As a sport, Ultimate Frisbee is taking the world by storm. A Frisbee, a few pals, and some open space are all needed to play this sport, which is entertaining and easy to pick up and play. The fact that Ultimate has made it to Malaysia is evidence of Ultimate’s expanding global popularity.
The Beginning of Ultimate Frisbee in Malaysia
Ultimate “has taken root among the younger population in schools, colleges, and universities in Malaysia,” according to the Star Online article ‘The Flying Disc Is Rising Even Higher’. The Malaysian Flying Disc Association (MFDA) was created because of the sport’s growing popularity. The Malaysian Ultimate Football Association (MFDA) promotes Ultimate in Malaysia by organising tournaments and assisting teams in gaining international experience. To put it another way, Ultimate is like basketball or football. The World Flying Disk Federation (WFDF) is the international governing body for this sport. The MFDA became a member of the WFDF in 2015.
Malaysia National Team in Frisbee?
For the first time ever, Malaysia competed in an international Frisbee event thanks to the MFDA’s membership in WFDF. In June 2017, the World Championships of Beach Ultimate were held in Royan, France, according to CILISOS. The tournament was a watershed moment for Malaysian Ultimate. It demonstrated that the country had a national squad making strides and advancement. Initially played by instructors from the International School Kuala Lumpur, this sport had grown into a national obsession. It was further evidence of the country’s affinity for it.
How is Ultimate Frisbee Nurtured Back home?
The Malaysia Ultimate Open, organised by Ultimate pioneers Safwan Mohd and Kuan Cheong, was instrumental. First held in 2007, it has since become a significant competition. With almost 600 members, the MFDA now has 46 registered teams. Not to mention the more than 2,000 Malaysians that play the game for fun. In addition, you can get ultimate discs locally here in Malaysia as there are manufacturer here. As a result, the sport became more affordable for the typical Malaysian, who no longer needed to spend a fortune on a Frisbee to participate.
Huge Following on Ultimate Frisbee?
It’s hardly surprising that Malaysia has a large following for Ultimate because it has traditionally been a fan of Western sports. Malaysia’s colonial history may have something to do with it, as Portugal and Great Britain ruled this beautiful country. As a result, parts of Western culture slowly leaves its’ influence to the Malay people.
The influence from Western sports is clear even in the sports that Malaysians today participate in. It’s no surprise that ExpatBets lists Malaysia as one of the top Asian gaming hubs, where many locals show their allegiance to Western-style sports teams. Malay Mail identifies badminton and football as two of Malaysia’s most popular sports.
These two bands, like Ultimate, have their roots in the West yet have grown to be huge in Malaysia. The popularity of Western sports like lacrosse and inline hockey in this Southeast Asian nation shows how open the country has been to importing athletes from other countries’ sports cultures.
The sport of Ultimate had grown tremendously since Ed Headrick invented the first mechanical flying disc in 1966 to 1968. I that this surge in popularity will continue and grow.
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