We have all seen the cover of the most recent UPA mgazine and there is a reason that #22 of TUFF is on the cover. After winning FOTY in 2005 he has continued to improve in both athleticism and skill, which is impressive since his skill level is unmatched in the college scene.
I never had a chance to play college ultimate but living in Austin i have had the chance to watch numerous college tournaments the past few years. I decided to write this after watching his performance at the recent college Centex. Even though Texas went 3-4, Stephen put forth possibly the most dominating performance by an ultimate player i have ever seen. Im not just speaking of solid wins against Kansas or UCSC, but even in the close loss to Stanford and the loss to Colorado he was far and away the most dominant player on the field. The game against Colorado was awesome to watch, especially with Presley making multiple sick D's even against players much taller and in better position. Stephen was the deep and literally controlled an entire half of the field on his own. These picture may help illustrate the point better:
And he did this point after point, since in important games he is not allowed to leave the field.
Finally, last year we all learned the best and most dominant player may not necessarily win the Callahan, since it is not an actual MVP but also "the Callahan trophy is presented to the man and woman who combine superior athleticism with outstanding sportsmanship, leadership and dedication to the sport of ultimate". - Superior athleticism: A huge, resounding CHECK
- Oustanding sportsmanship: anyone who has ever played aginst him (i have had the chance when playing against DW in the club series) knows this is a definate CHECK
- Leadership - Presley keeps himself and TUFF positive with their heads held high, even after a close loss or a big one. Never speaks negatively of anyone on his team, or on others. A rolemodel to any who play ultimate. CHECK
- Dedication to the sport - Presley lives and breathes ultimate, making the sport desireable not only for himself but those around him. He has been involved in teaching ultimate to kids of all ages as well as being accesible to help anyone who asks him about how to do any of the numerous sick, impossible throws that he has. CHECK
It may be tough for people who play for other teams to not vote for the friend/teammate for Callahan. It should be tough. It is the ultimate sign of respect and appreciation one can give in college ultimate to that one player that holds the team together and whom everyone strives to be. But for those of you who have had the chance to play with him, against him, or just seen him play, you know deep down that the most deserving player in the country to win the 2009 Callahan is Stephen Presley of Texas.
> We have all seen the cover of the most recent UPA mgazine and there is > a reason that #22 of TUFF is on the cover. After winning FOTY in 2005 > he has continued to improve in both athleticism and skill, which is > impressive since his skill level is unmatched in the college scene.
> I never had a chance to play college ultimate but living in Austin i > have had the chance to watch numerous college tournaments the past few > years. I decided to write this after watching his performance at the > recent college Centex. Even though Texas went 3-4, Stephen put forth > possibly the most dominating performance by an ultimate player i have > ever seen. Im not just speaking of solid wins against Kansas or UCSC, > but even in the close loss to Stanford and the loss to Colorado he was > far and away the most dominant player on the field. The game against > Colorado was awesome to watch, especially with Presley making multiple > sick D's even against players much taller and in better position. > Stephen was the deep and literally controlled an entire half of the > field on his own. These picture may help illustrate the point better:
> And he did this point after point, since in important games he is not > allowed to leave the field.
> Finally, last year we all learned the best and most dominant player > may not necessarily win the Callahan, since it is not an actual MVP > but also > "the Callahan trophy is > presented to the man and woman who combine superior athleticism with > outstanding sportsmanship, leadership and dedication to the sport of > ultimate". > - Superior athleticism: A huge, resounding CHECK
> - Oustanding sportsmanship: anyone who has ever played aginst him (i > have had the chance when playing against DW in the club series) knows > this is a definate CHECK
> - Leadership - Presley keeps himself and TUFF positive with their > heads held high, even after a close loss or a big one. Never speaks > negatively of anyone on his team, or on others. A rolemodel to any who > play ultimate. CHECK
> - Dedication to the sport - Presley lives and breathes ultimate, > making the sport desireable not only for himself but those around him. > He has been involved in teaching ultimate to kids of all ages as well > as being accesible to help anyone who asks him about how to do any of > the numerous sick, impossible throws that he has. CHECK
> It may be tough for people who play for other teams to not vote for > the friend/teammate for Callahan. It should be tough. It is the > ultimate sign of respect and appreciation one can give in college > ultimate to that one player that holds the team together and whom > everyone strives to be. But for those of you who have had the chance > to play with him, against him, or just seen him play, you know deep > down that the most deserving player in the country to win the 2009 > Callahan is Stephen Presley of Texas.
