Summer 2013 USA Ultimate Magazine by USA Ultimate

USA

ULTIMATE

OF F I C I AL M AGA Z I N E OF U S A ULT I M AT E S U M M E R 2 0 1 3

WHAT’S INSIDE College Championships Coverage Open Division p7 Women’s Division p15 High School Regional Championships Coverage p38 NEW: Spirit Column p72

ULTIMATE PLAYERS USA ASSOCIATION ULTIMATE 4730 Table Mesa Dr., 4730 Suite Table I-200C Mesa Dr., Suite I-200C Boulder, CO 80305 Boulder, CO 80305

NON-PROFIT U.S. POSTAGE PAID Denver CO Permit No. 1278

Join USA Ultimate and the international ultimate community July 4-7, 2013 in Raleigh, N.C., for the second annual U.S. Open Ultimate Championships & Convention. A celebration of character, community and competition.

3 DIVISIONS, 3 CHAMPIONS, 24 OF THE WORLDâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S BEST TEAMS

A C E L E B R AT I O N O F C H A R A CT E R , C O M M U N I T Y A N D C O M P E T I T I O N

VOLU M E X X X I V ISSU E T WO

SUMMER ISSUE

P7 COLLEGE CHAMPIONSHIPS OPEN DIVISION RESULTS Alex Thorne’s first-point layout score set the championship game’s tone for Pittsburgh en route to a second consecutive College Championships title. Photo: CBMT Creative

P15 COLLEGE CHAMPIONSHIPS WOMEN’S DIVISION RESULTS Oregon’s tough defense may have been what secured them the 2013 College Championship. Photo: CBMT Creative

P22 OPEN DIVISION III COLLEGE CHAMPIONSHIPS Middlebury celebrates their victory at the 2013 Division III College Championships. Photo: CBMT Creative

The Amherst Regional High School Hurricanes took home their fourth consecutive regional title in 2013. Photo: Matt Liebhold/Ultiphotos

P28 WOMEN’S DIVISION III COLLEGE CHAMPIONSHIPS RESULTS P38 HIGH SCHOOL RESULTS

ON THE COVER: Oregon senior and Callahan Award finalist Bailey Zahniser made countless big plays in the finals, helping lead Fugue to their second championship in four years. Photo: CBMT Creative

Williams’ Haley Eagon goes for the grab in the finals of the 2013 USA Ultimate Division III College Championships. Photo: CBMT Creative

SUMMER 2013 3 A Letter to Our Members 5 The Ultimate Top 10 6 The Ultimate Not Top 10 OPEN COLLEGE CHAMPIONSHIP COVERAGE 7 Bump and Grind: Pittsburgh Adjusts, Rinses and Repeats 11 Q&A with Callahan Award Winner Dylan Freechild WOMEN’S COLLEGE CHAMPIONSHIP COVERAGE 15 Consistency v Chaos 19 Q&A with Callahan Award Winner Claire Chastain D-III CHAMPIONSHIP COVERAGE 22 OPEN COVERAGE: A Combination of Skill and Spirit 28 WOMEN’S COVERAGE: The Butterfly Effect 34 The Ultimate Parents HIGH SCHOOL REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS COVERAGE NORTHEASTERNS

38 The Fooligans Fight Their Way to the Top – Open Division 40 Hurricanes in a Category All Their Own – Girls Division

SOUTHERNS

42 University School of Nashville Wins Open Championship 44 North Carolina’s Saga Take Girls Championship

CENTRALS

46 Revolution Spins a Win – Open Division 48 Totaalultieme: The Omega System Rules Again – Girls Division

WESTERNS

50 A Display of Spirit and Defense – Open Division 52 The Future is Bright in the West – Girls Division WORLD GAMES COVERAGE 55 U.S. National Team to Go for the Gold in Cali 58 It All Starts with Chemistry 60 Above the Competition 63 Nutrition Matters 67 Cleats & Cones 68 Coaches’ Playbook 70 Injury Timeout 72 NEW COLUMN The Spirit Circle 74 Local League Spotlight

USA ULTIMATE 4730 Table Mesa Dr. Suite I-200C Boulder, CO 80305 303.447.3472 www.usaultimate.org info@usaultimate.org USA ULTIMATE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Mike Payne – President Gwen Ambler – Vice President Kathy Hendrickson – Treasurer Mike Kinsella – Secretary Stephen Hubbard Greg Downey Mandy Eckhoff Colin McIntyre Mary-Clare Brennan Ben Slade Sandy Park Henry Thorne USA ULTIMATE STAFF Matthew Bourland – Manager of New Media Melanie Byrd – Director of Membership & Sport Development Dr. Tom Crawford – Chief Executive Officer Richard Dana – Manager of Competition & Athlete Programs (College) Will Deaver – Managing Director of Competition & Athlete Programs Julia Echterhoff Lee – Director of Finance & Development Byron Hicks – Manager of Competition & Athlete Programs (Club) Ryan Gorman – Manager of Membership & Sport Development Andy Lee – Director of Marketing & Communications Michael Lovinguth – Manager of Education & Youth Programs Baker Pratt – Manager of Competition & Athlete Programs (Youth) David Raflo – Events Manager Anna Schott – Manager of Membership & Sport Development Stacey Waldrup – Manager of Communications & Publications USA Ultimate is a non-profit organization and serves as the national Governing Body for the sport of Ultimate in the United States. Founded in 1979 as the Ultimate Players Association (UPA), USA Ultimate is one of the first flying disc sport organizations in the world and the largest, with more than 40,000 members and a national volunteer network. USA ULTIMATE USA Ultimate is the official publication of USA Ultimate, published quarterly. All ideas expressed in USA Ultimate are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of USA Ultimate, the National Governing Body. USA Ultimate assumes no responsibility for the return of unsolicited manuscripts or photographs. Editor-in-Chief Stacey Waldrup Advertising For complete rates and specifications, contact sponsors@usaultimate.org. Change of Address USA Ultimate is not forwarded by the post office. To update your address, please contact USA Ultimate. For a complete list of contacts, please visit www.usaultimate.org

LIKE US. FOLLOW US.

