VUL Spirit Circle: Alex Tse

On the last Saturday of each month we feature a VUL community member who is contributing to ultimate, spirit of the game on and off the field in amazing ways.

Alex Tse

Alex has been involved in ultimate for over 19 years. Alex was nominated for the VUL Spirit Circle because of her commitment to spirit of the game. In the nomination received, we were told that Alex was one of the pivotal players that fostered the team culture of the league team Dim Sum Warriors that has won several of the "Team Spirit Award" dating as far back as 2013. 

You will want to read about what brought Alex to the sport of ultimate, why she loves chasing plastic and how she hopes to see ultimate continue to empower others. 

How many years have you been involved with ultimate?

19+

What teams do you currently play on?

Tsunami

What teams did you play on in the past?

Huck it Off, Disconuts, Butterfingers, Too Full To Run, Dim Sum Warriors, Full Metal Ultimast, Pacman and Naughty Neighbours

Do you have an ultimate related story we can share?

I always say I joined ultimate because it was the only sport that would take me. That was nearly 20 years ago. Back then, the sport was still growing, so they were desperate for female players. This was to my benefit because I had zero athletic background. In fact, I used to be the girl that hid at the back during P.E., or pretended to forget my gym clothes so I wouldn’t have to participate. But ultimate was willing to take and support me, so frisbee became my gateway drug to sport and fitness. 

I am happy to see how the sport has grown over the past two decades. But as the skill level keeps rising, I hope that we will always be welcoming enough to take in and support new players the way that I needed it before.

What do you love about the VUL?

I don’t know any other organization - recreational or otherwise - working this hard to be gender inclusive and to instill spirit into the game. It makes me so proud to be a member. It’s never going to be perfect, and what happens in policy does not always translate to the field, but what matters is our intention and effort. I commend our leadership for their unfaltering vision, courage, and innovation and I hope other organizations will take notice.

If you're not playing ultimate, what do you do?

I’m a singer-songwriter! I started releasing music on Spotify and Youtube during the pandemic under Alex See. This year I’m streaming on twitch, working on an album, and shooting music videos. With any luck, my debut album will be out in 1-2 years. I would really appreciate everyone’s support! @alexseemusic

What are your thoughts on the future of ultimate?

Just this month, I walked past a field where a high school P.E. class was playing ultimate. The boys were running around and chasing the disc and a group of girls were standing in the middle, shuffling slightly here and there, watching the boys. 

I saw my former self in those young girls. We still have a long ways to go in terms of gender equity. We need to assess our progress and keeping moving forward so that young people of every gender can benefit from sport. We have to keep striving for gender equity so that everyone feels valued and supported and empowered to participate.

What do you love about your team?

I recently started subbing for Tsunami and I remember a play where I dropped the disc. The sideline immediately exploded into a chorus of “IT’S OKAY!! NICE TRY!!!” The usual weight of disappointment was drowned out by my teammates’ voices and I had no problem getting back into the game. 

Oftentimes, we think of players as individuals with their own skill levels, the environment in which you play also has the ability to lift you up or drag you down. The support from Tsunami helped me to be more confident, and I became a better player as a result. 

My hope is that ultimate will always be this place where everyone feels safe and supported both to succeed and to fail, because that’s how we’re going to get the best out of every player.

Do you know someone we should highlight with our Community Spotlights? Tell us about them! Please send a message via our contact us page under the Community & Communications category. 

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