Yellow Jackets Pick Up Where They Left Off

After winning their first five games of the spring semester, including a tournament win over Georgia College, the Yellow Jackets suffered a frustrating loss in the championship game against Kennesaw State. Georgia Tech’s disappointment was visible after the game, and no one knew how they were going to respond this fall.

The fall season started off with a difficult road test against the defending ISL champions, Kennesaw State. Tech had managed to steal a game in Kennesaw last season, but expectations were cooled to start the season after a few Yellow Jacket starters were unable to play. The Yellow Jackets rolled into Kennesaw with 12 available players, but managed to barrage the Owls with quick passing and improved conditioning. KSU was caught off guard by the resiliency of the Yellow Jackets and had no answer for them. Each time the Owls began to make a run, Tech countered with two quick scores. After 40 minutes of game action, Tech won by a final score of 32-20, moving to 1-0 on the season.

Playing on the road to start the season was a tough test, but playing a pissed off Georgia College team was possibly even tougher. The Bobcats were unable to swing their first win last season, going 0-6 in game action, and focused on improving over the first month of the school semester. When they arrived in Atlanta for their first game of the season, you could tell they had improved and were motivated to upset the Yellow Jackets. Georgia College started the game by taking a 4-0 lead, and had missed on a few more opportunities. The Tech starters looked out of their element and for a few seconds, they were worried.

After taking a timeout, the Yellow Jackets were able to settle down and play the methodical game they prefer. By half time, they had taken a double digit lead and were well on their way to victory. During the second half, the Yellow Jackets were able to quicken the pace and force the Bobcats into mental mistakes. Tech capitalized when they were given the opportunity and widened the score. By the end of the game, Tech had pulled to a 32-13 lead, clinching their 6th straight regular season victory.

Given the way this season has started for Georgia Tech, there is little to complain about. We have yet to see how this team plays with their full roster, but we may have to wait another game or two for that to happen. Their next game is this Sunday at Georgia College, but they will be shorthanded yet again. The Bobcats were able to pull off their first ever ISL win two weekends ago against KSU, so they are more motivated than ever to beat Tech. This is setting up to be a great game, and if weather cooperates, there will surely be highlights!

ISL Rulebook Revisions Are Underway

One of the many necessary tasks when creating a new sport is developing a uniform rulebook for everyone to abide by. Over the last year and a half, the ISL has been followed a rough draft version of the speedball rulebook, drafted by KSU Club Speedball and ISL founder TJ Flesch. While most of the basic rules of speedball were written down and followed, some rules were written without ever witnessing a collegiate speedball game. With that in mind, the last two semesters have been full of rules revisions and adjustments when necessary.

Now that summer is finally in full swing, there is time to sit down and make all of the revisions that need to be adopted for the fall season. Multiple games this spring were affected by outdated rules, and must be fixed in order to give everyone the best product on the field. Everything will be considered and revised if necessary, but everyone can be sure that the main topics that will be updated include refs, out of bounds, scoring plays, and substitutions. Once everything is finalized, we will finally have a permanent speedball rulebook to be adopted by each institution and can be used for pick up games around the state.

This is a big step for the game since there has never been a uniform rulebook that correctly touched on every aspect of the game. When this is completed, it will be posted on the site and everyone will be able to look through it. Again, thanks for the support last semester and we look forward to having an even stronger fall semester in the ISL.

Winning The Ramsey Cup

Although the post may be late to the party on reliving the championship tournament, there is never a bad time to look back on the memorable things that happen in a season and to use them as a spark for growth in the years to come.

Winning the first Ramsey Cup was something each and every person on Kennesaw State’s Club Speedball team wanted more than anything in the week leading up to the tournament. At practice it was all they talked about, and in classes it’s all they cared about. The focus was there, but the team that could make it would be missing one of their starting receivers and deflectors; along with 4 or 5 other players who had other obligations. This would pose a problem that Kennesaw State’s Nick Oliver would handle with ease, using his social connections to conjure up five athletic substitutes from which the team could count upon during the games. And boy did they ever come in handy.