SUMMER 2013

facebook.com/usaultimate

twitter.com/usaultimate

youtube.com/usaultimate

A LETTER TO OUR MEMBERS

A MESSAGE FROM USA ULTIMATE’S CEO ON ULTIMATE HAPPENINGS IN THE U.S.

DR. TOM CRAWFORD USA Ultimate Chief Executive Officer

OLYMPIC RECOGNITION, THE TRIPLE CROWN TOUR AND THE LEAGUE AFFILIATE PROGRAM: YES, THEY ARE ALL LINKED!

Thus, NGBs are members of both an international federation as well as a national Olympic committee, and all national Olympic committees are members of the IOC.

Our international federation, the World Flying Disc Federation (WFDF), recently announced the exciting news of their official recognition by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). This is an important step for ultimate, not necessarily because it means we’ll get on the Olympic program any time soon, but because of the prestige and credibility it brings. Many sports fans in the U.S. do not have a good grasp of how sport is organized on a worldwide basis. We often think of the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL as the world’s leading sport organizations. But these entities are not the principal players on the international stage; the IOC is the world’s leading organizing sports body. Let me provide a quick overview of the structure of sport in the world and the U.S. and try to put this new IOC recognition into perspective.

So how does receiving Olympic recognition help? Becoming an official member of the Olympic family carries a great deal of credibility, as the process to apply for and receive recognition is quite onerous. It essentially says you are a highly credible, economically viable sport, and you are likely to continue to be well run and governed. Recognition by the IOC leads national Olympic committees and federal governments to view and treat a sport differently and in many countries makes available significant economic resources and other forms of support. All of which will help ultimate grow internationally in many of the more

Sports are organized under international federations, such as WFDF, that are comprised of national federations or national governing bodies (NGBs) from around the world (e.g., Ultimate Canada, USA Ultimate, etc.) NGBs are the nationally recognized authorities for running their respective sports in each country. NGBs are also organized under a national Olympic committee and/or Ministry of Sport in each country, such as the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). 3

U S A U LT I M AT E

As explained in the IOC press release, “The EB [IOC Executive Board] noted that the WFDF is a rapidly growing Federation with tremendous youth appeal, a strong grounding in Olympic ideals, gender equality and good governance, including WADA compliance. The EB welcomes the Federation into the Olympic family.” It is important to note the key points emphasized by the IOC when welcoming WFDF into the Olympic family: youth, Olympic ideals (SOTG), gender equality, good governance and WADA compliance. The IOC pays close attention to how NGBs organize and run their sports, and they like to see all of these elements included. The league affiliate program is designed to put some real national structure in place, similar to almost all other sports, so USA Ultimate can help local leagues thrive and grow while placing a particular emphasis on growing youth programs. This represents a major shift in focus from individual players to helping build a national infrastructure of local organizations to really grow the sport at the youth level. The IOC loved our emphasis on Spirit of the Game and are genuinely intrigued and fascinated by our self-officiating/ observer model. WFDF has taken a very strong position regarding SOTG and self-officiating, and it is important to remain aligned with them on this area of our sport. The IOC places an emphasis on gender equality (where we have a very strong policy) and good governance. We are modernizing our by-laws (as did WFDF), and we are now fully compliant with the World Anti-Doping Association guidelines. In fact, some of our athletes may be drug tested at the World Games.

fledgling countries that need these resources to grow. Unfortunately, these resources are not available in the U.S.; the USOC receives no financial support from the government and is entirely privately funded. However, the IOC’s recognition of WFDF allows USA Ultimate to seek official recognition from the USOC. For us, recognition will increase the sport’s credibility which, in turn, would help all the leagues and teams around the U.S. who are constantly fighting for fields and local support. It would also help encourage schools and universities to allow and hopefully support new ultimate programs. It is important for the ultimate community to understand that WFDF now has significantly more power and responsibility. As a recognized international federation, the IOC will expect WFDF to lead the sport of ultimate in a responsible and resourceful way and will hold them accountable for their leadership. We have developed a close working relationship with WFDF as we recognize the importance of this relationship. We also helped WFDF with their IOC application to receive recognition as the world’s leading ultimate NGB. One example is the US Open which WFDF is partnering with us on, and is now broadcast internationally. This is a key criteria the IOC looks for when evaluating long-term viability.

The IOC also plays very close attention to how NGBs run the top level of their sports, thus the Triple Crown Tour: a national plan and structure for ultimate. And everyone is invited – men, women and mixed! It is interesting to note that ultimate’s biggest stage is the World Games, a mixed event. The IOC is equally intrigued by that unique element of our sport. This is an exciting time for ultimate! Both WFDF’s IOC recognition and our new broadcast partner, ESPN, bring great exposure and credibility to our sport. And now we are launching the Triple Crown Tour. It all begins with the U.S. Open on ESPN. Come on out to Raleigh – everyone is invited!

Now I’ll try to help everyone connect the dots between all of this slightly boring information and explain why USA Ultimate has its new strategic plan in place and how the Triple Crown Tour and League Affiliate Program play important roles. SUMMER 2013

TOP10

1. Massive hand block from Ultimate Vibration v. Rusty Bikes at a tournament in Belgium, May 2013. Photo: Elgin Blankwater

2. J esse Buchsbaum, of MagnUM, skies two

Illinois players in the Great Lakes regional final. Photo: Nick Lindeke/Ultiphotos

3. Chain’s Peter Dempsey flies high over Ring’s Noah Saul at 2011 Club Nationals. Photo: Brandon Wu/Ultiphotos

4. Unbelievable defensive catch from Carleton’s

8 3

Nick Stewart against UNC-W at the 2013 College Championships. Photo: Barron Koralesky.

