Frisbee player freestyles on Quad
Kalen Ponche
Issue date: 9/25/03 Section: TruLife
One of Barton's biggest accomplishments was playing alone in the Pro Disc Freestyle World Championships last year said his partner, Janet Romine, reference desk worker at Pickler Memorial Library.
Each year, one person is declared Grand Champion of the competition.
"I had visions of being a world champion at one point," Barton said. "There's a possibility I could have a shot at it in the grand master's division, age 45-55."
Barton picked up freestyle while attending Bowling Green State University (Ohio). He began by playing with his friends between classes on the quad.
He also was influenced by a group of professional freestyle Frisbee players, including the world champion at the time, who visited to do a demonstration.
"It really opened everyone's mind," Barton said. "It was the first time I had ever seen a nail delay."
Barton said the nail delay revolutionized freestyle Frisbee. It involves balancing a spinning Frisbee on a fingernail before throwing it up in a trick. The nail delay allows the player to continue the Frisbee's flight.
"When a person throws [a Frisbee], they put all their energy into it," Barton said. "Instead of terminating the energy you can ride the spin until the very end. It becomes more of a sequential art instead of back and forth."
Barton, like many freestyle Frisbee players, has glued fake nails onto his own to perfect the nail delay.
Barton dropped out of college his senior year to develop his freestyle abilities. He began bartending at night and practicing during the day.
Barton helped start a small freestyle Frisbee club at Bowling Green to help improve his skills.
After the team had been playing for a few years, it sponsored a tournament. Barton hired a professional team, the Air Aces Three, to do a demonstration at the tournament.
Primarily an indoor team, the Air Aces Three was about to tour in California schools and was going to play outside a lot.
Each year, one person is declared Grand Champion of the competition.
"I had visions of being a world champion at one point," Barton said. "There's a possibility I could have a shot at it in the grand master's division, age 45-55."
Barton picked up freestyle while attending Bowling Green State University (Ohio). He began by playing with his friends between classes on the quad.
He also was influenced by a group of professional freestyle Frisbee players, including the world champion at the time, who visited to do a demonstration.
"It really opened everyone's mind," Barton said. "It was the first time I had ever seen a nail delay."
Barton said the nail delay revolutionized freestyle Frisbee. It involves balancing a spinning Frisbee on a fingernail before throwing it up in a trick. The nail delay allows the player to continue the Frisbee's flight.
"When a person throws [a Frisbee], they put all their energy into it," Barton said. "Instead of terminating the energy you can ride the spin until the very end. It becomes more of a sequential art instead of back and forth."
Barton, like many freestyle Frisbee players, has glued fake nails onto his own to perfect the nail delay.
Barton dropped out of college his senior year to develop his freestyle abilities. He began bartending at night and practicing during the day.
Barton helped start a small freestyle Frisbee club at Bowling Green to help improve his skills.
After the team had been playing for a few years, it sponsored a tournament. Barton hired a professional team, the Air Aces Three, to do a demonstration at the tournament.
Primarily an indoor team, the Air Aces Three was about to tour in California schools and was going to play outside a lot.