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“Fight, fight, inner light. Kill, Quakers, Kill.”

This is the final roar from the Guilford Ultimate team, Biohazard, as they end their Wednesday afternoon practice under a brilliant blue sky.

“I started playing Frisbee because it seemed like a cool group of people and a fun way to go out and get exercise,” said sophomore Eva Cosgrove who recently joined the team.

Cosgrove joined the other newbies and veterans who are excited to come to practice because of the supportive atmosphere.

“Everyone was being really helpful and encouraging,” said first-year Hayley Lowry on her first practice.

Even those who have never touched a disc find the Biohazard team inviting.

“I came to the first practice, and everyone started putting their cleats on,” said Davia Young, a sophomore who had never played Ultimate before. “I got really intimidated. But, the team is dedicated to helping you learn the sport.”

Senior Briana Halliwell appreciated the encouragement from upper classmen when she first started and works to sustain the supportive environment.

“We get the work done, but we do it in such a fun way that people want to be out here,” said Halliwell. “We laugh, we have fun and we joke around with each other,”

It’s a collaborative atmosphere in which players can be charge of their own improvement.

“There are people that are new and coming out and getting a feel for it and there are people that really want to take their game to the next level,” said junior co-captain Sam Miller. “They’re able to do that. We are supportive of all of that growth.”

Even those who have never played Ultimate or never even considered themselves athletes have the opportunity to be successful.

“It’s the kind of a sport where anybody will get good at it as long as you keep practicing,” said senior Juliet Smith. “I hate sports, I hate running, I hate competition, but I come because I have a space on this kind of team.”

The constant support of each other leads to strong bonds between players.

“I wanted to do something that required commitment and that would give me community,” said junior Addy Allred. “I have met some of my best friends in Ultimate.”

This sense of camaraderie has kept Biohazard going strong.

Ultimate was formally recognized as a sport in 1968 and has been steadily growing ever since. According to the Sport & Fitness Industry Association, thousands of new players sign up for Ultimate Frisbee every year.

“Ultimate became this huge sport, nationwide, and Guilford was like ‘this is exactly what we believe in.’ I think the students are really drawn to that community centered aspect,” said Halliwell.

This prevalent sense of community fits right in with Guilford’s values. Ultimate Frisbee also correlates with Guilford’s emphasis on integrity.

According to the U.S. National Governing Body for the Sport of Ultimate Frisbee, the sport is founded on, “a tradition of sportsmanship that places that responsibility for fair play on the players rather than the referees.”

Players are their own referees and are in charge of calling their own fouls.

“I really appreciate Frisbee as a sport and what it stands for because it has no refs and you’re supposed to be responsible,” said sophomore Sadie Hunter.

“(Ultimate) teaches you a lot of good values in terms of being a good sport and being fair and owning up to if you make a mistake,” said senior co-captain Sam Miller. “Frisbee is a good way to introduce personal accountability into your world.”

A strong sense of integrity and community are the foundations of this team, but for now, the players simply bask in the sinking sun, and the cheerful chatter rises and fades as everyone gradually drifts back towards campus.