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.
Jake “Specs” Fella
2018 U.S. Men’s U-24 National Team
Years Playing Ultimate: 5
College Team: Purdue University Undue
Worlds Experience: First big tournament. I’ve never been to Nationals – college, club, nothing. First Worlds, first anything big time.
Most Excited to Play With: Probably someone on the D line. Eric Taylor has pretty good flick bombs. Fax [Jacob Fairfax] is a beast. Sawyer is dominant. So those guys. I can’t say about the O line guys because we’re not on the field at the same time.
Team You’re Most Excited to Face: I guess Canada. It seems like, from what I hear, that they’re going to be our biggest competition, so I’m looking forward to seeing them.
Favorite Ultimate Memory: It has to be something at Purdue. This past year, we actually won a tournament. We won Midwest Throwdown – it’s not some big tournament that a bunch of these guys [teammates] go to, but we ended the weekend 8-0 or 9-0. That was pretty fun. Also the progression of what our club did from my freshman year to when I left…where we left it, it’s almost like a program now. It’s not a perennial powerhouses like a lot of these guys going to Nationals, but I think Purdue is respectable in the Great Lakes now.
Hobbies Outside Ultimate: I grew up a sports fan. My dad played baseball, so I’m a huge baseball fan. I still like to go get on the mound every now and then, warm the arm up. I like watching sports. I like rooting on the Pacers, the Colts – the Colts are terrible right now. Purdue sports. Hanging out with friends. I’m pretty easy going.
Fun Fact: I’m from Santa Claus, Indiana.