This past weekend we traveled to Sylvania, Ohio to compete in Motown Throwdown.  We were seeded first in a pool with two other teams, Matador and Illusion.  In the first game of the day we came out strong against Illusion, securing a relatively easy 13-5 victory.  Next up was Matador, the second seed in the pool. Through torrential downpours and several rain delays we dominated with an unshakable offense and a defense whose intensity could not be matched.  After defeating Matador 13-2, we faced Midnight Meat Train in the crossovergame that would determine whether or not the team would reach the championship bracket.  The rain continued through the game, and although we let up several breaks late in the game, we held on to win 13-10.

                Our first game of Sunday was against Jurassic Shark in pre-quarters.  We definitely lacked a certain spark that had been evident in the team throughout their Saturday games, and after a marathon point, Jurassic Shark took half 7-5.  Looking deflated in the second half, Jurassic Shark ran over us to finish the game 13-6.  After being eliminated from championship contention, we moved into the 9^th place round robin bracket, meaning that the team would face three more teams throughout the day.  First up was a rematch against Matador, but the game on Sunday looked much different than Saturday’s rout.  Matador’s zone frustrated our offense into taking risky throws and turning the disc over carelessly, while our defense struggled to consistently get breaks like they had the day before.  The game ended 12-9 in our favor.  With two more games to play, we looked very tired.  During the next game against Spoiler, we fell behind early, but after a speech by coach Nick Kaczmarek about the importance of breaking the opponent’s will, Impulse blew Spoiler out of the water in the second half, and took the win 13-10.  In the last game of the day, we faced off against Cincinnati Hustle to secure a 9^th place finish.  Still riding the energy from the surge against Spoiler, we jumped out early and secured break after break to defeat Hustle 13-6.

                In two weeks, we will head to Blaine, Minnesota for Youth Club Championships, the premier event of the season.  The next two weeks will consist of preparing mentally and physically to take on the best youth teams in the pursuit of our first ever national championship.

Player profile - Max Sheppard

Max Sheppard is one of the most explosive youth ultimate players in the country. With an arsenal of throws and jaw-dropping athleticism, Shep is sure to make a large impact at YCCs as one of Impulse's newly elected captains.

High School - Fox Chapel

Position - Combo

College - Edinboro University


How did you get into ultimate?
-I got into ultimate when I was about 5 or 6, and that just consisted of going to weekly pick-ups with friends and having fun.

What aspect of your game are you going to focus on this season?
-This season I am going to be focusing on becoming an all-around better player, which consists of all aspects of the game. 

Team you’d most like to beat at YCC
-Seattle is the team I'd like the beat the most, because they have always beaten us and also because they are a very talented and competitive team. 

Who do you think are the top teams to watch at youth nationals this year?
-The top teams to watch at YCC's this year would most likely be Seattle, Minnesota, Boston, and Delaware valley. 

Pittsburgh Impulse has never won YCC, what will Impulse need to do to take gold for the first time?
-In order for Impulse to take gold for the first time, the team needs to be very physically in shape and be mentally prepared for every game during the tournament. 

Future ultimate plans?
-My future ultimate plans are playing for Oakland during the club season and attending Edinboro university in the fall.

Favorite place at the mall of America?
-Hooters

Player profile - Scott "Trucks" Trimble

For the rest of the season, the Impulse blog will be interviewing various members of the team, starting with a third-year veteran, Scott Trimble.

High school – Hampton

Position? – Combo

How did you get into ultimate? 
- A few of my friends talked about it my freshman year, and after I finished playing football in the fall I started playing ultimate and haven't stopped since.

What aspect of your game are you going to focus on this season? 
- Defense, this is my first year on the D line after spending my first two years on the O line.  I really want to step up and get the D’s that the team needs for us to be successful.

Team you’d most like to beat at YCC? 
– Cincinnati Flying Pig.  The past two years we have lost to them on day one of YCCs, and I would really like to bring it to them this year.

Who do you think are the top teams to watch at youth nationals this year? 
- Obviously Minnesota, because they finished first last year they should still be a great team. Not too sure about Seattle or Boston, but they always have strong showings.

Pittsburgh Impulse has never won YCC, what will Impulse need to do to take gold for the first time? 
- Chemistry is going to have to play a huge role this year, but I think our physical abilities will also make a huge impact after all the workouts we are doing this summer.

Future ultimate plans? 
- Playing for Oakland will be a great experience during and after summer. This year will be my first in the club series. College is not going to be that great; I won't be attending a college with a team, but instead will be focusing my efforts into transferring to Pitt.

Favorite place at the mall of America? 
– Hooters.

The Beginning: Setting Goals.

With the Impulse season starting up, the team sat down to set some season goals. These goals were something we could work towards throughout the summer, giving us a reason to suffer through all of the pre-practice Tabatas and track workouts. To reach our Outcome Goal of becoming national champions, we set a few process goals to help us along the way. First off, we want be the best conditioned team in the country.  To get there, we decided to have two track workouts a week, along with pre-practice Tabata workouts on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Our next process goal is to be focused. Being focused was a problem from last year’s Impulse team, so this year we will adjust and improve. Focus will allow us to get more out of every practice, scrimmage, and tournament allowing us to reach our potential. Our last process goal is respect. Respect for our ourselves, our teammates, and our opponents. Respecting our teammates and ourselves is a key element for any team; without chemistry between players, we can never play at our full potential. Respecting our opponents not only puts the notorious Pittsburgh Ultimate under a better light, but it also allows us to understand the opposing teams. Understanding teams is by far the best way to counter their strategies, and take home the national title.
These process goals are what the 2013 Impulse squad will be working for all season long. Conditioning, focus, and respect will lead us to where no other Pittsburgh YCCs team has been before: to a national championship title.