Excellent statement of your case. The pictures make a big difference.
> We have all seen the cover of the most recent UPA mgazine and there is > a reason that #22 of TUFF is on the cover. After winning FOTY in 2005 > he has continued to improve in both athleticism and skill, which is > impressive since his skill level is unmatched in the college scene.
> I never had a chance to play college ultimate but living in Austin i > have had the chance to watch numerous college tournaments the past few > years. I decided to write this after watching his performance at the > recent college Centex. Even though Texas went 3-4, Stephen put forth > possibly the most dominating performance by an ultimate player i have > ever seen. Im not just speaking of solid wins against Kansas or UCSC, > but even in the close loss to Stanford and the loss to Colorado he was > far and away the most dominant player on the field. The game against > Colorado was awesome to watch, especially with Presley making multiple > sick D's even against players much taller and in better position. > Stephen was the deep and literally controlled an entire half of the > field on his own. These picture may help illustrate the point better:
> And he did this point after point, since in important games he is not > allowed to leave the field.
> Finally, last year we all learned the best and most dominant player > may not necessarily win the Callahan, since it is not an actual MVP > but also > "the Callahan trophy is > presented to the man and woman who combine superior athleticism with > outstanding sportsmanship, leadership and dedication to the sport of > ultimate". > - Superior athleticism: A huge, resounding CHECK
> - Oustanding sportsmanship: anyone who has ever played aginst him (i > have had the chance when playing against DW in the club series) knows > this is a definate CHECK
> - Leadership - Presley keeps himself and TUFF positive with their > heads held high, even after a close loss or a big one. Never speaks > negatively of anyone on his team, or on others. A rolemodel to any who > play ultimate. CHECK
> - Dedication to the sport - Presley lives and breathes ultimate, > making the sport desireable not only for himself but those around him. > He has been involved in teaching ultimate to kids of all ages as well > as being accesible to help anyone who asks him about how to do any of > the numerous sick, impossible throws that he has. CHECK
> It may be tough for people who play for other teams to not vote for > the friend/teammate for Callahan. It should be tough. It is the > ultimate sign of respect and appreciation one can give in college > ultimate to that one player that holds the team together and whom > everyone strives to be. But for those of you who have had the chance > to play with him, against him, or just seen him play, you know deep > down that the most deserving player in the country to win the 2009 > Callahan is Stephen Presley of Texas.
There is no doubt Franchise is a serious contender for Callahan, and rightfully should be. He has been incredible for 5 straight seasons. But there are other outstanding players this year who have carried their teams to new levels, helped reshape the culture of a very historic program, or inspire every member of their team, while garnering the respect of the opposition. The top Callahan nominees all have reached that elite level by taking different paths to greatness. I am sure that whoever wins the award this season, it certainly will be well deserved.
FINE FINE I'll repost the awesome original post I already started in a different thread here. ____ So when I thought about whether or not Stephen Presley should win the Callahan this year, I first looked at what the criteria were for a Callahan winner:
2009 Callahan Award The Callahan Award has been established to recognize the most valuable players in college ultimate. Each year the Callahan trophy is presented to the man and woman who combine superior athleticism with outstanding sportsmanship, leadership and dedication to the sport of ultimate. In the eyes of his or her peers, the Callahan winner is the personification of the ideal ultimate player.
