In the four years I’ve been attending the High Tide Ultimate Tournament as a Savage employee, I’ve seen a lot of crazy things happen — but 2020 is the year I know I’ll always remember. The spread of COVID-19 ended this year’s tournament two weeks early, and most of us also recognized it could mean the end of the college season as well. For many seniors, it was a heartbreaking moment. 

There was a distinct shift at the tournament among players and staff as we all began to process what was about to happen. There was a deep feeling of mourning as news spread that not only was the tournament ending, but schools were closing their doors for the foreseeable future, effectively ending the college Ultimate season.

It’s natural for players to obsess over what didn’t happen, or what could’ve been. I know I’ve struggled with this myself. For some players, it may be the last time they see some of their seniors for a long time. For some seniors, it’s the last time they’ll be playing with some of their teammates. 

But this is what I keep thinking about, and why I’m grateful that I was at High Tide at this moment in time: Witnessing the love players have not only for each other, but also for their opponents at this event, has been life-changing. This truly is a special sport we play. From seeing teams treat a fun Spring Break tournament like it was their last Nationals run, to crying with new players on my old college team, High Tide 2020 was unforgettable. 

It’s painful to think about, but we ought to stay positive, keeping this in mind: Our family of Ultimate players may just be one of the most tight-knit sports communities in the world. I — and the rest of the Savage team — love to come to Myrtle Beach not just to interact with you all and see you play some of the wackiest “games” of ultimate possible, but to be reminded of how much we love this sport ourselves. 

Seniors, addressing you all directly for a moment, we want to offer our sympathy for the abrupt end to some of your seasons. While this is the end of one chapter, we can assure you there’s so much more in store for you. Look forward to joining new teams, new players to befriend, plays to make, and yes, more tears to be shed. 

For now, make sure you leave your teams in a better state than you joined them. Leave a lasting impression for the younger crowd, and continue to be the leaders you wanted when you started playing. While the season’s ending early can lead to questioning of what might’ve been, it’s pointless to wonder about the unknown. Try not to mourn the fact that this chapter is over. It’s better to focus on the incredible times we had, celebrate the fact that you got to experience it, and that you have so much to look forward to. 

It’s crucial during times like this that we hold our favorite people and memories close to give us comfort. We can and probably will feel sad thinking about it, but remember: This community doesn’t end with college. One of the things I love most about Ultimate is that it’s truly a year-round sport if you want it to be. With almost unlimited access to seasonal leagues, club tryouts, and even just casual pickup, Ultimate has never stopped growing — and this will not stop it. 

Stay safe, stay healthy, stay Savage. 

 

Written by Savage's Production/Order Rockstar, Nick Evans 

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For the past five years, college Ultimate teams have descended upon North Myrtle Beach, S.C. for a week of Spring Break hangs, parties, and games. Of course, High Tide is all about the Ultimate, but there’s also a whole lot to see, eat, and do off the fields, too. 

North Myrtle Beach is a cute, kitschy beach town with plenty of unique local flavor, and the Savage crew has attended every year that High Tide has been hosted in NMB, carefully honing our list of must-dos in town. Here are some of our tried and true NMB favorites you should absolutely check out while at High Tide. 

Southern Sunrise Pancake House

Photo: Lauren DeLuca for Savage

NMB is practically exploding with pancake houses. We’re not sure where they all came from or why this area seems to have such an unprecedented passion for round breakfast foods, but we sure do appreciate it. You could easily spend the entire week eating your way through the Grand Strand’s 40-plus pancake options, but just in case you don’t want to have such an extremely pancakey High Tide, you could skip the taste test and go straight for our fave: Southern Sunrise Pancake House. We’ve tried many of NMB’s pancake offerings over the years, but we always come back to Southern Sunrise. Their pancakes are the way pancakes ought to be: light, fluffy, golden-brown discs of heaven, brimming with tasty toppings of your choosing. If you’re not in a pancake mood (wait, is this actually a thing that happens?) their menu is full of delicious non-pancake options including a variety of creative benedicts, omelettes, and biscuits. 3407 Hwy. 17 S., (843) 361-4080

