amirlopatin

NYCPUL Remembers Amir from Chris Pae

Hi all,

I played NYCPUL for the 2 years it existed. The first year AMIR was on the same team as me. He did do a lot for Ultimate in Manhattan by creating this league, as Rocky said previously.

He was always very nice to everyone and worked hard to keep the league together. I remembered how he tried to give the encroaching soccer players beer to get off our field, for the 2nd year finals i believe. I think that’s how i will remember him…smiling and trying to make everyone happy.

If we do have a NYCPUL summer league this year, it
would be good to memorialize him in some way.

Respectively,

Chris Pae

NYCPUL Remembers Amir from Billy

Amir has always been so enthusiastic……I think that one of the best things I could say about him, about anyone I would play with, is that he never got angry with people, never took it personally if a call was made against him, or didn’t go his way. I felt like he always gave me his best game.

–Billy

From Jason Liss

It was hard for me to appreciate in 9th grade what an extraordinary privilege it was for me to spend time with Amir, but I know I could FEEL it every single day of my Ramaz life. Ramaz was intimidating for me coming from a different school and having recently moved to Englewood. Amir recognized this and befriended me immediately, and we sat together on the bus often.

What a comfort, and what fun it was to retreat to Amirland every day (and that’s the only way to describe it!), to experience his refreshing take on everything in our lives and to become sharper, more self-confident and more at ease every day because of it. A conversation with Amir was a trip into his sometimes impractical but always brilliant world of thoughts you never could have had yourself (or understand), but which made a heck of a lot of sense once he explained them. His compliments and encouragement for me never stopped coming and I know it’s because he felt I needed them.

Amir laughed at everything that made Ramaz a difficult place for some, socially and academically, all the while excelling in both departments and blazing his own path, to the awe of those around him. Who else could be clever enough, like Amir was, to even think of putting the names of “popular” kids from school on the high score list of his computer games at home “so that when friends come over they’ll think I have all these cool people visiting me?” Who out of those could be independent and self-confident enough to be doing this only in jest, because he wasn’t bothered by such silliness?

How many people devoted to Salinger, Vonnegut, chess, computer code and hilarious social commentary could find the time to develop that running, right-handed, off-the-wrong-foot, quick-release scoop layup over Prager and Schwalbe’s outstretched arms?

My blessings and prayers to the Lopatins, and my thanks to all for this website which beautifully tells the story of Amir’s life of invaluable contribution to the world around him. We fortunate enough to know him, and the many others who would have benefited from Amir’s endeavors, have lost someone incredibly special.

I saw Amir in the park last year, with a Frisbee of course, and his beaming smile and genuine friendliness brought me back instantly to the warm comfort of those days we spent together. How I wish I had gone up to Stanford this year to hang out. How I wish he were with us. Amir, I realize now that you created a part of me that will always be with me. Thank you. I miss you.

NYCPUL Remembers Amir from Rocky

It is a terrible loss for the Ultimate community. No one had done more in recent years to raise the level of play and visibility of Ultimate in Manhattan than Amir. His enthusiasm and passion for the game was virtually unrivaled both on and off the field. Though he was an occasional thorn in my side, and may have had an even lower opinion of me, he certainly was a rose in the field of Ultimate personalities. I am certain this next Saturday’s game will begin with an unreturned pull and a moment of silence. And the initial disc should remain where it landed for the first point of the first game. The anguish that his family and those that were close to him must feel is unfathomable. Perhaps, in time, they might find some small comfort knowing how this will be shared by some of those that did know him. So I echo Josh’s call for a tribute from those that wish to write something in his honor.

-Rocky

NYCPUL Remembers Amir from Josh Lichtman

Tragic Ultimate News: loss of NYCPUL founder and dustbowl regular!

We have had another loss in the Dust Bowl ultimate community. I was just told that Amir Lopatin died in a car crash a couple of days ago. His funeral was today. His family will be sitting Shiva for the next week in Englewood NJ. I will pass along specifics as soon as possible. I really want to tell his family about what he meant to us. I know that
all of us who played in the summer league over the last two years are grateful for all the hard work he put into it, and I know that I always enjoyed playing with him.

-Josh Lichtman

NYCPUL Remembers Amir from Daniel M. Bernstein

I am so sorry to hear this tragic news. If I may, I have a few NYCPUL memories to share:

I was so glad when Amir created NYCPUL several years ago. It was a pleasure to have an organized ultimate league here in the city, since like most people I was used to playing pickup in the dustbowl in Central Park atop rocks and glass and whatnot.

Amir put a great deal of effort into getting the playing field and organizing the league, both tough tasks in NYC. I know many people (myself included), really enjoyed playing organized ultimate for the first time in a long time. I still have my t-shirt from the first season and will think of Amir whenever I wear it on the field.