5. Intense Layout. Photo: Steve Kotvis 6. Nick Brown gets the grab at the 2013 Presidents Day Invite. Photo: Lynn Skilken

7. MagnUM gets skyed. Photo: Burt Granofsky/ Ultiphotos

9 4

8. T eam Germany layout at the World Junior Ultimate Championships. Photo: Steve Kotvis

9. MINE! Photo: Kim Walker 10. It’s a youth collision. Photo: Steve Kotvis 5

NOT

1. I could have been somebody, and instead I ate a bunch of dirt. Photo: Nicole Bollinger

2. Josh Kahn drops a pull, and it hits his “male region,” to add insult to the drop at Clambake 2010. Photo: Samantha Kahn

3. L aura Moore of Chicago Nemesis doing it wrong. Photo: Alexandra Levitt

4. Pantsed! Photo: Steve Kotvis 5. Nooooooooo! Photo: Jose Garcia 6. A “Turn in Motion” from Zach Jeffery of University of Maryland-B. Photo: Daniel Haber

3 9

7. Alan Lin of Hucititis barely misses the layout at Chicago Invite 2013. Photo: Don Rummelhart

8. Frisbee Fail. Photo: Kate Caldwell 9. M adison Club’s Scott Richgels puts a tough mark on Kevin Cho from Chicago Machine at the 2008 Club Championships. Photo: Matt Lane

10. Collision! Photo: Steve Kotvis 6 SUMMER 2013

BUMP AND GRIND: PITTSBURGH

ADJUSTS, RINSES AND REPEATS By: Ian Toner

“The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.” –William Arthur Ward Pittsburgh En Sabah Nur Coach Nick Kaczmarek strove to hammer this exact message home throughout the defending champions’ road to a repeat college championship. If Kaczmarek caught you calling Pitt “the defending champions” this past spring, he would be quick to label the latest version of En Sabah Nur “the pursuant national champions.” Pitt 2012 was the defending champion – Kaczmarek needed Pitt 2013 to grind, adapt and forge its own identity.

Coach Nick Kaczmarek led Pittsburgh to their second-consecutive College Championship in 2013.

OPEN

The man had a point. Pitt’s defense lost major contributors who were central to the team’s 2012 College Championship. Gone were the huge pulls of Colin Conner, the stymieing dump marks of Jason Kunsa and the game-changing bids of Julian Hausman. Additionally, the 2013 team battled to U S A U LT I M AT E keep feelings of complacence,

OPEN Pitt faced other, more tangible obstacles in the meat of their spring regular season as well. The team had a hard time securing indoor practice field space, and the long, harsh Pittsburgh winter prevented outdoor practices until late spring. Early on, the team was forced to work out and study film more often than it could gain valuable on-field reps. The injury bug also afflicted a handful of key En Sabah Nur starters. Thorne, a pivotal figure on Pitt’s offensive line, tweaked his hamstring at Warm Up. After rest, he tweaked it again at the Stanford Invite. After tweaking it again at Easterns, he was diagnosed with a hamstring strain and forced to participate in physical therapy instead of team practice and competition for over a month. Aaron Watson, a returning defensive contributor, was poised to make a consistent impact during Pitt’s 2013 title run. But after a nine-hour Saturday tryout for the U23 National Team, Watson pulled his hamstring on Sunday. He fought that injury up to and through the College Championships. NexGen rookie and reigning Ohio Valley Freshman of the Year Trent Dillon and returning captain Zack Kaufman battled groin injuries for much of the spring. In short, Pitt couldn’t complete a regular-season tournament with all 14 of their starters and frequently played without four of them. Pitt was certainly not alone in dealing with injuries, and in retrospect, the injuries provided both a blessing and a curse. While the periodic loss of key Tyler DeGirolamo matched up against some of the country’s players prevented the team from performing at its best defenders at the College Championships, including highest level in the regular season, Pitt’s injuries Oregon’s Aaron Honn. Photo: CBMT Creative allowed other players to step into the spotlight. “Going from tournament to tournament, we would overconfidence and reliance on the past – often just see these huge improvements in different recipes for anything but championships – at bay. players,” explained Watson. “It was so hard to put that [2012 championship] One such rising stars was defensive specialist behind us,” said Kaczmarek. “I was making those Marcus Ranii-Dropcho. Watson contends the comparisons [to Pitt 2012] at tournaments, and I was program knew he was poised for a breakthrough the one who was still saying we were a different team.” season after some head-turning performances

“I was making those comparisons [to Pitt 2012] at tournaments, and I was the one who was still saying we were a different team.” “We felt like we should have been winning those games and those tournaments,” said former Callahan nominee Alex Thorne, when reflecting on pre-finals exits at Warm Up: A Florida Affair, Stanford Invite and College Easterns. “We’re always focused on constant improvement, but going into Warm Up, I probably was a little overconfident.” SUMMER 2013

with Oakland Ultimate during the 2012 club season. Callahan nominee Tyler DeGirolamo described Dropcho as “an absolute beast” and his toughest match up at practice. Dropcho even found new ways to excel when Kaczmarek moved Zack Kaufman, his defensive partner in crime, from Pitt’s defensive 8

not unlike the one Pitt got involved in at the College Championships against North Carolina-Wilmington. Such intensity was necessary to maintain Pitt’s culture of constant improvement – a culture Kaczmarek said he prioritized above all else throughout the season. That intensity and improvement, in line with Pitt’s focus on adaptability, gave the team further confidence about their own potential.

To be fair, Pitt was by no means struggling. Many college teams would salivate at a regular-season résumé like En Sabah Nur’s, with championship bracket appearances at three majors. But many college “There was always a feeling in the back of my mind fans also expected a team returning such offensive – and I have to imagine, in the back of a lot of our firepower – with the chemistry that existed between players’ minds – that we knew we had the talent… Thorne, his brother Max, DeGirolamo and distributor the skill, and the ability…that if we could just get Isaac Saul – to rack up at least one major tournament ourselves together, we would play at a higher level,” victory and exhibit fewer cracks in its armor. explained Alex Thorne. Kaczmarek believes Pitt’s regular season directly Watson echoed that sentiment, “The entire season, fostered two characteristics integral to En Sabah it just felt like we needed to get all our ducks in line, Nur’s evolving program identity: the ability to grind get ‘em on a field, and we would be the best team.” and the ability to adapt. The winds of injuries, practice troubles and repeat pressure forced Pittsburgh to En Sabah Nur was able to get their ducks in a adjust their sails repeatedly. Trailing North Carolina row during the championship-level practices that in a game that would decide a pool title at Stanford, followed Ohio Valley regionals. Their four injured Kaczmarek recalls his team responding to strategic starters returned, and the offensive and defensive changes, working hard on defense and eking out a units really began to figure each other out. 14-13 double-game-point victory. Missing Thorne, Come the College Championships, Pittsburgh Dillon and others at Easterns, Pittsburgh’s healthy faced their first real test against North Carolinatalent and developing players found a way to win Wilmington in Saturday’s pool play. Wilmington their pool. Alumni, assistant coaches and senior tested Pittsburgh’s patience by rolling pulls out of players dissected opponents’ game footage bounds and setting up unique trap zones. Near the throughout the spring to enhance the team’s ability end of the first half, Seamen defender Alan Gruntz to adjust mid-game. shoved Isaac Saul in the midst of a fast break, forcing With the regular season in the rearview and national- Saul to careen out of bounds.

