From playing in the yard with his father and brother to becoming one of the team’s leaders, Andover Ultimate Co-Captain Charles Murphy ’23 has developed an ever-growing love for the game. Murphy’s exceptional skill set, coupled with his unwavering dedication to the game, makes him an inspirational teammate, instilling positivity and enthusiasm amongst those around him.
“I was always really great at throwing a frisbee, mainly from just tossing around with my dad or brother throughout the years. I first learned about ultimate when my brother played for Andover and I came to a game one time. I was immediately sold and it was everything I was hoping for,” said Murphy.
Murphy strives to create a positive team environment, ensuring that everyone on the team looks forward to having fun and staying competitive. This aspect holds immense significance as it fosters team cohesion and enhances overall performance.
Murphy said, “I think the most effective form of leadership is lifting others up and ensuring that everyone is happy to be there. At the end of the school day, I want everyone on my team to look forward to showing up to practice or a game, and the best way I have found to do that is to create a positive and welcoming culture while maintaining our competitive nature.”
Everett Woo ’25 highlighted Murphy’s ability to make every member of the team feel welcome, particularly younger players that are new to the team. As a Blue Key Head, Woo also described Murphy’s ability to cheer and energize the team before games.
“Charles played the role of a captain and he took the responsibility of leading the team in warm-ups, chants, and overall being a role model for everyone on the team. He’s a great player and he helped people understand the game better tactically and technically,” said Woo.
Aside from his high level of patience, Murphy acknowledges that there are certain areas in which he can improve upon, which would benefit the majority of the team. Murphy believes that by addressing these areas of improvement, he can contribute to the overall growth and success of the team.
“I would say my biggest strength would be my patience. I think I have a lot of patience in dealing with my teammates and the other team when things get frustrating. I think my biggest weakness would be how I can get quite quiet when I am very focused, which is not helpful when in a game that requires a lot of communication,” said Murphy.
According to Murphy, the Co-Captain role demands a considerable amount of patience. It involves navigating the intricacies of team dynamics, handling different personalities, and addressing conflicts or challenges that may arise.
“Well, thankfully there is almost always more than one [Co-Captain] so there is never an incredible burden or anything like that to bear. Shoutout to [Co-Captain] Michael Hlavaty ’23. I’d say that it takes a great deal of patience in working with newer players as well as a high degree of accountability. Holding yourself accountable for mistakes is one of the most important things as the team typically has a large range of ages and therefore the older players are typically all role models,” said Murphy.