Superior athleticism: There are definitely some good Callahan nominees, and I think it'd be a little brazen to immediately claim Stevie's the best athlete there is. I will say, based on sheer ability alone, Presley is one of the top 3 players in the country. He's the only one of the top 5 Callahan nominees from last year to return this season, but it's possible the other 4 nominees were eclipsing their schools' other great players. That said, Stevie has improved since last season. Though his top speed might not be anything to write home about, Stephen's the quickest person I've ever seen play ultimate. His first couple of steps are the reason his teammates don't have to worry about not having an option. His quickness also allows for his break- mark throws because his pivots are simply too swift to keep up with. The best markers shut off a max of two fakes. His hucks are great, he's open whenever he wants, he doesn't get tired. Even at 5'9, he still is a reliable deep threat. On defense, Stephen is like having 2 defenders because of how well he can poach while still cutting off all the angles to shut down his man. He is the only person at practice that, when he guards me, I'm not even excited for the challenge because I know what a unilateral struggle it will be. His quickness, again, precipitates an awesome mark. So good, in fact, that when we really need a player to shut down a thrower, we yell at him from the sideline to "put on a 'Stevie' mark." Steve is fouled more often and harder than any player I've watched, yet he continues to make plays in the midst of all of this. He plays the vast majority of our points in big games, always being defended by the other teams' best defenders and having to defend their best offenders, and somehow he still has the capacity to be so catalytic. Both ways. I wish I could buy whatever physical trait it is that allows him to play so hard without ever seeming tired. It's every point. However, being one of the top 3 by ability in the country really is just one facet of what makes Presley such a great ultimate player.
Sportsmanship: I can't say for sure, but I don't think Stephen Presley has ever made anything but a friend on the field. On the simple side of things, he doesn't commit fouls intentionally, he doesn't contest them unfairly, and he doesn't call them unjustly. He has a smile on his face at just about all times. More subtly, he doesn't allow the negative attitude of another to impact how he regards players. Stephen is very respectful of teammates and opponents alike, genuinely wanting everyone to just play fun ultimate and play their hardest. The most upset I ever heard Stephen get with an opponent was due to a bad call, and through his frustration he merely said, "please take that call back, dude." Everyone on the field had to laugh. Despite how stifling his ability is, Presley's attitude is never anything but authentic and good-natured and even. He's fun, he's always nice, and yes ladies, he's single.
Leadership: Captaining with Steve last year was quite probably the best experience of my life. When we would get down, Stephen would always know how to bring us back up. He didn't talk the most in the huddle, but when he did, it commanded everyone's attention. While the team might be dragging ass in conditioning, Presley would always lead by example with his tireless work. Not only that, but he'd be the only one with enough grit to still be vocally motivating us throughout. Seeing his unwavering devotion through the past several years, the team can't help but be encouraged to do the same. As a teammate, he is never anything but supportive. No matter how many times someone messes up, Stephen's still there to make sure that they're not down on themselves about what happened. He cultivates TUFF in every way he can.
Dedication: Well, Stephen plays ultimate year-round between TUFF and Doublewide. He could be a top player by only going to practice, but instead he chooses to push his limits with throwing, lifting, and conditioning on his off days. Presley gets better at ultimate everyday. That's dedication to his goals. From a broader perspective, Stephen has also worked a Summer camp for the last three years that teaches kids from ages 5 to 17 years old how to play ultimate (in addition to holding down a job outside of that). Having avoided the spotlight for as long as he could, Stephen is not only dedicated to getting better, he is eagerly dedicated to the team. He's never once played to impress anyone, rather all he wants is that his team do well. A completely selfless player, he dismisses any of his hype as diminishing what the team has accomplished. P.S. Steve, don't be mad please that I posted all this.