KSU’s team started out fast and strong against GCSU and was able to dispatch them by taking advantage of the Bobcats’ mistimed passing along with their inability to capitalize on turnovers. These things, along with the aforementioned subs on Kennesaw’s team playing out of their minds, made it difficult for the talented newcomers to match KSU’s game experience. Winning this first game against GCSU also allowed KSU to rest for an hour and a half while the Bobcat’s had to turn around 25 minutes later to fend off the Yellow Jackets.

As the stage was set for the first Club Speedball Championship, it ended up being the Jackets who were able to take advantage of an exhausted GCSU team and take their place in the Finals. Although Tech was able to disrupt many of Kennesaw’s passing plays at the beginning of the game and score enough points to keep the first half close, the overall athletic superiority shown by the Owls in the second half (with some stellar performances by the newcomers on the Owls’ team) was enough to edge past a well organized Georgia Tech team who they had played numerous times before.

So Kennesaw State walks away with the first major trophy of Club Speedball’s existence.

Even though this tournament will have added importance in the future as being the “first” one, It is the opinion of Kennesaw’s team that the real importance will be next year when 3 new teams join the conference and Kennesaw has the challenge of defending the trophy; that is when the competition really begins. This year’s tournament was about the 3 teams who founded the ISL to play against each other and solidify mutual respect so that acclimatizing new teams will be easier in the future.

 

KSU and GT Lose Four Combined Players to Graduation

Now that we’ve finally completed our first official ISL season, it’s time to congratulate all of the graduating seniors who will be moving on to the real world. The ISL champion Owls had three seniors on this year’s team: receiver Andrew Gorges, runner Josh Bramblett, and defender Ryan List. All three played a major role for the Owls during their championship season and have been major contributors for the development of the game. Bramblett routinely made a difference in the games I was able to watch, as he was one of Kennesaw’s most talented players. Gorges was also an x-factor for the Owls, since he always found a way to get open in the end zone and come down with the catch. Look at the ISL Tournament highlights if you need proof.

Georgia Tech had one senior on this year’s squad, receiver Dylan Baker. Speaking on behalf of everyone at Georgia Tech, Dylan was one of the most dedicated players on the team, showing up to nearly every practice and being a major contributor on game days. Even more surprisingly, this was Dylan’s only semester on the team. It’s a great sign when people, entirely new to the game, can join and immediately become involved with the team.

The same thing has happened down in Milledgeville, as their team has quickly turned into the most passionate team in the league. On every play, they show their emotions, good or bad, and this can only be seen as a positive for the sport. Luckily for them, however, they will be returning their entire team and should improve heading into the fall.

There may have been a senior or two who left last fall, but this is certainly the first class of graduating players to have a recognizable impact on the ISL and the development of KSU and GT’s teams. Now that many of the ISL founders are coming into their last year or two of school, this trend should continue. The emotions will continue to rise as the competitive spirit increases from each team and players start to play their last few games in the ISL.

The History Behind the Ramsey Cup

Before there is ever a crystal football, Stanley Cup or even a trophy that looks more like a work of art than an award, there is always the tradition that giving that award is founded upon. The Ramsey Cup for Club Speedball is no different, being named after a coach that the founders all studied under in high school.

Richard Ramsey III, or just “Ramsey” as everyone called him, was the most intense coach that I for one have ever had in sports. Meeting him for the first time the summer before I started high school, all I could draw upon were the stories I had heard about this bald headed, brick house of a man who yelled at athletes until purple in the face to get the best he could out of them. It was this man during that summer before high school, however, that would personally introduce me, as well as the other founders of the ISL, to the game of Speedball.

To the veteran Track & Field Coach, Speedball was the most fun anyone could have had in developing their athleticism. Using it as an activity for “fun days” at track practice (which only ever ended up being during spring break), Ramsey would make all of the runners take off their shoes and socks and instruct them to play Speedball in order to build up stamina and ankle strength. While teaching in his PE classes as well, he would always save at least one day a week to let his classes play Speedball.

It was this consistent exposure and positive influence from Ramsey that drove myself to author the standard, official rule book in college so everyone could play the game. Once they played, they never wanted to stop and it was this perpetual model that came in to being that produced a generation of high school students who loved this hybrid sport.