OPEN

team to their offensive team. Patrick Earles also rose to the occasion and bolstered Pittsburgh’s defensive strength. Joe Bender, a stout defender and cutter in his own right, fought to crack a starting defensive unit that was loaded with talent.

level competition lacking until late at regionals, Pitt “Ultimate immediately left my mind,” said Thorne, pledged to create championship-level practices that who was waiting to receive a pass from Saul before would challenge the team appropriately. Though a goal Gruntz’s shove and a return shove of his own in like this one may sound like a bunch of hot air, Watson Gruntz’s direction. “This kid just trucked one of my is quick to point out that the intensity level at these best friends.” practices occasionally sparked scuffles at practice

The California-Davis Dogs had a strong run at the College Championships that surprised many in Madison. Photo: CBMT Creative

U S A U LT I M AT E

OPEN

Marcus Ranii-Dropcho was an important contributor for En Sabah Nur in 2013. He will be even more important to Pittsburgh 2014. Photo: CBMT Creative

Pittsburgh struggled to maintain their composure momentarily, and after misconduct fouls gave Pittsburgh the disc in their own end zone, Wilmington capitalized on an En Sabah Nur turnover and took half on Pitt 8-7.

expected Oregon to be the riskier team in that game, but in reality, we were the riskier team.” That is, until Pitt flipped a switch, adjusted their defense, took better care of the disc on the turn, and accelerated to a 14-11 victory.

Kaczmarek expressed disappointment at his team’s unruly response, wishing his players had stayed calmer and not engaged Gruntz or the observers in the manner they did after the shove. Yet Kaczmarek is also quick to indicate that losing to Wilmington at half time was as much, if not more, of a wake up call for his players as any shoving match or misconduct foul.

DeGirolamo’s all-around exceptional play was a key factor throughout the tournament (and season), but especially in their semifinal against Oregon and the championship game against Central Florida. Though he matched up against many great big men all weekend, offensively he felt comfortable, “taking whatever they were giving me,” said DeGirolamo. For instance, when matched up with Aaron Honn or “Getting half taken on us was a huge wake-up call,” Mischa Freystaetter, he occasionally worked givesaid Thorne. “We just knew we had to come out and and-goes in the red zone handler set, capitalizing on smash these guys in the second half.” his quickness in tight spaces. Once again, the focus And smash En Sabah Nur did – the defensive team was on adapting and adjusting to find the situation led Pittsburgh on an 8-2 run en route to a 15-9 victory. that gave Pittsburgh the greatest advantage. Pitt found their stiffest test of the College “I’m happy that it ended with another title,” added Championships in the semifinals against Oregon. DeGirolamo, “and I wouldn’t have it any other way. When asked about the first half momentum swings I’m just sad that this unique experience of college that found his team trailing 1-3, winning 6-3 and ultimate is over. It’s something that brings you down then tied at 7, all in the same half, Kaczmarek said, “I to earth. It’s not dependent on success.”

Pittsburgh 2013 was full of firepower, including veterans Tyler DeGirolamo, Isaac Saul and Zach Kauffman. Photo: CBMT Creative

SUMMER 2013

Pittsburgh 2014 must move ahead after the departure of some of the greatest players to ever don the En Sabah Nur jersey – Thorne, DeGirolamo, Saul and others were pivotal in Pitt’s back-to-back championships. But work on Pitt 2014 began just hours after the second title. Watson, who will be a key veteran next year, expressed faith in Kaczmarek’s system, and that has to ring true throughout the returning corps. Both Watson and Kaczmarek expressed a desire to move “on to the next one,” in interviews that took place three and four days after the repeat. Pitt has learned a thing or two about adapting over these last two years, and the team will use those lessons to chart a course toward a third title in 2014. 10

OPEN

2013 Callahan AWARD

Q&A with dylan freechild of oregon ego This year’s finalists comprised an incredibly strong and talented group. How does it feel to be among those elite athletes and win the Callahan Award? Well winning the award was an honor and an extremely proud moment of my life. Still, it really was the fact that the group of players was so talented that made it so special. Additionally, many of the players I was up against were people I had developed very strong friendships with. Whether it be my time with the Junior Worlds team or NexGen or ultimate tournaments in general, I have built lasting relationships with many of the top players in today’s college game. I love watching people I care about succeed, and it was awesome watching Jimmy [Mickle], Tyler [DeGirolamo], Will [Driscoll], and Jacob [Clark]…dominate in such elite fashion. I am very proud these guys (and more) get the recognition they deserve, and based on how much I looked up to them, it’s flattering that others put me in the same class. It is very rewarding to be coupled with such great athletes and players who really are good guys...I take a lot of pride in my Callahan class, and I think the talent level speaks for itself. I’m pretty stoked that people felt naming me to represent this year’s group was the right decision. It’s hard to put it into words, but hopefully I did it justice.

