(From Mark Regulbuti after the HUGE weekend of frisbee and fun)

A testimonial…

Where to begin? Here it goes… Last Thursday’s All Star Thursday was an almost indescribable confluence of disc friends, talent and history that stretched back to the beginning of freestyle carrying forward to the present. What a joyful mosaic and unabashed celebration of what disc has been for all of us–old friendships, new friends sharing something we have all been fortunate enough to have discovered in different ways by different means, and how it all brought us together for one great All*Star Thursday and weekend in NYC. Coming into Long Island Islip Airport, LI Rail to Penn station to subway 6th avenue and 4th emerging from the subway and there is the basketball court- NYC you know what I mean – 25 years later I knew where I was instantly having cut my Frisbee teeth in Washington Square. Then walking through there into a construction site that I had to detour around I found Ted O, Joe, Chip, Chrissy, Tall Paul and Craze (who looked like he just climbed out of the trunk of a limo) jamming nails on twilight fading. I was home again- gone too long and it was just getting started. Chinese food and rollicking times at Ted and Chrissy’s and Bill, Lou and Doug drop in then off into the village a falafel at Cafe Wha? a trip to a bar and Craze was getting a little warmed up with a mini disk shot off an empty drum set and a big butt- well you know how it goes.

Tripping around the Village and Soho the next morning it felt good to be back then up to Central Park for the main event- you have seen the photo and the names yeah it was more than Hein. Jamming with Brad? We go back to 79. With Quinn and Rob and Ted and Laerbs and Richie Regs and, and, and… And people just kept on showing up! Toddy and Alan from Boston, Paul and Cheryl from Florida…From Colorado, California, Boston, KC and Florida and Long Island, NJ and CT and all over NYC. We came and Jammed and were just, well, Frisbeeing! Sharing the joy of our sport, its history and our lives and “P.S.” as someone said “no entry fee or judging.”

Then there were some of the highlight jams Paul talked about. Then there was the great gathering at Tricia and Roger Meier’s afterword, which just a great natural progression from the park- thank you! And thank you Chrissy for calling me out of the blue and prompting me to travel to All*Star Thursday and thank you Jill and Doug for putting me and Bill up and thank you everyone for just being.

There were so many levels of the evolution and history of freestyle…from Krae who was there and created so much of what we do, and who inspired Joey, who inspired all of us by taking it as far as it has gone. To Roger and Rob and Bill Wright who qualified for the 79 Rose Bowl tourney Joe won; To Laerbs and me who qualified in 1980; to Ted O who was part of the next wave circa 1983, 1984; To Toddy and Paul K who were part of another wave in the mid to late 90’s but that is just the competition and we do not need no stinking competition no more with All Star Thursdays, The Jammers tournies, Virginia States and the like, the last two of which I need to be there next year.

NYC has the most vibrant jamming scene in the USA now- sorry Seattle but I think you would have to be second. I was just inspired by how many locals there are in NYC from newer players like Tall Paul, Fearless Lou, Trevor,* Chris to others I jammed with in Washington Square like Rob and Roger who put me up in lofts/apartments back in 1980 and 1981 and Brad and Quinn. And then there is Barack who just plays lights out and jams everyone into the ground doing some of the most rad stuff out there and easily one of the most athletic jammers out there now ala Schiller, Murphy, Lewis and Carrasco in no particular order.

So after the get together at Rogers a long night with my Santa Barbara friends Craze, Joe, Chip and Lou till 3 am or so then back at it again on Friday after seeing a Dali exhibit at the Modern art Museum (NYC is the greatest) where I had great jams with Doug, Rob and Richie 1st doing a heel brush to a spinning catch that I will never forget, or know how I did. And another great jam with Alan and then another heel brush to Tall Paul then off to Malachy’s for dinner… Then the subway ride with Craze and his trombone and him doing a Robin Leach impression on the subway that was, well, side splitting funny (you had to be there.)

Then the next day taking in NYC at a slow pace as the rain gave way to sun and a humid Sheep’s Meadow and more Hein jamming–woo what a sweat–then dinner with Paul and Cheryl then a cab to meet Chip, Craze, Joe and Lou in the village then simultaneously passing out- no not that young anymore! Then up to see the Met Art Museum Sunday a.m. to the park for more jamming videos of Old Rose Bowl 1980 and new Bandshell jams at Robs then out then on a plane then here not forgetting any of what was one of the greatest weekends I have ever had and the best of times with the best of friends and feeling how lucky I am to know all of you and to have disc and well to know- I am coming back- sooner than later! Out.

Buti