Years have past since the rule book was written and even more since Ramsey introduced us to Speedball. As a fitting display of respect and acknowledgment to the coach that gave all of us this wonderful game to play, we dedicate the tournament’s trophy in his name in the hopes that we too can generate the same interest and commitment to the sport, much in the same way he did for us in PE so long ago.

If you’re reading this, thanks for everything Rams.

ISL Tournament Specifics

The ISL Tournament is in four days and the final seedings and schedule have been determined. With a 4-0 record this season, Georgia Tech has the number one seed in the tournament. Kennesaw State received the second seed with a 1-2-1 record, which is not indicative of their team’s ability. Both losses came by two points to Tech, and they are capable of putting on a show at the tournament. The third seed goes to GCSU, who finished the season with an 0-3-1 record, but has shown a lot of promise in the last couple of weeks. They’re certainly no slouch. Georgia State rounds out the tournament with the 4 seed since they have yet to play a game this semester and this will be their first collegiate speedball match.

The schedule for Saturday looks like this:

12:30 PM: Georgia Tech vs. Georgia State
12:30 PM: Kennesaw State vs. Georgia College
2:00 PM: Third Place Game
3:30 PM: Championship Game

The tournament will be held at Kennesaw State’s Owl’s Nest facility, and it’s address is 3220 Busbee Drive, Kennesaw, GA 30144. The tournament should be a great time and there should be more fans than we’ve ever had before. Come out to support your team as they all compete for the first official ISL Championship and the Ramsey Cup. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone there!

Latest Draw a Hard Pill to Swallow for KSU

Kennesaw State’s previous game against the Bobcats of GCSU was one of utter execution. Leaving their field with a 67-29 scoreline was enough to keep every visiting player happy headed in to KSU’s spring break. Little did the team know that once they came back home to play GCSU again, they would be in for a completely different match.

The team’s preparation was drastically different with GCSU having practice every day of the week leading up to the game while the Owls were off on vacation. Both teams were hungry for a positive result and it immediately showed in the first five minutes. KSU was first on the board, but the Bobcats were hot on their tail for much of the first half. Obnoxious bickering between the teams and the ref, however, threatened to turn the already intense rematch in to an all out brawl. Furious players on GCSU’s squad continually fought the official’s calls in the game and tensions were coming to a head between many of the players on the field. Luckily the halftime reprieve was in favor of the Owls with a 29-24 lead.

After the halftime interval, when both team captains got a chance to speak to their respective teams and the official, the second half started with a lot less chaos. Game play happened more smoothly from then on and there was much less to argue about. The game itself was turning into a shoot-out however as both teams refused to lose. Coming down to the last seconds of the game, it was KSU’s ball with :46 left on the clock, and only holding a 2 point advantage. A heavy punt by Ryan List of Kennesaw State fell right in to the hands of Josh Harrison of GCSU at mid-field and the game had become sudden death. Working the ball around Kennesaw’s woeful defense for the last fifteen seconds afforded GCSU the opportunity to tie up the game, which they executed with precision. The final whistle blew; 40-40 the final score.

While it will be noted that this game gave precedent for a rule change in the conference that there will be no more draws, GCSU was content to leave with a draw while the Owls were growing irritated and angry for allowing it to come to an end without a definitive result. Out played in the last few minutes and tactically outwitted, the Bobcats can look forward to another meeting against KSU at the Inaugural Intercollegiate Speedball Cup in two weeks time. Before then, however, The Owls will have one more game to revamp their strategy while hosting their rivals, the Yellow Jackets of Georgia Tech…

Georgia Tech Cruises Past Georgia College At Home

Three weeks ago, Georgia College competed in their first ever collegiate speedball game. Down by double digits in the second half against Georgia Tech, the Bobcats fought back to make the game close. In the final seconds, they were unable to convert a scoring opportunity and lost by 2 points. This game gave the team hope and something to build off of.

Fast forward a week to Georgia College’s next home game against Kennesaw State, and expectations were still high for the Bobcats. Kennesaw had been coming off of a heartbreaking loss to the Yellow Jackets and no one knew what to expect from them. Unfortunately for Georgia College, the Owls unleashed an offensive attack that led to a final score of 67-29. This game was a turning point for both teams involved, as KSU had found its confidence it had last semester. Georgia College, however, had suddenly realized winning would be tough to come by and they were going to have to improve.

