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n a season already cut short by an unforeseen pandemic, Anne Worth’s was cut even shorter. The veteran North Carolina resident suffered a broken third metacarpal, a small bone in the hand, during a bid on a tipped dump through during a scrimmage in practice. The timing was unlucky, and Anne ended up missing out on Pleiades’ first (and unknowingly last) tournament of the season, along with Worlds tryouts. Soon after, lockdown was announced and the remaining tournaments for the season were cancelled, spelling an anticlimactic end to Anne’s fifth year at the University of North Carolina. 

“I really miss playing ultimate all the time, both the physical aspect and just getting to hang out with my friends.”

The pandemic has presented a new challenge for Anne, as it has for us all. While focusing on finishing her second year of medical school, the winner of the 2020 Callahan Award has been active on and off the field. With the hopes of getting one last college season in before moving on to club play, Anne is determined to finally acquire that elusive nationals win, something that’s tough to do while balancing the busy schedule of a soon-to-be doctor. It’s not a journey that’s come easy; with recovery from injury and a lack of training facilities, getting back into the routine of training was a tough but necessary step.

“We’ve been playing a lot of pickle ball, picked up tennis at the beginning of quarantine, so that really helped me in the beginning when I was really feeling that void of ultimate.”

Anne recommends finding something you enjoy doing if you’re struggling to get out and get active. She’s found it helpful to reframe her thinking. Never one to show up to practice just because she had to, Anne has carried that same mindset to her training by exercising and maintaining a healthy diet, not only for competitive play, but because it is the healthy thing to do. But staying healthy is not always just about the body. An important part of overall wellbeing, one which is sometimes hard to learn when regular practices and games keep your teammates in close contact, is reaching out to people you care about. 

“I’ve gotten a lot more intentional about reaching out to people.”

It’s been a strange year for all, but Anne is hopeful, looking forward to a possible last run at nationals with the Pleiades. And she does not plan on stopping there. With a budding career as a physician opening up before her and a spot on the Raleigh Phoenix to look forward to, Anne plans on shining on and off the field long into the future. Zoom meetings and distanced disk tossing have kept her close with her teammates and excited to jump back into play. Her hand is healed and she’s excited about the future. 

“Playing ultimate makes me feel happy and powerful and connected and needed. My happiest moments are on the ultimate field.”