Ultimate fans everywhere know that you and Ego have unique personalities that stand out in the sport. How does Spirit of the Game fit into those personalities? Spirit of the Game on the surface is taken lightly at Oregon. We joke around sometimes about spirit scores or games that were highly contested and intense. We even push the envelope at practice hoping to simulate what could be a semifinals game with low spirit

or physical play. But at the root of our identity, Spirit of the Game is still very important. We teach our players to respect the rules of the game. For me, that is fundamentally what Spirit of the Game is about: not abusing the selfofficiating. I think in years past, we have gotten in tussles or maybe spiked the disc too many times, but we rarely have games with excessive calls or ones that felt tainted by a bad call coming late in the game. We preach making the right call and even tell our players to look around and make sure your teammates agree with you before you contest a call. We love letting our hard work and talent pay off, and we enjoy seeing other teams win with that as well. We love physical defense. There is a difference between physical and excessive contact, and I would say we stay on the right side of that line. We love competing, and that sometimes get construed as unspirited. I think our opponents would agree that while there are moments that lack spirit, we are a group of guys who make the right call and allow fun, physical play to occur. We respect our opponent whether we win or lose...We were really excited to have tied for second in spirit at Nationals this year. It really was a nice treat after losing to Pitt, and it did mean something to everybody on the team.

Who have been your biggest influences in your years of ultimate? My biggest influences have been my coaches and teammates. Luke Johnson was huge in my development as a player. He constantly got me out to ultimate functions and always made sure I had a disc in my hand. He was always encouraging me while pushing me to do more and be better. Jacob Janin was my captain/coach in high school, and I think that is evident in our styles of play. John Bloch, Breeze Strout and Cody Bjorklund all contributed to my game both mentally and physically. 11

TOP: Dylan v. Dillon: Dylan Freechild completes an in-cut while being guarded by Pittsburgh’s Trent Dillon in the semifinal round. Photo: CBMT Creative BOTTOM: Oregon’s Dylan Freechild won the 2013 Callahan Award as the only junior in the field of finalists. Photo: CBMT Creative

My years with Rhino have been big. While people like Mario [O’Brien} and Seth [Wiggins] were my captains, it really was all of the veterans on that team that have put so much into me and made me a better player and person. That group of guys is exactly what I wanted out of club ultimate, and I encourage all my college teammates to go tryout with Rhino because they all love each other and love getting the most out of every player. Jay Janin is my current college coach and obviously has a lot to do with my success. I think Jay has helped me the most with my mental game in both telling me when I need to take over and get fired up or distribute the disc and chill out. He’s taught me simple and efficient is better, and that is a huge lesson I think a lot of young players could learn…It really is a combination of all the players, coaches and teammates who have ever put in even the smallest amount of work with me that have influenced me and turned me into the player I am today. U S A U LT I M AT E

OPEN FINALS GAME STATISTICS PITTSBURGH – 15 JERSEY #

NAME

CENTRAL FLORIDA - 8 GOALS

ASST

JERSEY #

NAME

GOALS

ASST DS

Joe Bender

Brawley Adams

Pat Earles

Chad Russom

Terry Murphy

Zach Kauffman

Michael Brenner

Kyle Reedy

Jay Boyle

Dillon Esdale

Tyler Kunsa

John Collingwood

Alex Bullock

Max Thorne

Ryan Earles

Matt Capp

Trent Dillon

Michael Hickson

Peter McCloskey

Chris Lin

Isaac Saul

JC Feldman

Mischa Freystaetter

Alex Thorne

Christian Pitts

Nick Brewer

Ethan Beardsley

Matt Carlson

Connor Kazmierczak

Jonah Larsen

Daniel Jakob

Kevin Tang

Marcus Ranii-Dropcho

Jeremy Langdon

Michael Van Ness

Will Furiosi

Andy Polen

Andrew McKelvey

Aaron Watson

John Best

Garrett Pelton

Carl Morgenstern

Chen Su

Mike Ogren

Tyler DeGirolamo

Tommy Hankin

Dan Wickens

Eric Buenrostro

Stuart Little

unknown

TOTALS

88 ?

Ryan Del Casino

unknown

TOTALS

Florida State DUF made their first-ever appearance at the College Championships in 2013. Photo: CBMT Creative

SUMMER 2013

OPEN FINAL STANDINGS 1. 2. T3. T3. T5. T5. T5. T5. T9. T9. T9. T9. T13. T13. T13. T13. T17. T17. T17. T17.

Pittsburgh Central Florida Carleton College Oregon California-Davis Dartmouth North Carolina North Carolina-Wilmington Colorado Harvard Texas Wisconsin Arizona Cornell Luther Washington Florida State Georgia Illinois Ohio

Central Florida played an exciting semifinals match up under the lights in Madison against Carleton College. Photo: CBMT Creative

TEAM SPIRIT SCORES 4.83 - Dartmouth 4.80 - Arizona 4.80 - Oregon

INDIVIDUAL SPIRIT NOMINEES

4.67 - North Carolina

Arizona – TOM MCCLINTOCK

4.60 - Georgia

California-Davis – ELIJAH KERNS

4.60 - Harvard

Carleton – DAVID LONG

4.60 - Ohio

Central Florida – MATT CARLSON

4.40 - Illinois

Colorado – DENNISON BECHIS

4.40 - Texas

Cornell – NICK THOMPSON

4.40 - Washington

Dartmouth – DANIEL HARRIS

4.33 - California-Davis

Florida State – JORDAN HUSTON

4.20 - Carleton College

Georgia – DEREK COOPER

4.20 - Central Florida

Harvard – WESLEY MANN

4.20 - Pittsburgh

Illinois – MICHAEL POHLING

4.00 - Cornell

Luther – WILL HARREN

3.60 - Florida State

North Carolina – ADAM CARR

3.40 - Luther

North Carolina-Wilmington –

3.20 - Wisconsin

2.67 - North Carolina-Wilmington

Ohio – CODY PETITT

4.80 - Colorado Colorado and Washington faced off in Saturday’s pool play in Madison. Photo: CBMT Creative

NICK JACKSON

Oregon – TREVOR SMITH Pitt – MICK VAN NESS Texas – CHRIS CASEY Washington – JULIAN PETERSON Wisconsin – JAN SZMANDA 13

U S A U LT I M AT E

SUMMER 2013

WOMEN’S

Consistency v. Chaos By: Anna Levine

At the 2013 College Championships, the parity in the women’s division was immediately evident. Out of the 55 games played over Memorial Day weekend, nearly two-thirds were won by five points or less, and nine games came down to universe point. What the stats don’t indicate is how different the teams’ playing styles were from one another, despite the equal level of play. From the University of British Columbia, a short, speedy team with mean hammer skills, to the University of Central Florida, who consistently won games with their wide, tight cup, teams shined in dissimilar ways. Games often turned into hard-fought battles to see which team could most quickly identify and stymie their opponent’s secret weapon, while not losing sight of their own strategies. Some teams’ abilities skyrocketed them to the top of the pack, while Oregon’s defense, self-labeled as “chaotic,” helped them win it all.

