Interview with GB U24 Mixed Captains: Jo Lewis and Ryan Coones

Writer: Andy Eck
Editor: Nic

Thanks so much to you both for being here! Let's begin with introductions...

Ryan

I'm Ryan, one of the GBX U24 captains this cycle. Started playing at LLLeeds in 2014 whilst I was still at school. Moved to Reading University and quickly got involved with the team there. Started playing for Reading Ultimate in 2014, where I've stayed until now. I captained the university's mixed team in 2016, and the men's team in 2018. I got to captain the U24 side through showing interest with the coaches, and then being selected really with not a lot in the middle.

Jo

Hey I’m Jo Lewis, I’ve played ultimate since I was about 11 and progressed through the GB Junior teams. Currently playing for Bristol Women, and this is my third U24 cycle with the mixed team.

How would you describe the GB U24 Mixed squad?

Jo

It’s been a really fun team to be a part of! Enthusiasm to get involved, after two hours of lightening delays at Talampaya we’d had about 20 different songs rehearsed with 100% effort (probably really annoying for the other teams). And considering how miserable the weather at Talampaya was, how we were still smiling at the end of it is crazy.

Ryan

It's definitely a super dynamic team and the vibe is incredible! Everyone has gelled really well and I'm super excited to carry on from our Talampaya highs.

U24 GB Mixed

What is your training regime/schedule consist of?

Jo

We’re training groups of four, so a low key selfie at the gym or throwing is needed to share it with your team. We have a metaphor - we all put a brick in the wall with each session to build a winning team. The Andy Lewis, European Mixed Champion. Has been doing our gym programme, keeping things very ultimate focused.

Ryan

Callum Spiers and Alex Mazzon have devised our playing structures based on previous cycles successes, and looking to use our team assets. So weekend trainings have involved going through the playbook and refining our plays through drills and conditioned games too.

Jo

Followed by some hack!

Ryan

Hack is key. Without it I don't know how you can really bond.

Jo

Ability to play hack leads to the ability to win Worlds.

What skills and qualities are looked for when trialling for a GB team? Is a background playing Mixed important?

Jo

I wouldn’t say you need to have a tonne of mixed experience, more so you need to be trusting of every person on the team equally. Skills and qualities; from a very biased handler perspective, have your throwing down. Shapes and structures can be picked up more easily. Being nice always helps as well, look to form connections at trials.

Ryan

From a cutters perspective, be willing to change your habits and go to shapes that work best with the throwers that you get to play with. I'd say the top qualities are open-mindedness and enthusiasm.

What can players/teams/universities do to promote and grow mixed ultimate?

Ryan

I think playing club mixed together is an excellent way to bridge the gap. You get to be a smaller fish in a bigger pond and so there can be less pressure, which will transfer to your university mixed.

Jo

That’s a big question that I find most university teams face! Having female leadership, I think, helps. I coached Cardiff open when I was at university, having that input meant both the women and the men had similar structures. Meaning the team comes together more easily.

Do you think hiring or appointing a coach would help?

Ryan

I think an overall coach could work although, I'd say it's pretty situation dependent.

Jo

I do think having an impartial, external coach is useful as university can definitely get a little bias with input and selection etc.

How excited are you?

Jo

Super excited, can’t wait to see what this team can do when it’s the real thing! Can’t wait to see the plays get bigger, and watch the whole team step up even higher!

Ryan

Super excited! I have so much love for the team and cannot wait to go dominate with them.

Are there any teams or players you particularly want to square off against? 

Ryan

The team culture is pretty much take anything that comes our way, and give them hell. In Talampaya we decided it would be team 1, game 1 etc., and not worrying about their reputation, or their roster. Every team is fallible so we're going after them.

Jo

Seconding what Ryan says, we’re not going into this with any specific rivals. We want to take each game as it comes and focus entirely on scoring more points than they do, who they are doesn’t change that focus.

 

What would you be a good result at Worlds?

