PlayUltimate contributors -- Chris Vanni

Name: Chris Vanni
High School Team: Senior @ Lower Merion High School Babganouj (Ardmore, PA [outside Philly])
College: Going to attend Queen’s University (Kingston, Ontario)
Currently Living in: Still Bala-Cynwyd (outside Philly)
Years Playing: 2
First Heard of Ultimate: 9th grade (for real)
Ultimate Accomplishments: Created real team at LM, which has already met with some success. Hoping to make this spring one full of accomplishments
Favorite Tournament: Definitely Kitkat last fall… but that’s because it’s one of only two we’ve been in. Hoping for many more tourneys this spring.
Accomplishments in Regards to Journalism: Sports statistician for our paper, the Merionite (only way to get Ultimate in the paper)… and Voice of the Aces, and videographer for our school’s sports teams (many appear on LMSDtv, our local cable access channel). Also participated in KYW's Newstudies program, and will have a news piece aired on Philly's news radio station, KYW (about Ultimate, no less!) in April.
Mentors/Role Models: Mark Rosser, Paul & Christina Minecci.

I think the first time the sport of “Ultimate” entered my consciousness was in elementary school, when I was a cub scout, we played outside on the lawn once. It stayed in the back of my consciousness until freshman year, at Harriton high school, when a group of us would skip out on school functions like assemblies and play a little on the back fields with some student teacher. Upon transferring to LM, someone started an intramural league that was… at least close to Ultimate 5-on-5, no boundaries, no subs… very different, but the seed was there… Ultimate was really appealing to me. Junior year, someone handed me contact info for Mark Rosser (organizer of PHUEL), and I zipped off an e-mail, attended a captain’s meeting, assembled a team, and boom, we were off. LM started off last year with 2 wins, 13-0 and 15-1, and we thought we were hot stuff. This fall we’ve begun to mature quite a bit (a 15-3 loss does that to you). Now I’m hoping to lead LM to success this spring, play for Philly’s YCC team, have successful spring and summer PADA seasons, and go on to a successful college career at Queen’s... and beyond.

My love of the game has led me to join on this site, and do crazy things like organize the PHUEL standings (CB East currently leads, at 3-0). Did you know PHUEL standings are done to encourage games played? 3 points for a win, 1 point for a loss. Fun stuff.