The Great Alaska Jamboree

This tournament is in Anchorage, usually the last weekend in June. Fairbanks is always good for at least two team entries traveling to the JAM. If you would like to play (and we know you would) the best thing to do is to show up to Tuesday pick-up or join the Thursday Fairbanks league, so you begin to get in the know. Walking around telling people "hey I want to play in the JAM, who else is going" would be a good way to start a conversation with other players. Team Captains change from year to year, so consider taking the initiative and be a team Captain, or at least volunteer some of your time to help put the team together, and work out the logistics. Don't be left out, make your voice heard, and don't be affraid to get the ball rolling. This tournament is in Anchorage and happens around the end of June. In the past couple of years Fairbanks has sent at least one team, and will likely send a couple of teams this year. If you would like the chance to join one, the best thing to do is show up to pickup Tuesday nights and make it known that you would like to play. A beanie with a flashing neon sign saying "would like to play for Fairbanks at the Jam" would at least make people talk about you. Sometimes this is enough, though, unfortunately, not everyone is guaranteed a spot on a team.

Daze of Disc

This is Alaska's oldest tournament and is Anchorage's annual hat tournament. This tournament usually takes place the last weekend in July or the first weekend in August. Because it's a hat tournament your don't need to coordinate your efforts with others to play, but it is nice to have as big of a Fairbanks contingent going and to car pool as much as possible. Ya know save the world, and stuff. Just make sure you have a designated driver as the long drive is part of the party. Don't forget to stop and throw the disc at some of the many beautiful pullouts on the way to Anchorage. Make sure it's already a dirt disc, or it will become one.

More information on Anchorage's Tournaments can be found at: www.anchorageultimate.org

Bear Valley Tournament

That's right, Anchorage has yet another hat tournament that pops up mostly every year. This is more of a fun, Spirit tournament, and usually takes place in late August or early September. Information on this can be hard to find, as it also relies on word of mouth. Either you should join the Anchorage Yahoo Groups list, or pester someone who is on it for information around the above time frame. Not to be missed, as Spirit Tournaments are where Fairbanks really shines.

The Talkeetna Homecoming

The Talkeetna tournament, a very informal hat tournament held sometime in September, often seems to be cloaked in secrecy due to it's word-of-mouth method of promotion. This is too bad, because the tournament is really a good time, with the actual games almost being a sidebar to the socializing and enjoyment of the good hospitality. Once again, if you would like to play in this tournament the best method of finding information about it is to come to pickup and ask around. Inevitably, when asked, someone will say "yeah... I dunno... that's about this time of year, isn't it? ...well... yeah... we should find out about that..." and emails will be sent to Anchorage and nobody there will know for sure and they'll further the hearsay and conjecture and somehow it will all work out. You can count on it.

Whitehorse

Occasionally the Canadians put down their hockey sticks long enough to threaten to host a tournament. It hasn't happened for a few years, but we're hoping it will soon because Kokanee is just so delicious.