Do you have the guts?

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HANCOCK - The old recruiting slogan "Join the Navy, see the world" doesn't pertain to Ron Blau.

All Blau had to do to accomplish that feat was start playing Guts Frisbee.

Blau, a Calumet native and current IFT International Frisbee Tournament director, has had the chance to travel to countries as far away as Japan to play the sport.

Blau and his Breakers teammates were one of 14 teams on hand Saturday as the 51st IFT got underway at the Hancock Driving Park.

Blau was a member of the Team Gutszilla squad that traveled to Japan last fall - an experience he said was "really unbelievable."

"It was a great experience - really good stuff," said Blau after his Breakers team captured an opening round game Saturday. "We went over as an all-star team of sorts and took second place out of 26 teams."

Of course, the world champion Katon team was on hand at last year's 50th IFT and defended its title.

Blau said Katon couldn't be on hand for this year's event because of a prior commitment in Vancouver, B.C.

"The Japanese have indicated they will be coming back in 2009, so that's good news," he said. "They're very good but we feel we have a couple of teams who can beat them."

One of those American teams said to be a favorite this weekend are the Boomtown Saints of Appleton, Wis.