Our story

Beginnings

Ultimate in Kisumu began as a casual weekly game. Kisumu Frisbee Club was founded by Dr John Waitumbi, who remains the club's patron, and in its early days most players were still learning the ropes of the game.

Becoming a competitive club (2013–2014)

In 2013 Michael "Prof" McGuirk, then living and working in Kisumu, joined the weekly game and agreed to coach the group towards competitive play. Within about a year some of the players travelled to Uganda for their first international tournament, and in early 2014 the club won the Kenyan Beach Nationals. By August 2014 Kisumu were the reigning champions of FEAST, the Frisbee East Africa Sand Tournament, then described as the biggest tournament in East Africa.

From the start the club has been mixed: women and men playing together, with players from at least six different communities, and a programme reaching out to local schools and church groups to teach the game.

Kenya's first world championship (2015)

In March 2015 Kenya appeared at the World Championships of Beach Ultimate in Dubai for the first time, in the Open division, with Kisumu players in the squad. The team beat Russia, the UAE and Qatar. Players who went to Dubai came home as trainers: by July 2015 the club's membership had doubled to about 30, practices were held three times a week, and the club had been recognised by the county government.

On 11 July 2015 the club hosted the first Lake Victoria Grass Ultimate Tournament at the Jomo Kenyatta Sports Ground in Kisumu. Eight teams came from five cities. It has been our home tournament ever since.

Africa and the world (2017–2018)

In June 2017 Kisumu played the All Africa Ultimate Club Championships in Nairobi for the first time, reached the championship bracket and finished fourth, losing the third-place game 9–8. The club then earned a place at the 2018 World Ultimate Club Championships in Cincinnati, Ohio, in the Mixed division. Many of the players had rarely travelled far from Kisumu; more than 290 supporters helped raise the money for passports, visas and flights.

Black Fish Ultimate today

The club competes as Black Fish Ultimate. In 2024 it set out to represent Kenya at the World Beach Ultimate Club Championships in Portugal but most players were denied VISAS so they did not attend. At Easter 2026 Black Fish Ultimate won FEAST XVI at Kongo Beach, Diani, as repeat champions, beating Tropical Rangers in the final.

At home the club plays in the Western Ultimate League as Dusk and in the Nairobi Ultimate Division League as City Fish, and keeps teaching ultimate to new players across the region.

Sources

Skyd Magazine, "Ultimate in Kenya: A Sport to Unite a Troubled Country" (August 2014) and "Where There Is A Will" (September 2015); Ultiworld, "Africa On The Rise: A Report From AAUCC 2017" (June 2017) and "A New Dawn For African Ultimate" (July 2018); The Standard, "Blackfish Ultimate Frisbee Club upbeat ahead of beach tournament" (April 2019); WFDF, "FEAST XVI Concludes with Kenya's Black Fish Ultimate Repeating as Champions" (April 2026).