Last Sunday marked the third collegiate speedball game of the season, when the Bobcats traveled up to Atlanta to take on the Yellow Jackets. Georgia Tech, coming off of two close wins, was looking to send a statement to both Georgia College and KSU, while the Bobcats were hoping for an underdog victory on the road.

The game started well for the Yellow Jackets as they took the tip off and converted on a scoring opportunity to take the quick lead. Like usual, the Yellow Jackets used the early score to press the Bobcats, who were looking to play the ball in from the end zone. While Tech wasn’t able to force any turnovers near their end zone, the Yellow Jacket midfielders forced the Bobcats into some poor decisions. This allowed Tech some early opportunities on Georgia College’s side of the field.

The Bobcats really struggled to convert the scoring opportunities they were given, which was a huge storyline for this game. There were multiple occasions where a Georgia College receiver was unable to come down with a pass, along with a few passes that got caught by the wind. It was a miserable first half for the away team, as Tech led 25-4 at the half.

The second half started with much of the same from both teams. The Yellow Jackets were able to convert on some quick runs from their midfield, and the back seven were able to compress when the Bobcats pushed to Tech’s side of the field. The Georgia Tech defense had their best game of the season, as they were able to keep the Bobcats from getting within striking range for most of the game.

Towards the end of the second half, Georgia Tech went on another small run, caused by a couple Georgia College turnovers near their own end zone. The late run led to a final score of 49-8, which was the largest margin of victory in ISL history. This victory adds on to Georgia Tech’s surprising undefeated season, as they turn their attention to KSU. They will play the Owls in Kennesaw in two weekends, as the two ISL cofounders look to end the season on a high note.

For Georgia College, their focus turns to game by game improvements for the team as a whole. The last two games have been rough, but there were positives to take from each of them. If their offensive timing can be altered, their production will improve tremendously. The players are there for the Bobcats, and they’ll continue to improve with experience as the end of the season grows near. All three teams, however, should be playing at their best by the time the Intercollegiate Speedball Cup arrives in two and a half weeks.

Georgia Tech Avoids Last Minute Falter Against Georgia College

It was a beautiful day yesterday in Milledgeville, where Georgia College was pumped for their first ever ISL game. It had been over a semester’s wait for the Bobcats, and they were intent on bringing their best effort to the game. As if that wasn’t enough for Georgia Tech to deal with, the Georgia College home field advantage was in full effect with a couple dozen fans in attendance for the game. Everyone in attendance expected a competitive game, and they were not disappointed.

Georgia College Looks To Defeat Georgia Tech In Their Inaugural Game

It’s been over a semester of waiting for Georgia College, but they will finally get their chance to compete in an Intercollegiate Speedball League match tomorrow at home against Georgia Tech. The team was ready to play in official games last semester, but was advised to wait until the spring to give themselves more time to practice and organize the sport club. Now Georgia College and Lou Schreckenberger. the Bobcat’s president, are looking to start their season off with a win against the Yellow Jackets, who beat Kennesaw State last weekend.

The Bobcats are a relative mystery for Georgia Tech, and they’ll be looking to come out tomorrow with an intensity the Yellow Jackets won’t be able to match. It’s been a long time coming, and they’re ready to get out onto the field to play a meaningful game. Georgia Tech will have their hands full, but they’re used to playing on the road and have experience in close games. The outcome of this game is a toss up and both teams have a great chance to walk away with a victory.

Both teams, however, will have some unfortunate absences for the game tomorrow. The injury bug has hit the Bobcats roster and will leave them with less depth than they originally anticipated. For Georgia Tech, a few key players will be gone due to other obligations, which adds to the intrigue of the game.

The game will be played on the Georgia College intramural fields at 2:00 PM tomorrow afternoon. The forecast is showing great weather for the game tomorrow, which is a complete reversal from last weekend’s conditions in Atlanta. Anyone is welcome to come out to the game and enjoy the first ever collegiate speedball game played on Georgia College’s campus. The ISL is excited for the first ever game involving an expansion speedball team, and everyone is hoping for a great match tomorrow afternoon between both teams.