‘Frisbee Champ’ & Multi-Talented Bengalurean Lass Stania Peris Promoting ‘Frisbee’ among Masses
- ‘Frisbee Champ’ & Multi-Talented Bengalurean Lass Stania Deborah Peris is trying her best to promote the Fun Sport of Frisbee and want to take it to Higher Level, and she believes in getting people to engage in Frisbee – a sport that promises more than just fun! She has roots in Mangaluru, since her mother hails from here, and has many relatives living in Mangaluru.
Mangaluru: Frisbee was one of my fun sport back in US, while I used to play with my friends during the weekend in the open park or by the riverside- and it’s an incredibly sociable and an exciting, fast-paced game! About the game, Ultimate Frisbee (sometimes just called “ultimate”) is a non-contact sport, with several players on each side. It is played on a football-sized pitch with an end zone at each end. It is often described as a combination of netball – because you cannot run with the Frisbee (or disc), and American football – because you score a point for catching the disc in the end zone.
Yes, it is indeed an exciting, fast-paced game. As soon as you catch the disc, you must stop running, and pass it to a teammate. You have to avoid players on the opposing team, who are constantly trying to block your passes. Teams are allowed to substitute players between points, which means players give 100% on each point. I was quickly hooked to this sport, when I started playing it in Chicago, USA in 2010. I found throwing a disc more fun than shooting a netball or kicking a football. There is no feeling that compares to chasing down a long pass, running as fast as you can, diving (or laying out) and catching it on the tip of your fingers. The game is exhilarating, and you run through exhaustion. Then you rest for a minute or two and do it all over again.
I have happily committed a large amount of time to it for more than half of my life. It’s incredibly active. A game full of throwing, running, jumping and diving. Whenever I played, I felt like I’ve had a fantastic workout. But it’s a mental workout as well. Tactics are very important; in between points, you have to read what the other team is doing – and how hard the wind is blowing – to decide on the best attack or defense setup. It’s also so easy to get started. All you need is a disc and a place to play. Depending on whether the goal is to play for fun or more competitively, players can participate at a range of levels, from casually with friends, to professionals in that sport.
It’s nice to note that an American and European sport has invaded India since Frisbee is not native to India. It does not engender the obsession of cricket or beckon the roaring fans of soccer. It is not steeped in the culture like kabaddi or popularized in social clubs like squash. But the ubiquitous disc of childhood has been making waves in India in the sport of Ultimate. With at least 50 plus teams nationwide, India is following in the footsteps of the United States, Europe and Japan in taking the disc past picnics and college to clubs. And for that matter, we have this pretty Bengalurean Lass Stania Deborah Peris, aged 22, doing her 3rd Semester, in M.Tech, Department of Chemical Engineering, RV College of Engineering, Bengaluru is promoting the fun sport of Frisbee and is even part of a local team.
We’ve all heard of people taking to yoga, dancing and strenuous workout sessions to blow off some steam. But Stania believes in getting people to engage in Frisbee – a sport that promises more than just fun! As part of a TIKS, a city-based Frisbee team for adults that holds tournaments for free, Stania wishes to egg people to take up to the fun activity rather seriously. Stania has participated in four nation-wide Frisbee championships like AUO 16 (Ahmedabad Ultimate Open), Sakkath tournament in Bengaluru, BUO’16 (Bangalore Ultimate Open) and Chennai Heat ‘16, and recently she was part of the Indian Ultimate Frisbee U24 Team that participated in the World U24 Ultimate Championships held at Perth, Australia in January 2018.
And speaking about her experience at World U24 Championship in Australia, She shared saying, “Being a part of a team full of the best U24 talent in the country, it was a great opportunity that I got to play against the best from other countries. Participating in that kind of level of competition, it was indeed a great learning experience and at the same time, a very proud moment to be representing India at the highest level,”. While regular college, tournaments and other interests keep her on her toes, this enterprising lass also has an eye for social causes. Speaking to Team Mangalorean, She said, “Though dance and sports take most of my free time, I care deeply for animal-related causes and am part of FTMA, a Bengaluru-based group that aids in feeding the mute animals.”
Narrating about her interest in the Sport of Frisbee, She said, “Sports was a priority during my growing up years, all thanks to my athletic parents. I’ve always been outdoors. I mainly played throw ball and handball apart from field athletic, and I’m even a part of the college throw-ball and handball teams. But it was purely on the insistence of a senior that I gave Frisbee sport a try couple of years ago and I’ve been hooked ever since. One session and I could literally feel the endorphins pumping,”
While she was hooked to the game right from day one, it was only team effort which helped. “This game gives a lot of importance to the spirit of the game, which is one of the main reasons I want more people, to try it out. It fosters feelings of unity and teaches teamwork. I think that’s a lesson all of us need to learn time and again— given how intolerant and one-dimensional we’ve all become. I only wish more people to take up to the sport because both girls and boys play an equally important role. It’s also an exercise which teaches you to be affable. So, I see myself increasing more awareness about the sport. Few years down the line, I wish to play for the Indian team.” added Stania Peris.