Ryan

*Ideally, GOLD* With the way we've played and the team we have, we totally think that semis is achievable. But realistically, at the end of the day, if we can be proud of how we perform and that's short of a medal. Then that's sport. Sometimes other teams are good too, right?

Any names we should be looking out for on the team?

Ryan

This whole team has the capacity to make plays, expect some big bids and huge looks from everyone. 

Jo

No joke, everyone on this team is capable of some crazy stuff. You’ll just have to keep an eye on the whole lot! We have a huge range of players, from those who have played a tonne of juniors for GB such as Dom Knight, Emma Klima and Erin 'calves' McGready. Then we’ve got players representing GB for their first time, like Immie Wong and Andrew Warnock - who are equally as talented!

The interpretation of Spirit of the Game can be different at higher levels of play versus the lower levels, do you ever find it hard to adjust the way you call Spirit when moving from one level of play to another? 

Jo

Boring answer, but I don’t feel like there is much difference. So no adjustment needed! I think at a higher level, when the stakes are high perhaps that can mess with people’s judgement at times. So you have really just got to stay rooted to why we have Spirit and the importance of a fair game.

Ryan

Typically I don't find it that hard to adjust, normally you can get a pretty good feel for a team early on in a game re: how much contact they like, how picky they are about calls etc. I think at higher levels a lot more is let go by both sides (think that's the advantage in football etc), to preserve the fluidity of the game.

How do you think Spirit impacts the atmosphere of ultimate compared to other sports, such as Football, that don't have a comparable system?

Ryan

I think it's pretty difficult to compare, but Spirit is obviously important at the elite levels. We've all seen or been a part of scrappy games with lots of calls, and even the occasional Spirit time out, they aren't fun to watch or play. I think it's really down to all the players to keep the atmosphere up and well spirited, without letting quality or intensity suffer, and vice versa.

Quickfire questions...

The party animal of the team...

Ryan

Felix Martin had a pretty big sesh at Talampaya, after he'd just finished his university finals, so maybe him for party animal?

Old married couple...

Ryan 

Jake Betson and Dom Burnham. Both Brighton boys, constantly bickering but we know they love each other.

Geek...

Ryan 

Team geek, maybe Dom Knight. Just all round nerd, but in a good way.

Any final thoughts...

Ryan

If you haven't already, go check us out on Facebook or on Instagram, and keep up with all our antics for the tournament.

Jo

Anyone following us at Worlds, let the team know, let that player who you’re looking out for know. We’d love to know and appreciate the support!

Good luck over in Germany GB! #oneGB

Catch the U24 teams in action on Fanseat or Ultiworld.

Interview with GB U24 Women Captains: Rupal Ghelani, Gabriela Starek and Amy van Zyl

Interview: Hazard

Editor: Nic

The GB U24 Women's captains
Rupal Ghelani (top left)
Gabriela Starek (top right)
Amy van Zyl (rest of picture)

Let's start simple. Introduce yourselves, and give a quick Ultimate CV. 

Amy

Hiya! I started playing at Twycross House school, coached by Matt and Sophie Beavan and later Nick Sampson too (very lucky start to the frisbee world..). I have played for the Bath University for two years now, and in terms of club; I’ve played for Hydra in the past and now, Bristol Women! Played a few GB Junior cycles when younger and also for U24s in Perth in the Women’s division.

Gabriela

Hey, I’m Gabi and I’m from Poland! My ultimate career started in Scotland in my first year of university at St Andrews - I did the classic of trying out for my previous sports, but ended up with ultimate when I went to the first morning training and met the greatest people! The first club I played for was a women’s team in Warsaw; Donuts. In Scotland, I played for Swift and after moving down south, I started playing with Bristol Women (alongside Amy!). Last year in Australia was the first time I represented GB Women!

Rupal

Hello! I'm Rups, started playing ultimate at Mill Hill County High School with Rice Frisbees and I was coached by Simon Gilbert. I started playing club ultimate with St Albans and I have also played for EMO, JR and LED, currently playing for SYC down in London. At university I played for Loughborough and, I also captained for a couple of years. I have played a few GB cycles in the past, most recently U24s in Perth and have just come back from Euros with Senior Women!

