At an ultimate frisbee practice on Feb. 24 on Guilford’s golf course, members of Biohazard Ultimate Frisbee learned more than how to dive for a catch, or “layout” in their jargon. That Saturday, Guilford’s high-energy sports club elected new executive officers to represent them for the remainder of the school year. The decision to hold elections partway through the year came after several current board members expressed concerns related to individual leaders’ feelings of overload as the semester has progressed. Despite these concerns, many of the officers remained in their roles, several with unanimous votes.

As of Feb. 24, the current board consists of club president and treasurer Maryn Lynard, vice president Jules Spoor and co-executive assistants Bec Cormac and Wyatt Wolgi. Grace Christensen, Josiah Rich and Frazier Turner will serve as team captains, a role that traditionally has been filled by two people, with both feminine and masculine heads for on-field leadership. It was agreed that both Christensen and Turner would serve as spirit captains, a role which, based on conversations at the meeting, seems largely symbolic. Further, since both Christensen and Turner are seniors graduating in May, Joseph Lambert was elected captain-in-training.

The team also created a new role: spirit chair. No one was elected to this position at the team’s meeting, but plans are for the person in this role to serve as the team’s consultant, and, in Lynard’s words, be “responsible for cheers and party planning.” When asked for clarification on what exactly “party planning” meant, Lynard emphasized the primary concern for ultimate frisbee players: “It’s about fun!”

With the concerns that led to a shuffle of the team’s executives, the club had a more complex discussion about a sense of overload among leadership. Club members brought up that several officers not only serve on the boards of other clubs, but also serve as campus-wide representatives on Guilford’s student government’s executive board. Despite expressing their concerns about burnout, Lynard now holds two leadership positions in Biohazard.

When asked about how this reflects student engagement on campus, and what she thought was at the heart of reluctance to engage in leadership positions, Lynard suggested that low attendance at GSBA meetings persuades students that time spent with the larger student body is wasteful, and named the culture of “post-pandemic burnout” is another possible cause.

Despite this outlook, Lynard said she hopes to remain resourceful and committed to leading where she can and as the Spirit guides— both the spirit of ultimate frisbee, and that of Quaker worship.

First-year student Bec Cormack, who also has found themselves wearing multiple leadership hats, was another prominent voice at the meeting. They not only serve as the club’s administrative assistant but have also assumed roles as marketing executive for GSBA and communications manager for the campus radio station, WQFS.

When asked how to overcome lack of student engagement, Cormack said that “finding our groove is important for building for the future.” Despite the difficulties that Biohazard Ultimate Frisbee faces, Cormack said members have “found a way how each of us works together.”