When boys’ ultimate captain senior Jacob Raatz thought about what he wanted to do with his senior year, playing ultimate, the sport he loves, was an easy decision.

“I have been playing ultimate for three years before this, and usually it has been confined to the spring. It’s a big part of what I do. It’s one of my favorite things to do, so I just wanted to be able to continue that during the whole year,” Raatz said.

Raatz said the fall league provides ultimate players, and anyone else interested, a way to practice their sport during the offseason.

“The fall league is basically an ultimate league in which any high schooler from the state of Minnesota can play,” Raatz said. “It’s just an opportunity to get people out and continuing the sport throughout the fall season, so it isn’t only in the spring.”

Senior captain Anna Gleason said she joined the fall league because of her love of the sport and her desire to improve her skills.

“I really like ultimate, and I thought it would be a great way to keep playing throughout the year, and get better,” Gleason said.

Raatz said he feels the fall league will help ultimate players gain abilities and retain them for the upcoming season.

“It gives kids who play ultimate an opportunity to do something in the fall without having to find another sport. It also gives an opportunity to improve upon what they’ve already learned in the regular season,” Raatz said.

Spring girls’ ultimate coach Seija Stratton said the fall league will benefit players’ abilities in the spring.

“I definitely think maintaining skills throughout the year, continuing to work on throws and keeping active are great things,” Stratton said. “Overall just speed and acceleration is something that should be maintained throughout the year, and I think the fall league gives the students a way to accomplish that.”

Gleason said she feels the fall league will help the spring teams bond.

“I think since we made a team of all St. Louis Park kids, it will be great to keep playing with each other throughout the whole school year, and getting to know each other,” Gleason said. “Playing together makes you a better team.”

Gleason said she looks forward to the fall league, because it allows her to play ultimate for a larger portion of the year.

“I’m just excited to keep playing ultimate because there usually aren’t opportunities to get to do that in the fall,” Gleason said.

Raatz said the fall league allows new players to try out ultimate in a relaxed atmosphere.

“It’s an opportunity to test out the sport and see if you want to continue it in the spring,” Raatz said. “The fall league is very cheap, and it’s a shorter season, so you can see what it’s like without having to join the school league.”

The league meets on Saturdays at 10 a.m. at the Minnehaha Recreation Center.