Nacho Hippo 

Photo courtesy of Nacho Hippo

After a long day at the fields, we often want to kick back and have some fun — and Nacho Hippo is the perfect spot to do that. The creative nachos and tacos are usually what draw us in, and then the all-day $3 margs are what keep us there chatting, sipping and munching away. In addition to margaritas, they also have 32-ounce bucket-sized tropical cocktails for $15 that are perfect for sharing. While the drinks are cheap and delicious, the food really is the star here. Nacho Hippo isn’t your traditional Mexican cuisine; the menu is all about the über-creative Tex-Mex fusion, blissfully marrying dishes like tacos, nachos, and quesadillas with Chinese, Japanese, Caribbean, and Southern influences. Order a platter of the signature Hipponachomus — crispy house-made chips topped with chili, taco beef, shredded chicken, queso, lettuce, cheese, and pico — to share with your squad and then take your pick of their unique taco options. We recommend the Bangin’ Shrimp, Ka-Ka-Ka-Kia, and Kahuna. 850 N. Beach Blvd., (843) 663-9393

Duffy Street Seafood Shack 

Photo courtesy of Duffy St Seafood Shack

If you spend a week on the beach and don’t eat some local seafood, you’re doing it wrong. We firmly believe the best seafood comes from divey beachside shacks, and Duffy Street is a perfect example of this. No need to shower or dress up; this place welcomes the sandy, the sweaty, and the sunburnt with open arms and fluffy hushpuppies. Head to Happy Hour from 4-6 p.m. and leave happy and stuffed full of 75 cent oysters and clams, 45 cent shrimp, $7.99/half-pound crab legs, and of course a signature rum punch fishbowl to wash it all down. Happy Hour or not, the Duffy Street menu is full of tasty made-to-order seafood options. Their Pig Skin Shrimp, Crab Cakes, Duffy Street Steam Pot, and Volcano Chocolate Cake are all solid choices. For the indecisive or exceptionally hungry, they also offer combo platters or the mega Pirate’s Plate — a massive offering of broiled fish, Old Bay shrimp, Alaskan snow crab, and broiled scallops. 319 Sea Mountain Hwy., (843) 249-7902 

The Shack 

Photo courtesy of The Shack

It’s pretty rare to find a solid restaurant that serves a truly outstanding breakfast and lunch and dinner. The Shack is one of those rare gems, slinging top-notch Southern food from morning ‘til night. Go early for huge fluffy slices of Texas-style French Toast, homemade biscuits smothered in sausage gravy, or, for the truly famished, try the Shack Attack — a platter piled high with eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, and home fries. The Shack’s breakfast options are sure to provide plenty of fuel for a grueling day on the fields, and their dinners are the perfect way to satiate that end-of-day Ultimate hunger. Refuel with their huge portions (at great prices) of Fried Catfish, Beach House Burgers, Fried Chicken, and Shrimp ‘n’ Grits that rival any Southern grandma’s. Their “meat-and-three” specials are also a big favorite — pick one meat and any three of their plentiful side options for under 10 bucks. 1128 Sea Mountain Hwy., 843-663-3636 

Hoskins Restaurant 

Photo courtesy of Hoskins Restaurant

Cherry Grove has been a popular tourist destination since the ‘50s, and Hoskins Restaurant has been there feeding those hungry beachgoers since the very beginning. One of the very first restaurants in the Grand Strand, Hoskins first opened its doors in 1948 and quickly became a NMB icon and institution. This family-owned and operated joint is chock full of classic Americana vibes, old-school charm, and the best fried chicken in the area. Their menu is loaded with killer Southern options including ridiculously fresh fried-to-order seafood, smoked chopped barbecue, and pork chops, and you really can’t go wrong with anything on their menu, but once you try their famous fried chicken, you’ll probably have a hard time even considering eating anything other than that hot juicy Hoskins fried chicken ever again. 405 Main St, (843) 249-2014

Krave Bagel Bistro 

Photo courtesy of Krave Bagel Bistro

If you need to grab a quick bite on the way to the fields, Krave has you covered. Their convenient location on Hwy. 17 combined with their drive-up window makes this the perfect grab-and-go High Tide breakfast option. They tout “the only true Northern-style bagel in the area,” and Savage’s NYC-born-and-bred staffers give them their enthusiastic stamp of approval. Krave’s bagels are made fresh daily and come in all the classic varieties as well as a few unique ones like Marble Rye and French Toast. Get one toasted and topped with the schmear of your choosing or go for a baconeggandcheese breakfast sammy. (Important note for my Tristate friends: They. Have. Taylor. Ham.) 1434 Hwy. 17 S., (843) 427-7310