Freshman of the year in 2005 and an all-region player ever since, Stephen has had an absolutely tremendous impact on Texas Ultimate. Having graduated much talent through the past few years, he has ensured that the team stay nationally competitive with his relentless commitment to working at and enjoying ultimate. Steve makes everyone around him better and honestly, his love for the game will continue to make TUFF better after he graduates. I regret that TUFF has had an average season at best thus far, but that shouldn't take away from Stevie's literally unmatched talent and sportsmanship. His passion is undeniable, and his team-centered mindset is really refreshing in an age of selfish or condescending superstars. Arguably the most talented player in the country, assuredly the best-spirited, there isn't a more ideal player to win the Callahan. Darroh TUFF
> FINE FINE I'll repost the awesome original post I already started in a > different thread here. > ____ > So when I thought about whether or not Stephen Presley should win the > Callahan this year, I first looked at what the criteria were for a > Callahan winner:
> 2009 Callahan Award > The Callahan Award has been established to recognize the most > valuable > players in college ultimate. Each year the Callahan trophy is > presented to the man and woman who combine superior athleticism with > outstanding sportsmanship, leadership and dedication to the sport of > ultimate. > In the eyes of his or her peers, the Callahan winner is the > personification of the ideal ultimate player.
> Superior athleticism: There are definitely some good Callahan > nominees, and I think it'd be a little brazen to immediately claim > Stevie's the best athlete there is. I will say, based on sheer > ability > alone, Presley is one of the top 3 players in the country. He's the > only one of the top 5 Callahan nominees from last year to return this > season, but it's possible the other 4 nominees were eclipsing their > schools' other great players. That said, Stevie has improved since > last season. Though his top speed might not be anything to write home > about, Stephen's the quickest person I've ever seen play ultimate. > His > first couple of steps are the reason his teammates don't have to > worry > about not having an option. His quickness also allows for his break- > mark throws because his pivots are simply too swift to keep up with. > The best markers shut off a max of two fakes. His hucks are great, > he's open whenever he wants, he doesn't get tired. Even at 5'9, he > still is a reliable deep threat. On defense, Stephen is like having > 2 > defenders because of how well he can poach while still cutting off > all > the angles to shut down his man. He is the only person at practice > that, when he guards me, I'm not even excited for the challenge > because I know what a unilateral struggle it will be. His quickness, > again, precipitates an awesome mark. So good, in fact, that when we > really need a player to shut down a thrower, we yell at him from the > sideline to "put on a 'Stevie' mark." Steve is fouled more often and > harder than any player I've watched, yet he continues to make plays > in > the midst of all of this. He plays the vast majority of our points in > big games, always being defended by the other teams' best defenders > and having to defend their best offenders, and somehow he still has > the capacity to be so catalytic. Both ways. I wish I could buy > whatever physical trait it is that allows him to play so hard without > ever seeming tired. It's every point. However, being one of the top 3 > by ability in the country really is just one facet of what makes > Presley such a great ultimate player.
> Sportsmanship: I can't say for sure, but I don't think Stephen > Presley > has ever made anything but a friend on the field. On the simple side > of things, he doesn't commit fouls intentionally, he doesn't contest > them unfairly, and he doesn't call them unjustly. He has a smile on > his face at just about all times. More subtly, he doesn't allow the > negative attitude of another to impact how he regards players. > Stephen > is very respectful of teammates and opponents alike, genuinely > wanting > everyone to just play fun ultimate and play their hardest. The most > upset I ever heard Stephen get with an opponent was due to a bad > call, > and through his frustration he merely said, "please take that call > back, dude." Everyone on the field had to laugh. Despite how stifling > his ability is, Presley's attitude is never anything but authentic > and > good-natured and even. He's fun, he's always nice, and yes ladies, > he's single.
> Leadership: Captaining with Steve last year was quite probably the > best experience of my life. When we would get down, Stephen would > always know how to bring us back up. He didn't talk the most in the > huddle, but when he did, it commanded everyone's attention. While the > team might be dragging ass in conditioning, Presley would always lead > by example with his tireless work. Not only that, but he'd be the > only > one with enough grit to still be vocally motivating us throughout. > Seeing his unwavering devotion through the past several years, the > team can't help but be encouraged to do the same. As a teammate, he > is > never anything but supportive. No matter how many times someone > messes > up, Stephen's still there to make sure that they're not down on > themselves about what happened. He cultivates TUFF in every way he > can.