Daughter of Stanly George Peris, an automobile Engineer who is employed in Gulf, and Diana Peris, a homemaker, living in Sangameshwar Pet-Chickmagaluru, Stania did her 10th at JVEMS-Chikmagaluru; PUC at Mahesh PU College-Mangaluru, BE in Chemical Engineering at BMS College of Engineering, Bengaluru- and currently pursuing her 3rd Semester, in M.Tech, Department of Chemical Engineering, RV College of Engineering, Bengaluru. Her younger sister, Stanica Devina after B Com, is doing her internship at Nitte Institute, Mangaluru.
Added to her credits of achievements, Stania had received the Young Achiever Award in the field of sports at the Karnataka Women Achievers Awards 2018; Received the ‘Multi-Talented Student’ award at the ‘VJ International Awards’ in 2016; was part of the University Handball Team and participated in the ‘All India South Zone Handball Tournament’ in 2014; Captained the BMSCE Handball team that won gold in the Bangalore zones VTU handball tournament in the year 2015-16 and 2016 and silver in the VTU inter-zones (State level) handball tournament during the same years; Was a part of the team that won gold in the 6 on 6 Ultimate Frisbee tournament (All India level) at Goa, March 2018.
Stania was part of the team that participated in several All India Level Ultimate Frisbee tournaments at Ahmadabad, Bangalore, Mysore, Mumbai, Surat and Chennai; Being a Field athlete has represented the District and State at various State and National level Athletics Meets between 2005-2011; Was a part of the team that won the Bangalore zones Dasara tournament; Was a part of the team that won the RGKA Handball tournament – Bangalore Zones Won the ‘Junior Scientist of Chickmagalur District’ award for the project “Role of Stevia in Human Life” in 2008 ; Won Silver at the Indo- Maldives friendly handball tournament; Runners-up at the VTU Throw ball Bangalore zones tournament,2015-16.
Stania was also the recipient of Lecturer’s excellence award at Mahesh PU College, Mangaluru in the year 2012-13; Awarded the “Best Outgoing Sports Person” at BMSCE in the year 2016-17; Awarded the “Outstanding Sports Person of the Year” at RVCE‟ 2017-18; Trained Dancer (Bharathnatyam, Indian Contemporary and various folk forms); Part of Paramvah, BMSCE Eastern Dance Team that won many dance competitions at state and national levels; Sports Secretary and Dance team Coordinator of BMSCE and have been an integral part of organizing KREEDOTSAV (state level inter-college sports fest) and UTSAV (National level techno-cultural fest); and has presented technical papers at several national level symposiums.
But even though Stania is stepping out of the spotlight, she hopes more girls and women will join her on the field, and also more people will take up the sport of Frisbee. If you want to become a pro-female ultimate Frisbee player, you might have to create your own path for doing so. That’s what Stania Deborah Peris has found, and now she wants to promote the sport among other masses and make Frisbee popular in Bengaluru, and you may never know, Frisbee could be popular in Mangaluru too.
At this young age, Stania stands out for the rate at which she plays, having a diverse skill set, and with that explosiveness, speed and fearlessness are what Stania stands top in this sport of Frisbee. And she does it all for the love of the sport. It’ll be worth it if she gets to be the best player she can be, and that means helping other women also have the chance to be the best players they can be too. Her intention is to train and engage other men and women in this game and make it a popular sport. “The game, at large, is beautiful, When it all comes together, there’s nothing like it. You can’t score alone. You have to function as a unit.” adds Stania.
Finally, a message from Stania Peris to Mangalorean.com readers, “I think it’s important to believe in yourself, push yourself and keep yourself very busy! I knew managing college and a sport wouldn’t be easy, and I really stressed out at the beginning. What’s interesting to note is that a lot of training institutes in the Bengaluru are open to offering unwavering support to students. Even the training camps are designed as such that we train for long hours on the weekends, during college holidays and national holidays. So it has never come in the way of academics. I think it’s important to play a sport. It equips you to face challenges more sportingly and helps you get fitter physically and mentally. Sports have made me smarter. The reason a lot of us have become vulnerable and are suffering from lifestyle illnesses is that we don’t believe in exercising our body. Make playing a sport a priority and feel the difference!”
Team Mangalorean wishes Stania all success in her efforts in promoting Frisbee among the masses, and also wish her best of luck in the future Frisbee Championships she takes part. Mangaloreans are proud of YOU since you are a DAUGHTER of Mangalorean MOTHER? Keep up the Sportsmanship Spirit that you are entrusted with, and may God bless you. You Go Girl!