'Frisbee' Rob McLeod recruited by SAIT to build disc sports program

An intro to disc golf was held at SAIT in the fall and the school has now hired 'Frisbee' Rob McLeod to build its disc sports program. (Courtesy SAIT)

'Frisbee' Rob McLeod is heading back to school.

The long-time ultimate player and holder of several self catch world records has been hired by the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology in Calgary to build the school's disc sports program.

“Adding Robert McLeod to lead our new SAIT Trojans disc sports program has us very excited,” said Wade Kolmel, director of athletics and recreation.

“Not only does he have an immense passion for the sport, he is widely known in the community and brings a wealth of knowledge on both the coaching and administrative side of things. We look forward to working with him to welcome new Trojans into the fold for years to come.”

The first step will be starting intramural leagues for ultimate — a cross between football and soccer but played with a disc — and dodge disc — the same as dodge ball but using foam discs — and possibly a disc golf putting league.

"It's just getting students being active and playing Frisbee," he said.

McLeod would also like to one day see a disc golf course installed at SAIT, and it eventually be added as an Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) sport.

"Pretty much every college in Alberta has a disc golf course within a 10 minute drive," he said.

"The goal is to get it as a varsity sport. I'd like to have an event next fall."

Disc golf has exploded in popularity across Canada and the U.S. during the pandemic and the World Flying Disc Federation (WFDF) recently announced efforts to have ultimate added to the LA28 Olympic programme.

McLeod currently holds six world records, for the longest mini disc self caught flight on ice skates (92 metres), the longest hang time of a self caught disc (14 seconds), along with a combination of the two (longest flight and hang time for a self caught mini disc), the longest throw of a disc caught by a dog (122 metres), the longest time being in the air before being caught by a dog (10.69 seconds), and for hitting the most drinking cans in under a minute (28), the latter being done for a television show in China.

McLeod also set a tentative seventh world record recently, teaming up with Sailor, a border collie-whippet mix,for the longest mini disc distance to canine catch at 40 metres, which they completed on the 14th out of 15 possible attempts.

He also appeared at a recent Calgary Stampeders home game, where he and Sailor set an unofficial world record for the longest catch at a live sporting event during the halftime show on Oct. 23 at 109 yards.

The pair were then invited to perform in Atlanta at the Falcons NFL game halftime show, however Sailor got spooked by an air cannon just before they were set to take the field and wouldn't perform.