> Dedication: Well, Stephen plays ultimate year-round between TUFF and > Doublewide. He could be a top player by only going to practice, but > instead he chooses to push his limits with throwing, lifting, and > conditioning on his off days. Presley gets better at ultimate > everyday. That's dedication to his goals. From a broader perspective, > Stephen has also worked a Summer camp for the last three years that > teaches kids from ages 5 to 17 years old how to play ultimate (in > addition to holding down a job outside of that). Having avoided the > spotlight for as long as he could, Stephen is not only dedicated to > getting better, he is eagerly dedicated to the team. He's never once > played to impress anyone, rather all he wants is that his team do > well. A completely selfless player, he dismisses any of his hype as > diminishing what the team has accomplished. P.S. Steve, don't be mad > please that I posted all this.
> Freshman of the year in 2005 and an all-region player ever since, > Stephen has had an absolutely tremendous impact on Texas Ultimate. > Having graduated much talent through the past few years, he has > ensured that the team stay nationally competitive with his relentless > commitment to working at and enjoying ultimate. Steve makes everyone > around him better and honestly, his love for the game will continue > to > make TUFF better after he graduates. I regret that TUFF has had an > average season at best thus far, but that shouldn't take away from > Stevie's literally unmatched talent and sportsmanship. His passion is > undeniable, and his team-centered mindset is really refreshing in an > age of selfish or condescending superstars. Arguably the most > talented > player in the country, assuredly the best-spirited, there isn't a > more > ideal player to win the Callahan. > Darroh > TUFF
Darroh, dub dub's post has pictures. Do you have any pictures you could offer up? Because right now, your post is losing out big-time.
Here's an article I wrote for our local ultimate newsletter about Stephen Presley after his UPA cover came out. Not written for the Callahan discussion, but certainly applicable.
On Apr 29, 8:12 pm, Skip Hobbie <ski...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Here's an article I wrote for our local ultimate newsletter about > Stephen Presley after his UPA cover came out. Not written for the > Callahan discussion, but certainly applicable.
On Apr 30, 1:44 pm, DNoll <djn...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Apr 29, 8:12 pm, Skip Hobbie <ski...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > Here's an article I wrote for our local ultimate newsletter about > > Stephen Presley after his UPA cover came out. Not written for the > > Callahan discussion, but certainly applicable.
Steve is a great player, no question. Foster is a great player, no question. Mac is a great player, no question. Will Neff is a great player, no question.
There are a bunch of qualified candidates out there this year, and it's a tough choice between them.
I played against Franchise for four years in college, twice being beaten by his Texas teams in the regional semifinal. During that time it could have been easy to resent the hype and success that surrounded Tuff and Presley as we tried to claw our way onto the national scene, but the class, poise, and skill that he led his team with only garnered respect amongst me and my teammates. After graduating last spring I had the pleasure of playing alongside Presley, and everything that I had suspected proved to be more than true.
I voted for Franchise last year, and if I had a vote this year I would spend it for him again. I hope he wins. He deserves it.
A supporter of another candidate mentioned how their candidate has led their team to success despite losing eight players from last year's team. This intrigued me enough to do a little research.
In an interesting bit of symmetry, Steven Presley only RETURNED eight other players from last year's team. Meaning he lost about fifteen veterans. Some additional checking revealed that the 2008 team had only returned nine players. Stevie has faced the loss of about two- thirds of his roster each year -- thirty players over two years.
The first reason this is significant is because replacing thirty players at Texas, or Kansas, or Illinois, or any number of other South and Midwest schools, is worlds different than replacing those players at a coastal school or one with a juniors pipeline.
