By 
Under the hazy glow of floodlights at Wings Sports Centre in Bandra, Mumbai, a curious gathering takes place every Thursday night. It’s long past office hours. The traffic has died down, the cricket pitches are emptying, and the turf is no longer echoing with the thud of footballs. Instead, there’s the soft swish of a disc slicing through the air, the excited chatter of strangers becoming teammates, and the unmistakable rhythm of a sport most passersby wouldn’t recognize: ultimate frisbee.
This weekly ritual is hosted by Off-Season Ultimate Academy, a grassroots initiative that’s slowly building a community around a sport still in its infancy in the Indian sporting ecosystem. The academy was co-founded by three passionate players—Rishabh Kishore, Tahir Siddiqui, and Maksood Chaudhary—who wanted to create an accessible space where anyone, regardless of background or ability, could experience the thrill and camaraderie of ultimate.
This-weekly-ritual-is-hoste-by-Off-Season-Ultimate-Academy-a-grassroots-initiative-that’s-slowly-building-a-community-around-a-sport-still-in-its-infancy-in-the-Indian-sporting-ecosystem
A Sport Like No Other
Ultimate frisbee, often simply called “ultimate,” is a fast-paced, non-contact team sport played with a flying disc. The objective is simple: score points by catching the disc in the opposing team’s end zone, much like American football or rugby. But the game distinguishes itself in more ways than one. There are no referees. Players call their own fouls. Disputes are resolved through discussion, guided by a principle known as the “Spirit of the Game”—a deep respect for fairness, sportsmanship, and mutual respect.
Ultimate-frisbee,-often-simply-called-ultimate-is-a-fast-paced-non-contact-team-sport-played-with-a-flying-disc
This culture of self-regulation and emphasis on collaborative play is what makes ultimate feel simultaneously foreign and refreshing, especially in a country where most sports are heavily officiated and competition-driven.
“It’s not just about throwing and catching a disc,” says Tahir Siddiqui, one of the academy’s lead coaches. “It’s about learning how to communicate, how to trust, how to fail in front of others and still come back the next day.”
How It Works
The sessions at Off-Season Ultimate Academy are as fluid and welcoming as the sport itself. There’s no requirement for prior experience. You show up, warm up, grab a disc, and learn the basics—from forehand and backhand throws to defensive positioning and timing your cuts.
The coaching team—Tahir, Maksood, Sahitra Ghurye, and Niddhi M—bring years of playing and coaching experience from various corners of Mumbai’s small but passionate ultimate scene. They balance structure and spontaneity, mixing drills with free-form scrimmages. One moment, players might be running cone drills; the next, they’re playing a full-field game, guided only by the thrill of the chase and the satisfaction of a perfectly timed pass.
The sessions, held from 10 PM to 11 PM, are designed to be low-pressure and high-fun. It’s an hour that exists outside the noise of the day—no scoreboards, no referees, no hierarchy.
“This late-night window is magical,” says Niddhi, one of the coaches. “It’s a pocket of time where people let go of their daily stress, expectations, and just show up as they are.”
Who Shows Up
The crowd is as diverse as the city itself. College students, young professionals, athletes from other sports, and curious first-timers—each week, the mix changes. Some come straight from work in formalwear, their shoes swapped for turf cleats. Others bring friends, looking for a shared adventure. A few stumble in solo, perhaps after seeing a story online or hearing about it from a friend. Not everyone returns. But those who do, often keep coming back.
The-crowd-is-as-diverse-as-the-city-itself-College-students-young-professionals-athletes-from-other-sports-and-curious-first-timer-each-week-the-mix-changes
And it’s not just for the sport. It’s for the atmosphere, the people, and the rare feeling of being part of something that doesn’t demand excellence, just effort and openness. Over time, players build chemistry with strangers, sync up during games, and create fleeting but powerful connections. On the field, a perfect pass or a diving catch becomes less about skill and more about shared joy.
“There’s a kind of vulnerability in playing a team sport with strangers,” says Sahitra, “but that’s where the magic is. You learn to trust, to fail together, to laugh when things go wrong.”
The Coaches Behind the Vision
Each of the coaches brings a distinct perspective to the sessions. Tahir, a strategist and longtime player, often breaks down plays with the precision of a chess coach. Maksood brings energy and encouragement, keeping spirits high even when mistakes pile up. Sahitra and Niddhi, both seasoned players and mentors, focus on building confidence, especially among newcomers and women participants.
Their shared vision is clear: make ultimate accessible, inclusive, and unintimidating.
“Mumbai can be overwhelming,” says Maksood. “This space is our way of saying: come as you are. You don’t have to be an athlete. Just be willing to try.”
Beyond the Game
While Off-Season Ultimate Academy focuses on the sport, its impact ripples far beyond the turf. For many participants, it’s a weekly grounding ritual—one hour of pure play in a life filled with deadlines and digital screens. For others, it’s a rare opportunity to make new friends as an adult, outside of work or college.
The non-competitive nature of the sessions is a draw in itself. There are no trophies, no tournaments (at least for now), and no pressure to prove oneself. It’s about growth, not glory.
And in a city where sporting spaces are either hyper-competitive or prohibitively expensive, Off-Season Ultimate feels almost radical in its simplicity.
“It’s easy to forget how much joy there is in learning something new,” says Rishabh Kishore, one of the co-founders. “Especially when you’re not being judged or graded. Just guided.”
A Growing Community
Word about the academy is spreading. Through Instagram stories, WhatsApp forwards, and good old-fashioned word-of-mouth, more people are discovering the sessions each week. While it started as a casual experiment, the academy now feels like a movement in the making.
There are plans to expand—new time slots, more venues, perhaps even weekend workshops. But the founders are clear: growth won’t come at the cost of culture. The ethos of inclusivity, spontaneity, and spirit will remain central.
“There’s enough seriousness in the world already,” says Tahir with a grin. “Let this be one of the places where people come to play—not to perform.”
The Bigger Picture
Off-Season Ultimate Academy is part of a quiet but significant shift in how urban Indians engage with sports and recreation. As younger generations look for healthier outlets that also offer social connection, sports like ultimate—collaborative, unstructured, and fun—are becoming more appealing.
In many ways, it challenges the conventional idea of success in sport. There’s no ranking system, no national spotlight. Just a group of people learning to move together in rhythm, under the stars, one throw at a time.
In the end, that’s the essence of the academy—not just teaching people how to play ultimate, but how to play again, like they once did as children. Freely. Fully. With joy.
Comments