MARQUETTE, Mich. (WZMQ) – This weekend, Marquette was the host for The US National Guts Frisbee Tournament. 18 teams competed in Tourist Park for the 2023 Buck Buchanan Memorial Trophy.
Guts frisbee is a true Yooper sport. It started in Eagle Harbor, and Marquette has been hosting tournaments since the 1970s. The tournaments director, Kurt Lahtinen said this weekend was some of the best Guts Frisbee he’s seen played in decades.
Guts Frisbee is a sport played with two teams, five members each. The teams take turns throwing and catching frisbees. The receiving team lines up, finger tip to finger tip, with the objective of keeping the frisbee in the air until it can be caught using only one hand or foot at a time to keep the frisbee up.
The tournament began on Saturday, with a round robin style bracket. Sunday, the teams played though the losers bracket for a chance to face off against the Calumet Shottle Bop’s, who came out on top in the first bracket.
The Shottle Bop’s won its first US Nationals Frisbee Championship against the Marquette Wolf Pack, two games to three in the finals, and named Al Nettell as the Most Valuable Player of the tournament.
Next up on the Guts circuit is the US Guts Open in Lansing over Labor Day Weekend, with the winner getting the right to represent the United States at the 2024 World Ultimate and Guts Championships in Australia.
The Guts Frisbee circuit plays tournaments in Wisconsin, Houghton, Marquette, and Lansing. Marquette Hardwood Floors player Luke Lahtinen said each tournament is like a big reunion, seeing some of the same players and families every place they play.
The Marquette tournament is usually the largest of the year, the teams play all day play, from 10 until sundown. Luke Lahtinen said the sport used to be even more popular in the 80s, with closer to 70 teams in a tournament instead of this weekends 18. But, with more and more young people getting involved and growing the sports popularity, Lahtinen said he’s proud to be a part of the generation that brings Guts back.
You can see more photos and videos from the weekend on the USA Guts YouTube page: www.youtube.com/channel/UCkuNAxpfy7XQEMA2ddU88aQ
To keep up with The UP Guts Frisbee Teams you can check out The Marquette Guts Frisbee Association, or The US National Guts Frisbee Tournament‘s Facebook pages.