You were all part of the last GB U24 cycle. How do you think the team has changed since last time?

Amy

It’s a very new and exciting team, with only three of us from the last cycle. Because we have a lot of players from various backgrounds, there’s a wide range of ultimate styles that have come down from the various universities/clubs everyone has played for.

Gabi

Also, compared to last cycle we have had more opportunities to compete outside the UK scene, which means over the course of our training we have developed and grooved our playing!

What has your preparation for U24 Worlds involved?

Rups

So we've had five training sessions, three warm up tournaments (of which two were international), and a scrimmage weekend against the seniors. We also won bronze at Siege of Limerick! On top of that we've been following some S&C suggestions from Jools Murray; spamming our workout page in the process, and getting lots of throwing in the lead up to Worlds.

Amy

Most recently our coaches set us a challenge to complete two hundred hours of focused throwing in a given time period before Worlds.

Rups

Which we smashed!

Amy

 

What are your feelings going into World? Are you confident?

Gabi

We’ve had an incredible season so far, and we want to build on what we have all learned over the course. Having positively surprised teams we have competed against, and ourselves! We do feel like we can challenge teams and we are not looking at the end results just yet - we want to focus on what we can bring to each game, take every day with a fresh mindset. We are excited for Worlds and what the week has in store for us.

Who are your coaches, and how have they helped the team to the place they are now?

Amy

We could go on for hours about how amazing our coaches have been this season but we’ll try to keep it short, haha. They are James Burbidge, Ros “Chicken” Taylor, Jenna Thompson and Marie-so Nguyen-Tu - all of which have a vast amount of ultimate experience: coaching and playing. As well as individual feedback to the team playing-wise, they’ve really given an emphasis to us to enjoy ourselves and play for each other.

Rups

They also all work incredibly as a team, they each bring something unique to the coaching pod and bring out the best in each other, and us.

Last cycle we had the GB development program. Do you think it was a success, and do you wish you had it again this year?

Rups

That's a really interesting question actually, I’ve had a few questions from the seniors about this. The whole idea of the development cycle is fantastic, it's great to give so many people access to the high level GB coaching that is available. However, given the structure of this season it just wouldn’t have been feasible as there was Club Worlds, Club Euros, and then U24s was back round again. And while it does give access to high level coaching, the cost can add up so it's not always possible for players in our age brackets who are typically at university to afford to complete the whole cycle.

Amy

It’s difficult to know for sure the impact that it had however, having the development squad definitely meant the final squad for Perth had potentially less time to train and get as that exact squad before Worlds. Having said this, I’m not sure I personally would have even made the Perth squad without the training I got from the development squad.

Gabi

The importance of playing club ultimate is something we have tried to emphasize during this cycle too. For example, entering just one Tour event to make sure our players have the opportunity to play with their club.

A follow-up question then - do you think they should run the Development Program next cycle? 

Amy

I would be tempted to answer no to having another development squad. Although it was a really useful experience, having joined Bristol Women this year and seen the amazing things the club has done (both competitively and for development) by having a training squad of 40. I think “development” can come from different areas of ultimate, e.g. club level, and doesn’t need to impact the fairly short time that a GB squad has to play together.

Given that two of you came from junior Ultimate - and that Amy's old school just won silver in the Mixed World Schools Championship - it's clear we have a lot of potential in junior Women's Ultimate. Do you think that we are doing enough to develop that next generation? Are there any particular things you'd like to see?

Rups

This is a really tough question, I've been out of juniors for a little while now and Amy has been out for a couple of years. I feel the turnover from school to university could be high because some women may not want to play ultimate at university or, may not go to university at all so may fall out of the sport. There is definitely talent in the Junior division at the moment, for example the U20s gave Iceni a great game at Tour! But I think the problem lies with the communication of some of the opportunities beyond the GB Junior system (including U24s) as it's not always easy to associate club ultimate with juniors. Something needs to be put in place as a stepping stone into ultimate later on in the junior's playing career, something that means we don't lose players either at university level or, after university as some of those girls really are the future of ultimate.

