Featuring pure action and athleticism, there’s a new game in town that provides much of the same drama and entertainment as football, basketball or soccer.
It comes in the form of the Houston Havoc, a team that debuted in the American Ultimate Disc League this year. The league pits North America’s best Ultimate disc athletes and teams against each other, playing a 12-game season.
In the league’s South Division, the Havoc have their next home game June 3 at 7 p.m. against the Dallas Legion.
The teams square off at SaberCats Stadium (the Houston SaberCats rugby team home field), just off Highway 288 and Airport Blvd.
It’s the second time the teams have met this season. The Havoc beat the Legion, 28-17 last month, putting Houston in the winner’s column for the first time.
“We’re very excited about this group of athletes and coaches,” said Sean McCall, the Havoc general manager. “Years of preparation have led to the early success of this team vs. Dallas; their skill and competitive drive proves they belong in the league.”
Fans who have attended home matches at the 5,000-seat venue have enjoyed the fast-moving, non-contact elements of Ultimate disc. Teams play seven-on-seven on the pitch, with 20 active players eligible on a game day from the 30-man roster.
The object of the game is to pass the disc to teammates while marching toward the opposition’s end of the field roughly the same size as a football pitch. Teams score points when a pass is caught in the opposing team’s end zone.
Strategy and tactics are on display, with some throws of the disc travelling accurately as far as 70 or 80 yards. Athletes of all sizes – the game is like baseball in that it requires no specific body type – make spectacular catches in almost ballet fashion.
Houston joins the Dallas team and yet another Texas team, the Austin Sol, as members of the league that has two dozen teams.
The Havoc pros also hold days jobs that range from teachers to engineers to IT professionals, among others.
The sport is continuing to grow, especially among the young.
“There’s very little in the way of barriers to get into it,” McCall explained. “You spend $7 to $10 on a plastic disc, and you’re ready to begin.”
Pros in the league are “truly committed to growing the sport,” McCall noted, adding that players freely interact with fans after games.
A family of four can attend a game at the stadium for well within $100.
The games usually last no more than two hours.
“We really believe that (Ultimate disc) has the potential to be a major force in sports,” McCall said. “We hope it will one day rival traditional sports like football and basketball.”
Houston Havoc
Tickets $20 (children under four free)
SaberCats Stadium, 12131 Kirby Drive
https://theaudl.com/havoc
https://www.instagram.com/htxultimate/