In contrast to schools like Michigan, Colorado, Wisconsin, and Carleton, there aren't any ultimate players with competitive high school experience, let alone high-level experience on par with a Padeia or Amherst, in Texas. It's difficult to overstate the impact that just a handful of freshmen entering college with three to four years' competitive experience can make. Other geographic areas enjoy organized city leagues, plentiful pick-up games, and structured high school teams which legitimize the sport for a percentage of potential college players, even if they don't play prior to college.
The second reason this is significant is because continuity is the hardest thing to maintain for developing programs. Stevie kept Texas winning through a period of enormous transition and turnover. Some history:
Texas had been to only two nationals in a decade before Stevie, in 2002 and 2003. After losing a solid core, 2004 Texas was unable to maintain its newfound success and did not make nationals. Enter Steven Presley. Five straight nationals appearances on five straight regional championships. He has never lost a game at regionals.
How does a school become a Stanford or a Carleton? The pitfall for most teams is continuity. You get a good group, they grow up as players together, acheive success for a couple of years, and then graduate. The program tails off and takes a few years to find its way back.
All you need to solve this is a singular talent who dominates pretty much from the beginning of a five-year career, and wills the team to victory and consistency when it loses the majority of its players and needs time to regrow a core of veterans. That's Stevie. He's a case study in dynasty-building. It's no coincedence that Texas' long streak of Nationals appearances corresponds exactly with the moment he set foot on campus.
Here's another measure of Stevie's impact. In the last two years, Texas has been in 15 games that went to double game point. In these high-pressure situations, Stevie's young, rebuilding teams won 73% percent of the time. Seven of these fifteen games were come-from- behind wins. It's no coincedence that teams loaded with first-year players -- players with no previous ultimate training -- were able to assume a composure and will-to-win well beyond their experience.
That's just the effect that Stevie has. His superlative skillset is almost icing on the cake. He's got the best breakmark throws in college. He's got the surest hands I've ever seen. He's the most driven, relentless, highest-intensity player I've ever seen. He's your Callahan choice if you respect the ultimate competitor, the ultimate team builder, the ultimate clutch player.
Stephen Presley is an incredible player to have succeeded the way he has. I haven't seen enough of him to comment on all aspects of his game, but there is one thing I would like to talk about.
Relative heights of some prominent callahan nominees
JO FO 6'2" Tom James 6' Mac Taylor6'3" Will Neff 6'4" Franchise 5'9"
I'm 5'5". Speaking from experience, it is INCREDIBLY difficult to ovecome the disavantages of being a short player. Many people don't realize the difficulties simply because they are not short, but I have had ample time to think about it.
Being shorter, you have both shorter legs and shorter arms. Shorter legs mean less stride length, making it hard to be as fast. Also, the pivoting range a player has is greatly reduced, making throwing/ breaking more difficult in some ways. Also, shorter arms = less reach. On any cut, a shorter player has to be farther in front of his/her defender, simply because the you can't grab the disc as far away. This is extremely frustrating- watching someone D the disc in front of you when you have two steps on them and have laid out is a terrible feeling.
In the air, being taller is always better than any advantage in vertical jump. Reaching up an extra 2 inches is much easier than jumping an extra two inches- gaining two inches on a vertical leap takes something like 6-8 weeks of intense training. Reaching up for a disc is also much quicker than jumping- jumping takes a good read and preparation (crouching into jumping position) for the jump.
Say you are a 5'9" player going up against a 6'0" player. You are 3 inches shorter, so your shoulder is probably around that much lower. Also, you have that much less wingspan, so already you are at 4.5 in disadvantage on an high disc. So you have to read the disc, jump 4.5 inches more than your man and sky him to get the disc, which is hard after sprinting deep to the disc and jostling for position.
The fact that Franchise does this ON A REGULAR BASIS and plays deep for his team in the zone amazes me. The level of athleticism this requires is incredible.
Franchise has to be consistantly amazing to succeed, and he succeeds well enough to be considered among the elite of college ultimate.
Franchise has my vote. He is what I aspire to be as a player, and anyone who can inspire people to improve their play as Franchise does for me deserves the callahan.
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