Maplewood Teen Joins NJ's First Pro Ultimate Frisbee Team

Marques Brownlee can't remember when he first started playing Ultimate Frisbee, but he knows he was excited to play at Columbia High School, where the sport was founded in 1967.

Now a sophomore majoring in business and technology at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, Brownlee is a member of the New Jersey Hammerheads, the state's first professional Ultimate Frisbee team. The Hammerheads, which has 20 players from New Jersey, is currently making its second nationals run in a row. (The team just won their season opener 29-13 this past weekend against the Rochester Dragons at Mercer County Community College.)

"People new to Ultimate will likely be surprised by the fast-paced, athletic nature of the game," said Brownlee. "The throws are at first striking, but the athleticism and constant movement of players is what's really unique about the sport."

Brownlee, 19, is a Maplewood resident and is the son of Township Committee member Marlon K. Brownlee and his wife Jeaniene. 

"Playing with the Hammerheads is a pretty awesome learning experience, especially as a younger player still on a college team," said Brownlee, who said team members range in age from 19-32. 

Many Ultimate players were used to being the anchor of their teams, before joining the Hammarheads, said Brownlee. "We instead have to work together as a unit in order to be the most efficient team possible," he said. "Gaining that chemistry is the most important part of practice and preseason games, and we're hoping the time we've put into this pays off big."

Eventually, Brownlee would like to play for a team that represents the United States in international competition. He wants his college team to go to nationals every year and to "go deep" into the AUDL playoffs in its inaugural season. "All these things take a lot of time and effort, and they're all worth it," he said.

When he's not studying or playing Ultimate, Brownlee is interested in video production and golf.

For information on games and tickets, visit the Hammerheads website.