Ashley Young’s D in in the championship game was one of the most talked-about plays of the weekend and swung the momentum in Fugue’s direction. Photo: CBMT Creative

U S A U LT I M AT E

WOMEN’S

McArdle and Emily Buckner, who are all just about 6’0” tall – while placing a man on super-speedy playmaker Catherine Hui. But Syzygy’s box-andone defense didn’t always work. UBC got extremely creative in breaking the towering cup, frequently completing big hammers and arcing cross-field flicks. The teams traded points until Julia Snyder found McArdle to close out the 15-13 Carleton win. In Iowa’s big pool play win over Tufts, Saucy Nancy quickly identified and shut down Tufts’ primary weapons: their superstar handlers. Iowa placed indefatigable cutter Chelsea Twohig on Tufts’ go-to handler and emotional center Claudia Tajima, exhausting the Tufts leader and making it difficult for her to get open. After recovering their confidence, however, Ewo worked the disc accurately and smoothly between a wide range of skilled handlers, including Hailey Alm, Hannah Garfield and Michaela Fallon. But Iowa’s handler defense got them the win. They closed out the game 15-13 by working the disc down the field while a tired-looking Tufts defense lagged behind.

Hometown favorites Wisconsin’s Bella Donna were ousted in the pre-quarters round this year, finishing tied for ninth place. Photo: CBMT Creative

Teams got their first opportunities to stop their adversaries’ winning techniques during pool play. The lack of regular season, head-to-head match ups unique to the College Championships made the challenge especially difficult. Northwest schools such as UBC and Whitman had barely competed against teams outside of their region, let alone the West Coast. Games against teams like these were difficult to predict, and adjusting quickly was key.

Virginia’s upset of Iowa State in pool play showcased Hydra’s ability to adjust and perform under pressure, despite not having met their opponent during the regular season. UVA played a tight zone after learning the hard way that Iowa State’s deep game was nearly impossible to shut down with man defense. Although Woman Scorned’s handlers were able to reset the disc, Hydra’s zone made it difficult to gain yardage, and the cup forced numerous turns when less-experienced Iowa State cutters caught the disc. UVA’s Alika Johnson was the star of the game, relentlessly driving her team’s offense and working tirelessly in the cup. Iowa State’s Magon Liu kept the scores coming, working the break side with her high-release backhands, and Woman Scorned’s man defense made it tough for Virginia to establish

Many spectators were eager for day one’s Carleton v. UBC match up, since so much hype surrounded the two very different teams during the regular season. To stop their notoriously quick throw-and-go handler movement, Carleton chose to engulf UBC’s petite squad in an enormously tall three-person cup –frequently consisting of Brianna Rick, Flannery

Bethany Kaylor bids for the D in the championship finals against Carleton College. Photo: CBMT Creative

SUMMER 2013

offensive flow. But Virginia remained patient on offense, and a perfectly executed flick huck from Johnson to Sarah Hansen in the back of the end zone clinched the game for UVA 15-13.

In the semifinals, Carleton knew they would have to put intense defensive pressure on Ohio State stars Paige Soper and Cassie Swafford to keep them from running away with the game. Syzygy implemented the same box-and-one strategy they had been using successfully all weekend, this time isolating Cassie Swafford. The Carleton defense also worked hard to cut off Paige Soper’s reliable dump cuts, essentially taking the Fever handler out of the game.

As the championship game began, it seemed Carleton’s clean, offensive-minded game was going to trump Oregon’s defensive-minded one. After Oregon’s handlers overthrew several deep looks, Carleton’s Anna Reed completed some quickly executed passes to extra-tall teammates that were received far above Fugue heads. The Oregon defenders seemed shocked. This was clearly the first time their deep game had been so challenged.

Ohio State had some tricks up their sleeves, though, creating a highly contested semifinal. Fever’s own tight man defense significantly slowed down Carleton’s offensive flow, and their four-man cup shifted Anna Reed’s normally dynamic offense to a walking pace.

WOMEN’S

to create an atmosphere of chaos, throwing opponents off their A-games. Possession wasn’t as important as scoring to Fugue, although the two often went hand-in-hand. As Oregon coach Lou Burruss explained, “We don’t want our game to stay clean. Winning is not about completing passes; it’s about scoring goals, and you have to score fifteen of them.” Burruss readily acknowledged that while he considered Oregon’s defense to be the best at the College Championships, their offense probably wasn’t – and he was perfectly fine with that.

After an Oregon timeout at 4-2 with Carleton in the lead, Ashley Young came up big for Fugue. Sprinting alongside her opponent on defense, she leapt for the disc and caught it mid-layout. Fugue exploded with excitement, and the play became a rallying point. After Jesse Shofner hit Anna Almy in the end

Deprived of Paige Soper’s dump cuts, Ohio State’s offensive flow was seriously stymied; without any momentum, it was difficult for Fever to make effective deep cuts. After three consecutive breaks, Carleton came away with a clean 15-11 win and a spot in the finals.

