Kimberly Winheim
Peter Graffy of the Madison Radicals (left) defends against Carlos Wolle of the Minnesota Wind Chill.
If you’ve yet to check out the Madison Radicals — the city’s professional ultimate disc team — this should be the summer you do.
After all, not every home game at Breese Stevens Field will be played in 30-degree temperatures like last Saturday night, April 9, when the Radicals beat the aptly named Minnesota Wind Chill, 25-11, in their season opener.
This team of veterans is ripe for a national title. Last year, the Radicals came within two points of winning the American Ultimate Disc League Championship in San Jose, Calif., and have made it to the AUDL’s final four in three of the team’s first four years of existence.
The 26-team AUDL, now in its fifth year, will host its Championship Weekend in Madison on Aug. 6 and 7. How cool would it be for this team and its hip fan base to win ultimate’s ultimate title on the Radicals’ home turf?
“We expect to be back in the finals, for sure,” says Radicals co-captain Patrick Shriwise, one of 21 players returning from last year’s squad. “I think our team is now full of guys experienced in high-pressure situations. We’ve been building a strong foundation for the past few years, and we’re only going to be better this year.”
The Radicals are good enough to back up those words. The April 9 victory extended Madison’s home winning streak to 24 games. Their greatest challenge will come against the upstart rival Pittsburgh Thunderbirds, a talented second-year franchise Madison beat in last season’s Midwest divisional finals, and the Radicals want to do it again. From the team’s first practice in January, players say they’ve looked forward to hosting Pittsburgh at Breese Stevens on June 4.
Madison has become a hotbed for ultimate — a hybrid of soccer, football and basketball played with a Frisbee. Attendance topped 1,000 fans at many Radicals games last year, and the team will appear on ESPN3 often this season, according to team owner, general manager and head coach Tim DeByl.
The Radicals also are helping Breese Stevens Field become a more popular east-side destination. The team increased beer selections, added more entertainment and expanded seating options this year. Big Top Baseball, a partnership that includes Madison Mallards founder Steve Schmitt and president Vern Stenman, now manages the facility, so expect more cool changes as the season unfolds.
The Radicals have six home games remaining, including one against the Chicago Wildfire on May 13 and a four-game home stand between May 21 and June 11.
