The Hags scrimmage during their Thursday night practices at the Redwood Bowl on Thursday, Sept. 16.

The Humboldt Hags Are Back To Hucking

Humboldt State's women's ultimate frisbee team is back in the Redwood Bowl
Translate

The Humboldt State women’s ultimate frisbee club team is back on campus after nearly a three-semester hiatus.

The team has been practicing three times a week to prepare for their upcoming home tournament, HUCK, on September 25th and 26th with Sonoma State’s women’s ultimate team at the Arcata Community Center softball field.

The Humboldt State Hags 2020 season got cut following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Usually, the spring semester is the competitive season for the team while the fall semester is recreational. However, the USA Ultimate Association decided to extend the team’s competitive season to fall this year to make up for their lost spring season of 2020.

Emily “Eddie” Dryer is a senior environmental studies major who has been a part of the Hags since her freshman year, after an injury prevented her from continuing her collegiate softball career. Dyer was also the team captain and vice-president of the Hags before the pandemic.

“It really affected us,“ Dryer said, referring to the COVID-19 pandemic. “It was really challenging ’cause we were trying to get everyone on Zoom and keep everyone involved but it was just so hard to keep everyone motivated, I’m really happy and really excited about our numbers this year.”

According to team president Helinna Leone, the Hags had a higher turnout of recruits this year than past seasons, which led to more opportunities to compete and go out into the local community. The team is all walk-ons and recruits anyone from any experience level. In past years the Hags have participated in local invasive plant pulls and trash pickups throughout Humboldt county to stay active in the community, where they work side-by-side with Hags alumni.

Leone, a third-year kinesiology and dance studies major, has big plans for the Hags this year after being appointed as team president. Leone has been playing with the Hags since her first year at HSU. She is planning for an alumni game as well as incorporating injury prevention into the team’s practices and tournaments to build a healthy team foundation.

“Definitely right now the emphasis is still on rebuilding and remembering that we are working to go to regionals or maybe even nationals as a solid team of burly, burly Hags,” Leone said.

The Hags are a close-knit family, evident from just a few seconds of watching them scrimmage together in the stands. The team consists of members with years of ultimate experience and others who are brand-new to the game.

Ella Feick is a third-year environmental science and management student who joined the Hags for the first time this semester. Feick enjoys the team aspect of Hags as well as the opportunity to meet other people she would have never met before joining the team.

“It is nice to be seeing people I would have never known before without doing this and now I see them around Arcata,” Feick said. “It is really cool to have these connections outside of the game but also a time where I get to see everybody every week.”

Team members said they rely on each other for advice, school work accountability, confidence-building, and getting their numbers up for the future seasons. Many Hags members consider joining Hags as a foundational block to enjoying their student experience here at Humboldt State.

“I came to college having spent all of my extracurricular time on dance and so at this new start I was sort of moving away from that life and the rocky relationship I had with my body and the dance community as a whole, frisbee helped me step away from that and find power in myself again,” Leone said. “The camaraderie built from late-night practices, long tournament weekends, and just juggling life together is unparalleled.”

Samantha Castro is a senior returning to the Hags for her third season and said joining the team allowed her to find a community on campus after feeling somewhat lost her first year at HSU.

“We’re like a family out there on the field,” Castro said. “Since day one it’s all been about the girls and how close and tight-knit we are, I really enjoy that aspect.”

The Hags will be hosting the first tournament of the fall club season this weekend and are hoping to use it as a warmup for new players before their sectionals in October. The team is always looking for more burly Hags to join the group, no matter the experience level.

Share This Post

More Stories

Nina G uses comedy to start conversations

During the virtual comedy event held by the SDRC, Nina Ghiselli tells her story and emphasizes the importance of student disability resources within schools.

It’s not just the Capitol Police

As the world watched from their televisions on January 6, we witnessed scenes unfold before our eyes that were, to many, unimaginable: supporters of President Trump swarmed the steps of the U.S. Capitol Building, then proceeded to break in and

The San Jose State University Football Team Comes to Humboldt

On a day’s notice from administration, the SJSU football team spends a week and a half in Humboldt practicing because their county did not allow it. Students react to their presence on campus in the midst of a pandemic. Directed

Homelessness in Humboldt, CA

This is the first trailer of a homeless documentary created by HSU students. We have spent months filming and will continue to film throughout the next year. Follow the heartbreaking stories of the homeless community around Humboldt county and the

Thrifty Arcata

Taking a tour of the local thrift shops in Arcata during the COVID-19 pandemic. Directed and produced by Skylar Gaven.

House Plants Generate Peace and Meaning During the Pandemic

Three different people with the same love for plants! House plants have become quite popular these days especially since we’re all basically stuck inside during the pandemic. Not only are they aesthetically pleasing, but these beautiful green oxygen-makers provide more

Prop 22 represents political favoritism of money over workers’ rights

California’s passing of proposition 22 on Nov. 5 represents a frustrating history of workers’ rights being trampled by the overwhelming influence of greed in politics.  This proposition forces app-based workers to be classified as independent contractors, rather than employees. This

Remembering Evelyn Andrews 10 months after her passing

By Katelyn Dendas It has been 10 months since my friend, teammate and freshman year dorm mate, Evelyn Andrews, passed away. I don’t remember what the grief counselor said or what transpired after that Monday, but I do remember arriving

Protestors seek to defund HSUPD

Two local, activist organizations work together to stage a sit-in against Humboldt State’s police department.