Sweet Molly’s Creamery

Photo courtesy of Sweet Molly's Creamery

We’ve covered a lot of breakfast, lunch, and dinner options, but, of course, we couldn’t neglect the most important meal of the day — dessert! No trip to the beach is complete without a nice frosty cone, and Sweet Molly’s in Barefoot Landing is definitely the place to satisfy your sweet tooth. Their MO is similar to another popular ice cream chain: pick a flavor and get your choice of syrups and toppings mixed directly in, creating a custom frozen treat. Choose from any of their 20 daily flavor options, which range from classics like chocolate and mint to the more inventive like piña colada, salted caramel, watermelon taffy, and pumpkin spice. They make all their ice cream, frozen yogurt, and sorbet in-house daily and with so many options to choose from, we totally wouldn’t judge you for making multiple trips to work your way through as many combos of scoops, toppings, syrups, shakes, and sundaes as possible while in town. 4728-F Hwy. 17 S., (843) 663-4373

Old South BBQ Co.

Photo by Patricia F/Yelp

There’s just no way we could let you spend a week in one of the South’s best beach towns without having some traditional Southern barbecue. As you drive up to Old South BBQ, you can’t miss the giant sign outside boasting “BEST BUTTS ON THE BEACH,” and they sure ain’t lying. Eating is believing, though, and their barbecue-chopped pork sandwich is an absolute must. Round it off with some smoked chicken wings, spicy BBQ beans, hushpuppies, and a half-and-half sweet tea. Eat at one of the picnic tables outside or grab one of their family packs to-go on your way back to the house. 1020 Sea Mountain Hwy., (843) 663-1056

Main Photo by Andy Wang for Unsplash

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The first pull of the 2020 American Ultimate Disc League season is fast approaching, and we honestly can’t wait for April 4 to get here. Some major developments took place during the off-season, so we put together a quick breakdown of all the important news you might have missed out on while hibernating and/or frolicking in the snow. Be sure to check out our AUDL Partner Store, and keep reading to find out what’s new, what’s changed, and why 2020 is gearing up to be the best year ever for the AUDL. 

The AUDL is Getting New Uniforms and Going Green With Savage

In a groundbreaking partnership, Savage signed a three-year deal to become the official on-field apparel company of the AUDL, as well as the official apparel merchandise partner for the 2020-2022 seasons. 

What’s so great about that? For the first time in history, every team and every player in the AUDL will step onto the field wearing eco-friendly uniforms made from 100% recycled plastic bottles. Using Savage’s proprietary GreenLine fabric is just another big step in the AUDL’s commitment to being eco-conscious and reducing their carbon footprint. Other recent environmental efforts include the 50K Tree Planting Challenge, where the AUDL partnered with ForestPlanet to plant 20 trees for every fan through the gate during Championship Weekend, totaling 50,000 new trees planted. 

We’re thrilled to be working together toward reducing the environmental impact of Ultimate and bringing our new GreenLine fabric to the players and fans. The fabric is lightweight, sweat-wicking, antimicrobial, comfortable, and sublimation-friendly — plus it’s rated UPF 50+, the highest level of UV protection you can get from clothing. 

Switching over to GreenLine fabric is just part of why we’re so hyped about the uniforms this season. A whopping 14 teams will be debuting new and updated jersey designs this April. Montreal Royal, Austin Sol, NY Empire, Philadelphia Phoenix, Pittsburgh Thunderbirds, DC Breeze, San Jose Spiders, Atlanta Hustle, Minnesota Windchill, Dallas Roughnecks, Tampa Bay Cannons, San Diego Growlers, Indianapolis AlleyCats, and Boston Glory will all be taking the field in brand-new jerseys, with the rest of the teams following suit in the 2021 and 2022 seasons. 

