Nicknames: never had one
Year of birth: 1989
Height: 5' 8"
Jersey number: #41 (inspired by Dirk Nowitzki of Dallas Mavericks)
Started winning by playing Ultimate in: 2008
Joined Goats in: 2008
How?: I was on my way back to my dorm from cafeteria when I saw people throwing discs and yelling. I thought “screw homeworks, gonna watch these guys” and became the only audience for about 10 minutes. Then Seray (Öztürk) and a few other guys came to me after the practice and asked if I wanted to join them or not. Gladly, I said “sure”. Since then I am a member of this stubborn feet-dragging, hard-ramming, ultimate winning team.
What were your best and worst moments in the team?
Best moment(s): Tournaments are definitely the best moments for me. Everyone comes all around Turkey and plays and eats and drinks (a lot) and has so much fun. Times like these you feel the spirit of the game very deep in your heart. Team-wise, I feel that the team identity and belonging surfaces the most in tournaments. So I feel like a goat when I play with my lucky #41 jersey against other teams.
"I feel like a goat" (from Bilkent National Championships, 2010)
No results found. Did you mean: "Ma-a-a-ah"?
No results found. Did you mean: "Ma-a-a-ah"?
Worst moment(s): I hate when fair-play and spirit of the game mentality are lost. In practices, in tournaments, in games; when I witness a situation like this, all my will to play is gone.
Another thing is, although I’m not a greedy try-hard player, I get very upset when my team loses. In two different hat tournaments, one of the teams I was in came last and the other team came third before the last. Of course tournaments are always fun whether you lose or win but I always regret after games saying “man I should have make that pass or catch”
What do you laugh at the most in the team?
İlker (Demirci) mocking Hüseyin (Camalan) by making Hüseyin defend him as he runs towards his own endzone when there is a turnover and the disc has passed to Hüseyin's side (because Hüseyin hasn't seen the turnover he still thinks he has to defend İlker). It’s funny because Hüseyin buys it every time (no offense Hüsejn!)
Ahmet stretching before work
How do you see yourself as a player? What are your virtues and vices?
I’m a hardcore defender! If I’m in the mood and concentrated, I’m always on your neck and I try very hard to block you or get the disc before you. Plus, if I’m on fire, I throw good long passes that you feel you get the disc brought to you by UPS (a little exaggeration doesn’t kill you)
From left to right: İlker Demirci, Ahmet Arkın
My biggest vice: I’m bad at –especially backhand- short passes. I know it’s something I have to practice on very hard and I promise, next semester things will be different.
What are your current projects in terms of Ultimate?
I’m trying to improve my offense skills as well as my defense ones. To do so, I’m trying to improve my backhand, layout and sprint pace.
What do you think would make the Goats a better team?
Continuity of the players. That’s definitely the most important thing for me. Missing a couple of practices in a semester is ok but turning this into a habit for every week is not good for the player and the team.
What's your favorite Ultimate meal?
I actually don’t care but I try not to eat greasy stuff before practices and games. So it can be pasta, grilled chicken or meat generally.
How do you summarize your experience with the Goats?
I could say that this game and this team are very important in my life in college. I do not only see this as a sport activity but also as a chance to know wonderful people and spend quality time with them.
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