On January 11th, the Spin Ultimate staff and I left frigid Atlanta for one of the largest beach ultimate tournaments in the world, LeiOut! As a first timer attending LeiOut I thought it would be fun to give my perspective on the tournament as a whole and what it was like working the Spin merch tent.
Firstly, I must start off by saying that LeiOut is a behemoth of a tournament. This year's edition boasted 43 fields, 2,000 players, and all of it took place on a half mile strip of gorgeous Huntington Beach. Tournament Director, Grant Boyd, and his team are seasoned veterans and it shows. From set up to tear down, volunteers were everywhere ensuring that LeiOut 2024 was a well oiled machine and that everyone was having fun! For me, the part of LeiOut that I loved most was not the beach, or the party, or even the fantastic gear being sold at the Spin tent (this is a close second though). No, my favorite part was how inclusive the tournament was. LeiOut is truly a place with something for everyone. Are you an ultimate veteran with club level experience? Well there’s a competitive division for you to test yourself. Are you new to the game and looking to learn? Well there’s a division perfect for you too. Are you just looking to have fun with your friends and make some new ones while you're at it? Then you’ve come to the right place. LeiOut was just humming with positive energy and I am grateful that I was able to experience it with Spin.
As far as working the tournament goes, from the moment we were set up, there was a good vibe in the tent. Players and spectators started showing up earlier than I expected, all of them buzzing with excitement to get their hands on this year’s gear. We were out there selling gear from just about sunup till sundown, but with the sand under my feet and the California sun shining into the tent, there are worse ways to make a living. The best parts of my day were when the line was long, and people were chatting excitedly about which hoodie they wanted or what they thought of the pink checkered racer shorts. I loved getting to talk to people from all over the country about how their tournament was going, which designs they liked best, and just how they were doing. I am someone who loves meeting new people and at LeiOut, there was no better place to do that than the Spin Ultimate merch tent. With how much fun I had, I will no doubt be back at LeiOut for many years to come. If you have the means then come join me and thousands of others from all over the world at one of the best tournaments in the world. Until then, be safe everyone, and we’ll see you at the beach!