Amy

My great experience of juniors is down to the coaches I had, so seeing more coaches possibly go into schools/offer development sessions for school kids could be good. Very generic advice though, and easier said than done I’m sure.

Gabi

I agree! So many of us as in school played, for example; football, it's such a common activity now. It would be incredible to make ultimate a more common sport for kids in schools! Make it a part of PE or an after school club. Kudos to all those teachers who are implementing this already!

Who are some role models that you either looked up to or still look up to, when you are wanting to push yourselves to that next level?

Rups

Chrissy Hunter is a massive role model for me, always has been and always will be. She is super athletic and showed me what it was to be an incredible athlete when I was younger, and she also does so much for the ultimate community and the next generation of ultimate.

Amy

For me I’ve had a fair few, Shino Marta Yoshen (an American Scandal player who did a masters at Bath last year) - as well as being incredible, she had such a good mindset when playing and was a great teammate. Also, I have to shout out to Bristol Women who just push me to want to be better at every training I go to.

Gabi

At the expense of sounding cheesy, my role models have always been my teammates. Whether a previous captain or a friend from a club, there’s always someone who I wanted to learn from and play like (or mark up against to get challenged and wrecked!). Shout out to Helena “Slatez” Slater and Basia Szymanska, who have shaped me as a player!

Whichever generation you're looking at, there's female talent at every level in GB
PC: GB U20 Women Facebook

What is going to help separate GB U24 Women from all the other teams at Worlds?

Amy

Our coach James’ beautiful feet

(Jokes)

(Kinda)

Good question though. Having a think.

Amy

Through this season we’ve had a lot of challenging games/situations already (having had sudden death games at all our tournaments) ,and I think this has really upped our mental toughness for going into a week long competition.

Rups

Another thing is that we know we have just got to focus on us, regardless of the situation, what is going on in the pool, or what our next cross is going to be. We are all about the team, and always putting ourselves first.

Gabi

I think it is also about expectation - a lot of the other teams are going in with the mentality that they have to win and that could be their trip-up. We are going in with the mindset that we are there to play our game, surprise ourselves, and focus on us, like Rups said.

Are there any teams you're particularly looking forward to playing?

Gabi

We are really looking forward to facing up against our European mates, like Ireland and a rematch against Italy!

Rups

Yep definitely the European team!! If seniors was anything to go by then the European scene is super exciting at the moment and there should be some close games across the board!

We’re going to finish with some quickfire teammate questions:

Who on your team do you think is going to be a breakout star this tournament?

Amy

This year, a fair few of our players are fairly unexposed to the GB/international circuit - which is why it’s so exciting - so we can’t pick one player who would be our “breakout” star. Watch the stream and decide for yourself!!

Which pair have the best on-field connection?

Rups

Si Ci Ong to Alana Archer is a pretty sweet pairing!

Which pair have the best off-field connection?

Amy

Ciara Moore and Ellie Payne - turn round for one second and they’ll be giggling about something

Who is the most spirited?

Gabi

Erina Brown - she's actually one of our spirit captains! #coincidence?

Who is the funniest?

Amy

Gabi.

Rups

Funniest ..... Amy for sure!

Gabi

Ghelani.

Who is going to make the best play for the highlight reel?

Amy

Ellie Payne or Alana Archer with a huge bid.

Who is the player who is going to hype you up in your toughest games?

Amy

Rups has such inspiring people they’ve been rumoured to make people cry.

Gabi

^ditto!

Who is the biggest coach's pet?

Gabi

Alana Archer, apparently she moved to London when she found out that's where they live...

Any final words or messages to the fans?

Gabi

Follow our Insta/Facebook!

Amy

And watch us on the live stream if we get streamed!

Good luck over in Germany GB! #oneGB

Catch the U24 teams in action on Fanseat or Ultiworld.

(Editor's note: There should be a post on this group for any updates on GB being livestreamed)