Ultimate Frisbee can be one of the cheapest team sports to play. Just grab some cleats, a disc, and a few friends and you’re ready to go! But there is no denying that Ultimate Frisbee can get expensive quickly. Team dues, travel expenses, entry fees, food and lodging – it can all add up quickly. If you are like me, you may be asking yourself, “How do I save money playing Ultimate Frisbee?”
Level Up Ultimate Frisbee Tips
This article explores three tips that answer this question.
- Buy your gear second hand, or from last year’s stock
- Start a scholarship fund for your team
- Reduce your expenses
Buy Second Hand Gear
This is the first tip I give players asking how they can save money while playing Ultimate Frisbee. If you want to save money, you don’t need the newest gear! For example, here’s what I do when I buy cleats.
I go to the store (or just browse online) and find a pair of cleats I like. Then, I research what last year’s line of cleats were called, at a similar price point. I hop over to eBay, search for the cleats by price, and can usually find something “Like New” at 60% less the cost of this year’s cleats, that are just as good.
Using this strategy for all your gear can be very helpful in saving quite a bit of money!
Start a Scholarship Fund for your Team
When I was in college, I didn’t really have a lot of free cash floating around. I think that’s the same with a lot of college students. If you’ve got college students on your team, I strongly suggest creating a scholarship fund for your team.
If you’re a college student, ask about a scholarship fund!
When I was in college, the first club team I played on didn’t have a formal scholarship fund. However, they did recognize that me and my roommate were making a round-trip 3 hour drive for each practice, twice a week. This was really breaking the bank for us, so they asked around, and donated gas money to my roommate and I.
The generosity my teammates showed that first year will not be forgotten. It still means a lot to me, and every year I look for ways to pay it forward. If you’re in a position to create a scholarship fund for those on your team that might need it, you should do it!
Reduce Your Expenses
This is pretty common advice when researching how to save money, but there are some creative ways you can save money and still travel to tournaments. Here’s a few tips I’ve learned during my time playing Ultimate Frisbee.
- Pack 8 people in a hotel room. Charge those that sleep on the floor less. Choose to sleep on the floor.
- Make friends and couchsurf at away tournaments
- Or camp in a tent, instead of paying for a hotel room
- If you have the time, driving can save money instead of buying airplane tickets
- Buy food from a grocery store and make sandwiches, instead of going out to eat
- Better yet, pack food from home and bring it with you to your tournaments
- Alcohol is expensive, so if you like to drink at tournaments, consider cutting back