Getting stuck on the Trump train

Writer Anthony Aragon details his experience of accidentally joining a pro-Trump car rally.

Justin Turner exposes the World Series to COVID-19

Justin Turner didn’t need to be the story in the wake of the Dodgers’ first World Series victory in 32 years. Instead here we are, wondering what sort of, if any, punishment Major League Baseball will decide to hand down

Four more years of fear

News Editor Carlos Holguin explains why he is worried about the next four years.

Dismal democracy

The Lumberjack editorial staff comments on America’s flawed electoral system As the world watches the United States 2020 election results, waiting for our pseudodemocratic process to churn out a new president, historically unprecedented voting methods misrepresents the reported Election Day

The Mario triple pack invokes a nostalgia attack

When I was a child, the first video game system I owned was a Nintendo 64. Among the games I played was Super Mario 64. I played it all the time and when I wasn’t playing it, I was lying

Women’s lacrosse drops their competitive season

Greta Roberts, president and player of Humboldt State University’s women’s lacrosse team, made the decision with her coach and teammates to cancel the upcoming spring season. The team decided that not being able to recruit in the fall would be

Dobby’s proposition opinions

Haven’t voted yet? Well, you’re running out of time. Here’s a quick rundown of California’s propositions on the ballot this year

Corporations buy out propositions

In a series of general and misleading advertisements, corporate backers of Propositions 22 and 23 show their grubby hands

CDOR continues virtually

The Campus and Community Dialogue On Race returns covering global justice for Black Lives.

Indigenous Food Sovereignty

Local food management practices of the Tolowa Dee-ni, Yurok and other indigenous peoples.

Humboldt State Admin attempts to discredit the Lumberjack

***A Lumberjack editorial represents both the majority opinion of the student newspaper’s editorial board, nine editors, as well as the overwhelming majority of Humboldt State University’s student body. Collectively, an editorial echos, embodies and advocates for community beliefs.*** Insensitive communications

Music of the Moment 6

21 Savage and Metro Boomin drop a classic with “Savage Mode II”

Spartans arrive at HSU despite campus concerns

***Editor’s note: SJSU football program was tested in congruence with Mountain West conference guidelines*** The Spartans have arrived and this time they’re not carrying spears or shields. Instead the San Jose State football team stepped onto the Humboldt State campus

Music of the Moment 5

After shooting Megan Thee Stallion, Tory Lanez cancels himself

Welcome to the Twilight Zone

Comparisons between episodes of the classic TV show The Twilight Zone and our own dismal reality

Music of the Moment 4

YoungBoy Never Broke Again dodges the sophomore slump with his new album “Top.”

Self-Care Cuts

Changing your hair to change your life

HSU Seaweed Farm sets sail

The first commercially-approved seaweed farm in California will be on the map.

Music of the Moment 3

For better or worse, Big Sean is likely gone for good.

More Layers, More Protection?

Humboldt State demands double masking on campus, does more layers equal more protection?

The Ethnic Studies Bill is a Blessing

Ethnic Studies will thankfully become mandatory for all California State University students – as it should be.

The Complex Interface of Humans and Wildfires

How fire suppression is a mixed bag in Humboldt County Every fire season, blankets of smoke roll over Humboldt County. Here on the coast, that’s as close to wildfires as some of us get. But our practice of fire suppression

Defund HSU’s Police Department

Incidents of racism from the former UPD Chief, past examples of excessive force from current officers and a shrinking university budget.

How Not To Be Bitten By A Kitten

Please prepare to be prey Congratulations, a baby feline has recently come into your life. If they’re anywhere from 2-18 months, they bite. They see you as prey. Because you are prey. You always have been. You always will be.

Graduating Into Uncharted Waters

HSU graduates attempt to navigate a world turned upside-down by COVID-19 In May, Humboldt State University graduated hundreds of students, as it does every year. Unlike past years, graduates didn’t get to shake hands with their respective dean and receive

HSU Cultural Center Budget Slashed

Associated Students leaves student body devastated after significant reductions in cultural center’s budget.

All aboard the plague ship

Unprecedented times are met with normalized behavior, HSU puts students and community members at higher risk after reopening campus and student housing.

Music of the Moment

The hip-hop community rallies behind the Black Lives Matter Movement

Inside the Immune System

How the body uses multiple levels of defense against foreign intruders

Catcalling Can’t Continue

Verbal harassment toward women is about control and the assertion of gender discrimination

Major League Marijuana

Why I don’t think marijuana is everything it’s cracked up to be in baseball

Pigs Compost on Campus

CCAT tries to reduce HSU’s food waste footprint through new pig program