Frisbee Fever in SCDF

Frisbee, a sport that embodies precision, athleticism, and teamwork has gained popularity quickly within SCDF. After a two-year hiatus from the pandemic, Frisbee fever is spreading once again in the Sports & Recreation Guild of Home Team (SPRIGHT).

Sergeant (SGT3) Hatadi Faiz (left) and Lieutenant (LTA) Chia Jingyi (right) at the inaugural SCDF Inter-unit Frisbee Tournament in February 2023. PHOTO: SCDF

Rescue995 spoke to two SCDF officers who have not only embraced Frisbee but have poured their heart and soul into its development and growth in SCDF. Meet the convenors, Lieutenant (LTA) Chia Jingyi, a Personnel Officer at 4^th SCDF Division, and Sergeant (SGT3) Hatadi Faiz, an EMT-biker at Bishan Fire Station, as they shared the origins of SCDF’s Frisbee club.

Rescue995: How did you start playing Frisbee? What inspired you to build the SCDF Frisbee club from the ground up?

SGT3 Hatadi: I started playing Frisbee in 2010, when I was studying at Nanyang Polytechnic. That year, I also joined the National Youth Programme, representing Singapore in the Malaysia Open Frisbee tournament. Being my first overseas tournament, it was an eye-opener! This experience gave me greater confidence to play Frisbee at higher levels. As the Frisbee community in Singapore is not very big, LTA Jingyi and I recognised each other when we became colleagues in SCDF. In 2019, we mooted the idea of introducing a Frisbee club in SCDF as part of SPRIGHT, formerly known as the Home Team Sports and Recreation Association (HTSRA). Fast forward a few years, we are now busy spreading the love of the sport among our SCDF colleagues, teaching them about the finer details of the sport and having fun together. It sure has been a fulfilling journey for us!

LTA Jingyi: I started playing Frisbee in 2011, when I was at Ngee Ann Polytechnic. It was really a chance encounter at the Frisbee extra-curriculum booth. As I watched my seniors play the sport, my interest grew and I became hooked on it. Over time, my curiosity developed into an enduring passion for the sport. What I like most about Frisbee is the camaraderie among our teammates, where we look after everyone like a family. I was proud and honoured to represent Singapore in the World U24 Ultimate Championships 2018 in Perth, Western Australia. We finished in fifth place, which was a strong showing for first-timers.

SGT3 Hatadi: LTA Jingyi and I were once competitors in our school days, playing against each other on the field. It never occurred to us that one day, we would be developing the SCDF Frisbee club together!

Rescue995: What is Frisbee unique for?

SGT3 Hatadi: Frisbee is unique for being a self-refereed sport. Players emphasise on the ‘spirit of the game’, where everyone is expected to observe fair play and abide by the rules. Players who resort to taunting, aggressive play, or flagrant fouls will be called out by other players. Frisbee is also a mixed-gender sport. For competitive games, a team of seven players would consist of either four ladies and three men, or four men and three ladies. On a non-competitive level, we would expect to have a similarly balanced gender ratio among the ten players.

Rescue995: For those unfamiliar with Frisbee, can you explain the basic rules and objectives of the game?

LTA Jingyi: The main objective of Frisbee is to chalk up points by scoring goals. The field we are playing on is about half the size of a football field. When a player receives the Frisbee disc, he or she must stop immediately and throw the Frisbee to another teammate. If you are running quickly and unable to stop in time, you must still turn over the Frisbee within three steps. A goal is scored when the Frisbee is successfully advanced to a teammate in the attacking team’s end zone. Teams earn a point for every goal scored. The first team to reach 7 points wins the game. Otherwise, the team with more points by the end of regulation time (15 minutes), will be the winner.

Rescue995: What differentiates Frisbee from other sports in terms of skills, strategy, and physical demands?

SGT3 Hatadi: One thing is for certain, there is a lot of running in Frisbee! There is also a strategic element involved, as teams use various tactical formations to counter their opponents. Speed and agility are important for players who wish to compete at higher levels. For instance, Japan has been one of the top teams in the World Flying Disc Federation (WFDF) World Ultimate Championships. Although the team is not exceptionally tall, they make up for it with exceptional speed and agility.

LTA Jingyi: You do not have to be the most gifted athlete on the field! Precision and game IQ are crucial acumens that good players must have. If you have a good awareness of where your teammates are and are capable of reaching them with a precise long throw beyond your opponents’ reach, you will be an excellent fit on any team!

In the fast-paced sport of Frisbee, players advance the disc by passing it to a teammate in the end zone to score goals. PHOTO: SPRIGHT

Rescue995: How often does your team train, and what does a typical training session entail?

LTA Jingyi: We will start training fortnightly when competitions are coming up. We warm up with simple throws before progressing to specific drills and then play some matches to ready ourselves to the tempo of matches.

SGT3 Hatadi: During the training, we drill our team on the two basic throws, namely the forehand throw and the backhand throw. Once you can perform these throws proficiently, you are ready to play Frisbee.

Rescue995: How do you balance the Frisbee training with your work and life commitments?

SGT3 Hatadi: Despite their different work schedules, many of our teammates make the effort to attend training. Knowing that some of our colleagues may come after their shift duty, we keep our training sessions compact. Within a two-hour session, we aim to hone the skills of our teammates and build team chemistry.

Rescue995: What tournaments has the club participated in so far and are there any standout moments that you feel particularly proud of?

LTA Jingyi: Excluding the two-year hiatus due to COVID-19, our club has been actively participating in tournaments for the past year. We had our first SCDF Inter-unit competition in February 2023.

The SCDF Inter-unit Games 2022/2023 in February 2023. PHOTO: SCDF

SGT3 Hatadi: We also participated in two other tournaments organised by SPRIGHT. We finished third and fourth place in the Public Service Beach Tournament (June 2023). In the recent Public Service Mixed Frisbee Tournament (September 2023), we obtained the second and fourth place. We will be participating in the Home Team games in February 2024.

SGT3 Hatadi (back row, 3^rd from left) with the SCDF Frisbee Teams at the Public Service Mixed Beach Frisbee Tournament in June 2023. PHOTO: SPRIGHT

The SCDF Frisbee Teams at the Public Service Mixed Frisbee Tournament in September 2023. PHOTO: SPRIGHT

Rescue995: We certainly wish you the best of luck for the next tournament! One last question, how has playing Frisbee taught you about life and work in general?

SGT3 Hatadi: Communication and teamwork is vital if your team wants to win. It is not very different from the dynamic and sometimes complex nature of emergency services, where communication and teamwork is critical for mission success.

LTA Jingyi: Playing in a mixed sport enables me to communicate and work well with the opposite gender. When I was first posted to the fire station as a Rota Commander, most of the officers in my Rota were men. With my team experiences in Frisbee, I immediately made it my top priority to communicate well and build rapport with my Rota. To me, Frisbee is more than a team sport, it is a family where we look out for one another while we uphold the integrity of the game.

Whenever I play Frisbee, I trust that my team members are looking out for me. For instance, if I performed a poor throw, I trust that my teammates will be there to back me up and catch the disc regardless. Likewise, when responding to a fire and rescue incident, everyone in the Rota watches out for each other during the incident, so that we can all stay safe while accomplishing our mission.

The 1^st SCDF Division team emerged as champions at the SCDF Inter-unit Frisbee Games 2023/2024 in October 2023. PHOTO: SCDF