The 2018 World Under 24 Ultimate Championships are underway in Perth, Australia! Take some time to get to know members of your U-24 National Teams a little better as they embark on their quest for gold.
Dylan Best
2018 U.S. Mixed U-24 National Team
Years Playing Ultimate: 8
High School Team: Sharon High School Bad Clams
College Team: Pittsburgh En Sabah Nur
Club Team: Boston Dig
Worlds Experience: First Worlds event
Most Looking Forward to Playing With: Probably Matt Gouchoe-Hanas and JD [Hastings]. Both of them are players I’ve played against a lot because JD played for [UNC-]Wilmington this past year, and Matt for UNC, and also they both play for Ring [of Fire], and we played against Ring a lot this club season.
Team You’re Most Excited to Face: I don’t really have a perspective on it because I haven’t played on a Worlds team before, but I guess I’m excited to play against Japan. I’ve heard a lot about them and Australia and Canada, so those are the big names I’ve heard about, but no one team in particular.
Most Excited for Overall at U-24 Worlds: I think the overall experience I’m excited about is realizing that it’s something bigger than yourself or your team. I’ve been so narrowed into my team, my hometown, then Pittsburgh – it’s been all the focus on that, and being able to play with all these people I’ve been playing against and realize that it’s so much bigger on a community level – it’s really cool.
Favorite Ultimate Memory: Can I just say every single spring break I’ve had with my team: Pittsburgh? That’s what I look forward to every year. I love the bonding that ultimate teams have off the field. All my best friends are my teammates, and that’s always the time we bond the most. We go to Stanford Invite and then get a house for a week and just spend the week there. It’s always better when we win Stanford because then we’re on a big high.
Hobbies Outside Ultimate: I’m excited to be here in a different country. I’m a college student! I don’t know; I’ve been kind of breathing Frisbee for the past four years. Being here, even though we are practicing, it is a nice break away from what I’m used to. Just traveling and being able to notice what’s around me more.
Fun Fact: I eat an absurd amount of cereal. I have a cereal wall at my house with 50+ boxes of different cereals I’ve eaten over the last year. So far, it takes up one entire wall.
