SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine — Eighty-four teams will participate in the Lobster Pot Ultimate College Tournament in South Portland this weekend. Organizers say it might be the biggest college Ultimate tournament in the country.
The teams will compete in six divisions, including three college men's divisions, two college women's divisions, and a mixed division.
The tournament began six years ago, and this will be the biggest event to date.
Organizers told NEWS CENTER Maine they had to turn some teams away due to lack of field space.
Tournament director Syrus Fenderson said the Ultimate community in Maine has grown significantly throughout the years, and he thinks he knows why.
"A big part of it for me is the self referee nature. There is no referees; you make your own calls. There's something called 'spirit of the game' in Ultimate, which is basically a code of conduct that lets players find out what exactly happened," Fenderson explained. "If there was a rules infraction, they make their own calls, and that really drew me coming from other sports and knowing that I can have agency over what I want to do in the sport."
The tournament is happening at the Wainwright Fields in South Portland this Saturday and Sunday. Organizers encourage people to attend. There will also be food trucks, a merchandise tent, and more.
Board member Steve Stracqualursi said the tournament and the sport have grown in Maine, and he expects that to continue.
"It may still be something that looks like an alternative sport, but I think we are on the heels of being an Olympic exhibition sport," he said. "I think this sport attracts some really interesting bands of individuals. Self-officiating is a responsibility that falls upon you; working through differences falls upon you; hard work often is all around you."
Click here for more information about the tournament.
Click here for Lobster Pot merchandise.