Savage’s design staff spent a great many hours working with these teams on the designs for their new kits, and we can’t wait to see them in action. Fans can purchase authentic replica team jerseys now on sale in our brand-new Savage AUDL Partner Store. Order by March 12 to have your gear on game day.

Be sure to follow Savage on Facebook and Instagram, because we’ll have even more AUDL products rolling out throughout the season in the Savage AUDL Partner Store.

 

Boston Glory Joins the AUDL

This year marks the first major expansion of the league since 2016, with the recent addition of Boston Glory, who will be joining the newly reconfigured East Division alongside the Montreal Royal, New York Empire, Ottawa Outlaws, and Toronto Rush. Boston is a city known for its passionate fans, top-tier athletes, and heated rivalries with NY teams, and we’re certain Glory will be no exception. 

The city has long been home to one of the best Ultimate communities in the world, and the Glory roster certainly includes some of Boston’s best, with plenty of handpicked locals who earned their spots through rigorous tryouts in the middle of a blizzard. Glory also scooped up some talented out-of-town players with early announcements last month that they had secured commitments from Tannor Johnson, Tyler Chan, and Henry Babcock.

While the bulk of the team is comprised of players making their first appearance in pro Ultimate, the Glory roster also includes four seasoned AUDL players: Maxwell Rick, Rusty Ingold-Smith, Davis Whitehead, and Brendan McCann, who played an incredibly impressive 2019 season with Minnesota Wind Chill, scoring the second-most points per game and showing off his effective D-line handling.

It’ll be interesting to see how all this amazing talent comes together and how the team matches up with the rest of the division, especially NY Empire. Boston-New York rivalries have long been notorious in the sports world, so we’re sure to see some major heat, intense gameplay, and certainly some smacktalk go down this season. On May 2, Empire and Glory will face off for the first time in history and we’ve already got our popcorn ready. Keep an eye on the Savage Blog for more on Boston Glory and why we’re so stoked to watch them play their first season.

 

We’ll See A New Division Structure and Welcome the New Atlantic Division

Not only are we welcoming a new team this season, but we’re also welcoming the new Atlantic Division. With Boston joining the league, there’s been some major reshuffling of division alignment and an entire new Atlantic Division has been formed. The South has been dissolved and Austin and Dallas have been shipped out West. The Dallas Roughnecks have made it to Championship Weekend every season since the team first joined the league in 2016, so they’re definitely a force to be reckoned with, and we’re curious to see if they can continue this streak and claim their spot as the best of the West. 

Raleigh, Atlanta, and Tampa have moved over to the new Atlantic, where they will be joined by Pittsburgh from the Midwest, DC and Philadelphia from the East, and Tampa from the South. These new divisions should make for some memorable games this season.

 

AUDL Signs Fox Sports 2 Deal

The AUDL recently announced that they’ve partnered up with Fox Sports 2 (FS2) for the next two years. This means that Fox will broadcast every AUDL Game of the Week throughout the 2020 and 2021 seasons — and that more people will be able to watch AUDL games than ever before. 

In 2018 and 2019, the AUDL’s Game of the Week partner was Stadium, and this new deal certainly is a major step up. FS2 reaches around 57 million homes each month compared to Stadium reaching around 25 million homes. Teaming up with a major sports network with a massive online following is a huge win, and hopefully, this expanded exposure will lead to an increase in people getting excited about and involved with this sport that we love so much. 

The AUDL Game of the Week program will air on Wednesday nights on FS2 throughout the 2020 season. The Game of the Week will also be streamed live on audl.tv and on the brand new AUDL Roku app that’s also slated to launch before the season starts. 

A new team, a new division, a new major broadcasting deal, and new eco-friendly uniforms featuring our exclusive eco-friendly GreenLine fabric are all huge changes for the 2020 AUDL season, and we couldn’t be more stoked for April 4. Stay tuned to the Savage Blog throughout the season for more AUDL coverage including interviews with Beau Kittredge, Khalif El-Salaam, Goose Helton, and more. 

Visit the AUDL Partner Store and get those orders in by March 12 to have your gear in time for game day!

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Are you ready for some football? We sure are. The US Flag and Touch Football League (USFTL) is hosting the 45th Flag Football National Championships in Tampa, FL on January 15-17, 2016.

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