The championship game epitomized the theme of the tournament. Oregon and Carleton were perhaps equally qualified to win, but their playing styles could not have been more different. Countless unknown factors could have helped determine the outcome of the women’s championship game, but one thing was clear: the game could be played Oregon’s way or Carleton’s way, but both playing styles could not coexist. As they demonstrated all weekend, Carleton’s game was one of possession-minded offense. When their defense earned a turn, Syzygy took the disc and literally ran with it, leaving their defenders reeling. Star handlers Anna Reed and Julia Snyder, having played together since their early teenage years, seamlessly facilitated quick, short disc movement, opening up deep looks to unstoppable receivers such as Flannery McArdle and Marlena HartmanFilson. “Carleton will be looking to come out and play our offensive game today,” head coach Megan Molteni said before the final. “Our strategy is to play with confidence, to play for the love of each other and to not think too hard about who our competitors are.” Ohio State’s Paige Soper was a key factor in Fever’s success all year and their semifinal run in Madison. Photo: CBMT Creative

Oregon’s game was built around an opposite premise: the team relied on fierce defensive intensity 17

U S A U LT I M AT E

WOMEN’S

Oregon celebrates their championship win in Madison, Wis. Photo: CBMT Creative INSET: Fugue had a large cheering section in Madison, anchored in the finals by their counterparts from Ego. Photo: CBMT Creative

zone to narrow the score gap to 4-3, Oregon really began to bring their defensive game. Their junk zone immediately forced simple handler turnovers while Shofner, Bailey Zahniser and Alex Ode played shutdown defense on Reed and Snyder, barely allowing them to make even dump cuts.

trailed behind Oregon’s cutters. A perfect forehand huck from Shofner to Young ended the game 15-8. After the game, Sophie Darch was all smiles. “This win feels great,” she said. “It means everything to me and my teammates. It makes all of our track workouts and practices worth it.” When asked how Fugue rallied after giving up the first few breaks, she explained, “We knew from the beginning that this game was going to be a battle and that it would be tough. We got into a huddle and talked about how this was our game and that we play fiery defense.” The biggest challenge Carleton posed to Fugue’s hot defense, she explained, was Syzygy’s receivers. “Their deep receivers are absolutely incredible and so tall,” she said. “That was the first time that our deep receivers were really challenged.”

Oregon finally got the score back on serve at 6-5 after some long, messy points full of stunning defensive plays and many turnovers. Without the customary guarantee of open dump cuts from Reed, Snyder and Want, Carleton’s cutters put up numerous lofty hucks, many of which were unsuccessful. The fact that these points were chaotic, confused and rife with drops proved Oregon’s game was prevailing, not Carleton’s, and signaled an end to Syzygy’s early dominance. Carleton, while still scoring points, was clearly no longer playing their possession-minded offense. Generally consistent players dropped the disc on easy throws, and their tired-looking defense

In the end, Oregon claimed their second National Championship in four years, and they did it their way.

LEFT: Georgia’s Emily Lloyd makes a great grab during pool play. Photo: CBMT Creative RIGHT: Iowa’s Chelsea Twohig was a major contributor in Saucy Nancy’s semifinal run. Photo: CBMT Creative

SUMMER 2013

WOMEN’S

2013 Callahan AWARD

Q&A with Claire Chastain of North Carolina-Wilmington Seaweed It’s rare for an athlete not competing at Nationals to win the Callahan Award. How does it feel to now be included in that elite group?

I was born and raised in North Carolina but am getting a little restless and looking to explore the country, so I haven’t committed to any club yet, though I will be playing with Phoenix at the U.S. Open in Raleigh this summer. I am trying to focus on training for U23 Worlds and will hopefully have something lined up afterwards.

It’s an incredibly prestigious award to begin with, and to be in the books with Chelsea (Dengler) Putnam along with the other winners who did not qualify is surreal. It says a lot about the women’s ultimate community, who I think truly factor in all aspects of the Callahan Award when voting: skill, leadership, sportsmanship and dedication. Every one of the girls who stood on the “podium” with me exemplify all of those characteristics, and it was an honor getting to be up there with the future of women’s ultimate. I look forward to playing with (hopefully) and against them for years to come.

How did you get involved in ultimate? My sister played for East Carolina, so I was exposed to it as a spectator when I was in high school. When I went to college, there were flyers in my dorm for the ultimate team, and I was choosing between that and lacrosse (my high school sport). I went to practice that night and have been hooked ever since.

Those who know you and have played against you know you to be a tough competitor but also a calm and humble person. How do you balance the desire to win while maintaining your collected demeanor and Spirit of the Game? I certainly wasn’t always that way; I have matured so much over the past five years. I don’t believe that being competitive and upholding Spirit of the Game are mutually exclusive aspects of our sport, but to be competitive you have to respect every opponent no matter what level you play. I try to play hard for myself, my teammates and my opponents to advance and grow the sport in the women’s division.

Do you have plans for your new post-college career? Will you stay in North Carolina and continue to play with Phoenix, or do you expect life to take you and your talents elsewhere?

TOP: Claire Chastain of North Carolina-Wilmington celebrates winning the 2013 Callahan Award with members of UNC-W’s men’s and women’s teams. Photo: CBMT Creative BOTTOM: 2013 Callahan Finalists: (left to right) Bailey Zahniser, Claudia Tajima, Becca Miller, Lien Hoffman, Claire Chastain Photo: CBMT Creative

U S A U LT I M AT E

WOMEN’S FINAL STANDINGS 1. Oregon 2. Carleton College T3. Iowa T3. Ohio State T5. British Columbia T5. Tufts T5. Virginia T5. Washington T9. Iowa State T9. Minnesota T9. Northwestern T9. Wisconsin T13. California-Santa Barbara T13. Ottawa T13. Stanford T13. Whitman T17. Central Florida T17. Georgia T17. Northeastern T17. Texas

Oregon’s Anna Almy (left) and Ashley Young (right) celebrate after the score that started with Young’s game-changing defensive block. Photo: CBMT Creative

TEAM SPIRIT SCORES 4.50 - British Columbia 4.20 - Iowa State 4.20 - Ohio State

INDIVIDUAL SPIRIT NOMINEES British Columbia – CRYSTAL KOO

4.17 - Washington

California-Santa Barbara – EVA HEALY

4.10 - Texas

Carleton College – LAURA KARSON

4.00 - Iowa

Central Florida – KATIE FOX

4.00 - Minnesota

Georgia – HOPE BLACKSHEAR

4.00 - Tufts

Iowa - AUDREY ERICKSON

3.83 - Virginia 3.80 - Carleton College 3.80 - Northwestern 3.80 - Stanford

Iowa State – KELLY SMITH Minnesota – EMILY REGAN Northeastern – JENNI LADUTKO Northwestern – SAMANTHA THOMPSON