Daniel M. Bernstein

Amir Recaps the 2002 NYCPUL Season

August 20, 2002

And The NYCPUL summer 2002 champions are The Nomads! They decisively defeated the Drewids 17-5 by utilizing a devestating short pass strategy and excellent team work. It was a tough game for the Drewids and passions ran as hot as the weather but afterwards everybody cooled off with a great party organized by Deborah Blake, Steve Mcbride and Jason Pain.

A real special thanks to goes out to Deborah who took care of purchasing almost all of the food and has been helpful from the very beggining in organizing this league. She was instrumental in recruiting more women in the first weeks when it turned out that not enough had signed up to make it real Co-ed and has been vigilant ever since in ensuring that the league maintain the proper tone: one in which “spirit of the game” is prized above winning and teamwork over competitiveness. In my opinion, she, more than anyone else, represents the spirit of the game for the selfless, thankless work she has put in behind the scenes. It is only fitting therefore, that Deborah Blake be named the recipient of the first annual NYCPUL spirit award [applause and hurrahs].

I would also like to especially thank Rich Ting for designing the great t-shirts and the trophies. Not only is he is a great graphic artist, he is also one of the best players in the league. Luckily, he is so good that he helped lead the Nomads to Ultimate victory and won one of his own trophies.

Special thanks also goes to the seven NYCPUL captains for running their teams as well as they did. There was not a single cancelled game this season and hardly any player complaints thanks to their good work.

Even though all of our captains are great, special recognition goes to Spaz Grangaard, the recipient of this summers Best Captain award. Testimony to his great leadership is the fact that, despite a last place start, Spastic Plastic improved to the point where they won three of their last six games. Spastic Plastic demostrated great spirit both on the field with their play and off the field with their great cheers. Also, they had one of the best male & female attendance rates in the league. In this category, Rocky also deserves an honorable mention for leading the very spirited Nomads to victory with the almost perfect atttendance of his players. Unfortunately though, Rocky lost points for being absolutely one of the most vociferously opinionated persons I have ever had the pleasure to know.

Another key factor in the Nomad’s dominance was Doug “Air” Propp, this summer’s Male MVP. Probably, the most experienced player in the league, Doug played and led with a competence that raised the level of everyone else on his team.

The Female MVP, and undoubtably a huge factor in the Drewids strong showing, was Carrie Prophet. The Drewids were a hard to please team but in their All-Star balloting they almost unanimously selected her as their top-choice making her the leading vote getter in the whole league. Congratulations Carrie.

Thank you all for a great season!
-amir

Amir Recaps NYCPUL’s 2003 Championship Game

July 21, 2003

Congratulations to Team black, the new NYCPUL 2003 champs! Led by captain, Brant stevens, and male MVP, hunt clark, team black defeated the more youthful Yellow Fever led by captain Andrew Park and female MVP, june bae. It was a fierce contest under harsh conditions. It was hot and sunny and windy and very, very dusty. These conditions led to some long points(one as long as twenty minutes), an even longer game, and many irritated mexican soccer players encroaching on all sides. Nevertheless, fun was had by all and the season ended successfully. Thank you all for playing!

As many of you know, this was probably my last game of NY ultimate for a while as I am moving to california in the fall to pursue a doctoral degree in education. This means that if NYCPUL is to continue in the future somebody else will have to pick up the reins. Let me know if you are interested and I will send you some important info. Thanks agian and it was great getting to know so many of you.

-amir

Open our Hearts

Rocking out at the allman finale in the beacon sunday night while in nyc for pesach, and sadly oblivious to the news of amirs passing, my thoughts momentarily detoured back through the hallways of high school. To a small, somewhat irksome chevra- amir, john, eli… who already back then had figured out that Godliness dwelled not just in gemara but in the words of Tolkien and jam bands as well. Wow, how i wish i knew that then. My life now is a desperately intoxicating attempt to synthesize those worlds. Among other things, I spend my days sitting and learning gemara in the hills of Bat Ayin in Gush Etzion, and my nights delving into the inner meanings of the Simarillion and Dick’s Picks 26. To John, a refua shleima and may we dance at your wedding in Yerushalayim. To Amir’s family and friends– honor his memory by fighting with respect for what you believe in no matter what (usually the establishment!) bars your way- may his memory always make us smile.

Hamakom Yinahem Etchem Btokh Aveilei Tzion Vyerushalayim-

Ezra Friedland-Wechsler

A Mensch

I have many fond memories of Amir, laughing, singing and enjoying life, at Brown Hillel. In particular I remember his dedication to working in soup kitchens in NY during winter break and how he would sit down and share a funny remark and a smile, making everyone around him feel that for just one moment the world was kind and fair and magical. He was so full of energy and never allowed the apathetic silence of the majority prevent him from expressing himself. In this time of chaos, in this world of inequality, in this time of loss, we must remember Amir and what he lived for. Let us honor his memory by breaking the bonds of silence and speaking out for what is just in a too often confusing and heartless world. His love of living should be an inspiration to us all.

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