Japanese Teams Ready to Challenge

TOKYO—Two Japanese teams are traveling 6,000 miles to compete in the 62nd Annual Coca-Cola International Frisbee Tournament at Hancock’s Driving Park this weekend. Samurai Spirit, who finished third in 2017 at the IFT, and the Grabbers, who have recruited a couple of American players to fill out their roster.

“We have gathered the strongest team ever,” said Samurai Spirit captain Takayoshi Suda, a veteran of several IFTs. “Our goal is to the get Julius T. Nachazel Cup.”

The players have sent along their biological data for each team, finishing with their Japanese team and their “appeal point.”

Samurai Spirit:

• Takayoshi Suda, #15, age 45, started playing in 1993, Team SELFISH, and “Belly filled with beer and Provocative clean catch.”
• Ryoichi “Dragon” Ohgushi, #1, age 39, 1999, Team Super G Men, “Thumb hitter.”
• Yusuke Tanuma, #10, age 35, 2004, Team Kuga, “Jack of all trades and master of none.”
• Kazuho Ito, #7, age 25, 2013, Team 80s, “Throw, Catch, Follow. The hyper 3way player!”
• Tetsuya Kambe, #24, age 24, 2015, Team SELFISH, “Killer Smile.”
• Hisashi Kato, #13, age 40, 2000, Team MAR’S, “Mood maker, Mascot.”

Grabbers:

• Shiro Motoyama, #46, age 60, started playing in 1979, Team Grabbers, “One of the oldest active oldest players in Japan.”
• Motoshio Nagai, #12, age 59, 1979, Team Grabbers, “Rotating backhand throw.”
• Seiji Suzuki, #8, age 48, 2003, Team Grabbers, “Accurate throw. I’ll shoot exactly.”
• Hideki Kitao, #9, age 44, 2006, Team Grabbers, “It is my first IFT. I want to enjoy it as much as possible.”
• Shimpei Yamano, #23, age 32, 2013, Team Grabbers, “Right hand catch, below the waist.”
• Karl Ploeckelman, age 25, 2016, Team Mid or Feed, runners-up in 2019 Illinois Indoor Guts Championships.
• Ben Nommenson, age 26, 2011, Team Appleton Assassins, numerous tournament championships and runners-up.