Playing in the Eurostars Tour
Upwind Ultimate recently sent a brief survey to club women's teams to gauge feelings regarding participation in the Eurostars Tour, which is now sponsored by the AUDL through 2020. There were mixed emotions as both teams and players attempted to reconcile boycotting the AUDL while supporting the women's showcase tour. Below are the reactions provided by Heist players to the survey. Check out Upwind Ultimate's post for the full list of reactions.
“I am playing because it’s an awesome opportunity to play high level ultimate against people I’ve never seen/met before. I also got to host some players, which was AWESOME. Talking with players from different countries gave me a better sense of camaraderie with international players and a greater connection the women’s ultimate movement.”
“I am playing because it is a great opportunity for visibility in the Midwest.”
“I have a bit of social capital in my community, especially re: equity issues. To me, my participation is a means through which to learn/reflect and to provide commentary to move us forward. I don’t participate in AUDL events where women will not play. To me, these two things, juxtaposed, communicate that: 1. Representation of talented women at the professional level is an endeavor worth my/our time and sweat. 2. I prioritize equity/opportunity above outcome, and that it is both economically and ethically important to define “success” as such. 3. I am not satisfied with the current AUDL model.
These are based on the premise that people (all ages/genders) are ALWAYS watching, even if implicitly. By participating, I can comment on the opportunity, what it feels like to have a privilege, and subtleties regarding the event (for example: who stayed to listen to the spirit circle? who sold our tickets? What do logistics/resources look like when the AUDL sponsors and event compared to when they don’t?). I can also contribute to a high level of play to show folks watching how bad-ass my teammates and I are. If I didn’t play, I would not be able to use this platform in the same way.”