April 05, 2016
Getting to Know: Rick Atkins, Director of the Nike Ultimate Camp of Philadelphia
Rick Atkins is the Director of the Nike Ultimate Camp of Philadelphia, held at Fairmount Park. Richard “Big Rick” Atkins boasts one of the longest and most successful ultimate careers in the world. He has been playing and teaching ultimate since leading his Penn team to a college national championship in 1985 and has also won a masters nationals championship and 3 world championships. Rick is currently the Program Director for The Philadelphia Area Disc Alliance (PADA), one of the largest ultimate organizations in the world, and he is the boys coach at Lower Merion High School. He has been with the camp since the beginning in 2004.
GETTING TO KNOW...
Rick Atkins - Director of the Nike Ultimate Camp of Philadelphia
When and how did you get into playing ultimate?
"'I started playing in 1979 while attending the Universality of Pennsylvania as an alternative to mainstream sports. I had several friends who were on the ultimate team."
What is the favorite team you ever played for?
"It is hard to beat the camaraderie of the day to day life with a college team. In my last two years with Penn we played over 70 games in the spring season and in '85 when we won college nationals I drove over 10,000 miles with my teammates. (Florida, California and many east coast events.) I would also add playing at Worlds with the Suntans in '93. The Suntans were a loose international team with players from about 10 different countries, many of which I had not met before the event, but I am still friends with today."
What is your favorite ultimate drill?
"My favorite drill is the Triangle of Death where one player makes repeated short cuts and throws in and away throws to the entire team. It allows for many repeated throws and accustoms players to throwing while exhausted."
Why did you get in to coaching?
"Back in the day there were no coaches and captains filled the roll of coach. I was almost always a captain, so the transition to coaching was easy. I now coach year round between high school, camps, YCCs and winter youth leagues, and always find it rewarding to pass along the joy of the game to young players."
Who is your favorite ultimate player of all time and why?
"I have known and respected many players over my long career, but without doubt my favorite player is my son. I have seen him go from throwing a disc for four straight days, regardless of my desire to do so, when he attended nationals with me as a 3 year old to becoming a very talented youth player today. I never tire of watching him play and look forward to enjoying doing so for many more years."
Click the following link for more information on the Nike Ultimate Camp of Philadelphia.