Photo by Graham Cullen Wes Butcher, right, breaks up a play as Mark Mifsud gets a hand on what would have been a scoring catch.

Frisbees are now a permanent fixture at any park and it's almost impossible to be in a public grassy area and not see a disc flying by. From its humble beginnings as a clay target for trapshooting in the 19th century, the Frisbee has pushed its way into the realm of classic recreational activities.

However, the Frisbee is used for more than just a game of catch these days. Three Frederick natives have founded a league in the Frederick area to play the growing sport of Ultimate Frisbee.

Those unfamiliar with the sport will find it fairly easy to play. The field is set up much like a football field with two zones at each end. Players are separated into teams and try to score touchdowns. When a player catches the Frisbee he may only pivot and cannot take a step. It's up to his teammates to run around and get open for the next play. If the Frisbee touches the ground or is intercepted by the opposite team the "ball" is turned over. Simple enough, which is why Ultimate Frisbee has been getting bigger and bigger, especially on college campuses.

Dan LeFever, Spencer Johnson and Quinne Farenwalld are the founders of Frederick Area Ultimate, a league for all ages and skill levels to play in and around the city.

"A lot of people leave college and there is not a lot of competitive Ultimate Frisbee," Johnson said.

Last summer during a trip to Rita's Italian Ice, the trio, who met playing the game, decided it was time to create a league to quell their craving. LeFever said, before the the league, the closest places to play in a league were in D.C. or Baltimore.

"And who wants to commute?" Farenwalld said.

The league hosts pick-up games at 7 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays on Fleming Field in Baker Park and on Sundays by the bell tower from April 1 to Sept. 30.

All ages are welcome. "We have people in their 50s come play and a little boy across the street, who is 10, comes to play, too," Farenwalld said.

The Frederick league hosts a summer league as well, where members pay a $10 entry fee to play on randomly selected teams. This is the first year for the summer league, and participants get a free shirt, a prize for the champions and a cookout at the end of the season. As of now, the league has about 40 players.

The league also has a traveling team that practices twice a week and has conditioning once a week. The traveling team is reserved for dedicated players who can put in a substantial amount of time to the sport.

This year the league is trying to break even. The members are working on creating merchandise for fans to buy and are trying to get the word out as much as they can.

"It becomes a way of life," said Johnson, who admits to having slept with a Frisbee underneath his pillow on occasion.