrees on turf throughout the tournament,” Kavalam said. “I started drinking so much salt water. You don’t really need Liquid IV, you just need salt." 

Women’s co-captain, Sophie Chowgule, brought home bronze at the Under-24 Women’s Ultimate Championship after her call-up for Team GB; one of the proudest moments in the club’s history.

“It would definitely be great to see more students join frisbee,” Kavalam emphasised. “What I love most about the sport is that there is a great frisbee community at the University and everyone’s friends.” With a grin, he added: “Just not on the pitch.” 

Photo Provided by UStA Ultimate Frisbee