3.80 - Whitman

Ohio State – AMANDA TATE

3.80 - Wisconsin

Oregon – MOLLY MUNSON

3.60 - Georgia

Ottawa – KAYLEE SPARKS

3.60 - Oregon 3.40 - California-Santa Barbara 3.40 - Northeastern 3.20 - Central Florida 3.00 - Ottawa

Stanford – ALLISON FINK Texas – PAULINA URBANOWICZ Tufts – HANNA BUECHI Virginia – BETH TURNER Washington – SARAH DAVIS Whitman – ADRIENNE WELLS Wisconsin – EMILY FORD

LEFT: Flannery McArdle was Carleton’s biggest threat, often using her height advantage in making great plays. Photo: CBMT Creative RIGHT: Picture Perfect: Oregon’s Bailey Zahniser is known for her incredible layouts. Photo: CBMT Creative

SUMMER 2013

WOMEN’S FINALS GAME STATISTICS OREGON – 15 JERSEY #

CARLETON COLLEGE - 8 NAME

GOALS

ASST

JERSEY #

NAME

GOALS

ASST DS

Jesse Shofner

Zoe Borden

Rachel Karpelowitz

Anna Reed

Arielle Koshkin

Bailey Zahniser

Kimber Coles

Emily Buckner

Angela Tocchi

Grace Quintana

Alex Ode

Flannery McArdle

Annika Ord

Ashley Young

Olivia Bartruff

Lucia Childs-Walker

Sophie Darch

Jenny Piela

Bethany Kavlor

Laura Karson

Kasey Harris

Marlena Hartman-Filson

Molly Lanning

Ahna Weeks

Morgan Zajonc

Gabbi Stienstra

Andrea Fontenot

Leah Cromer

Molly Munson

Hannah Tremblay

Kirstie Barton

Anna Almy

Rachel Hershey

Julia Snyder

Ciera Bishop

Brianna Rick

Foley Glavin

Taylor Want

Lily Herd

Jamie Johnson

Amanda Parranto

Sarah Robinson

Adrienne Bovee

unknown

TOTALS

By: Evan Ma he final tournament of the season for Division III schools was more exciting than ever with upsets, comebacks and universe point wins coming early and often. Last year’s champions, the Carleton College Gods of Plastic, did not make Sunday’s championship bracket. The top four seeds going into the tournament ended up playing each other in the quarterfinals: Puget Sound (1) vs. Harding (2) and Stevens Tech (3) vs. Wake Forest (4). Lehigh almost opened the tournament with a huge upset win over top-seeded Puget Sound. The Amherst Army of Darkness swept their pool and made the semifinals, posting a very impressive tournament record, despite this being their first trip to the big show. And of course, Middlebury (10) was in control of virtually every game, blowing their initial seeding out of the water. The Division III College Championships have grown immensely in the past few years, both in terms of participation levels and competing teams’ skill and athleticism. The Puget Sound Postmen demonstrated that athleticism, using their tireless legs to earn up-line and deep cuts all weekend. Reports from the early-season D-III Warm Up were that the Postmen ran sprints after winning the tournament. But they were by no means the only athletic team at Nationals. In fact, you would be hard pressed to find any team that did not take their fitness very seriously. In the end, the Postmen’s intense lifting regimens and sprint workouts were not enough to take down the Middlebury Pranksters in the championship final. In the past, the Pranksters have competed in the Division I Championship Series, seeking better competition SUMMER 2013

despite their school’s eligibility to compete at the D-III level. This year, however, Middlebury decided to pursue the Division III National Championship – and it paid off. The title of National Champions still feels a little strange to Pranksters captains Stephen Lammers and Davis Whitehead. While excited to have won, they were more proud of the team for accomplishing their main goal for the weekend: having fun and playing with excellent spirit throughout. In fact, they cited Nationals as the best-spirited tournament in which they have ever played. Throughout the weekend, the Pranksters demonstrated their spirited attitude while dominating much of the field. They partially attributed their Sunday success to rest they got after relatively easy victories on Saturday and avoiding the pre-quarters round. In addition, their strict offensive and defensive lines kept their stars rested and their role players active. Whitehead attributed the team’s incredible patience in part to the absence of star handler Jason Milan, without whom the Pranksters were forced to rely on simpler throws and smart decisions, instead of Milan’s arsenal of versatile throws. While their offense was good, the big difference maker throughout the tournament was their defensive line, which kept pressure on other teams and their offensive players resting on the sideline. Their experience at the Division I level transferred well, and the Pranksters played shut-down defense, focusing specifically on shutting down other teams’ main handlers and set plays. Whitehead and Lammers pointed to the lack of depth most D-III teams struggle with, and by locking up other squads’ superstars, the Pranksters were able to force comfortable offenses into relying on high-stall, risky throws. In their semifinal game against Amherst, the Pranksters took note of the few 22

OPPOSITE PAGE: The Middlebury Pranksters are known for their colorful personalities. Photo: CBMT Creative RIGHT: The 2013 D-III Open Championship came down to a single point, with Middlebury pulling out a 12-11 win over Puget Sound. Photo: CBMT Creative BOTTOM: Middlebury captain Davis Whitehead fights through a tough mark in the finals. Photo: CBMT Creative

players the Army of Darkness played on both sides of the disc; the Pranksters did their best to tire them out, thereby reducing their overall effectiveness. While they did not expect the tournament to go quite as smoothly as it did, the Pranksters entered the weekend confident that they were under-seeded and could match up against any team in the field.

This year’s Championships featured several teams with no prior Nationals-level experience, demonstrating the growth and expansion of D-III ultimate across the country. The Amherst Army of Darkness is one such team. After playing a phenomenal Regionals tournament, AoD brought their momentum into pool play at the Championships. They swept the competition, including a dominant win against the overall two-seed, Harding. Their loss on Sunday to the eventual champions was nothing to scoff at; a semifinal finish is an excellent result for this first-time Nationals team. Georgia College was another first timer, a team whose reputation was tarnished before the first point by a host of articles pointing to their slightly unorthodox road to the Championships. However, their region’s lack of D-III teams should not reflect poorly on the young squad’s quality or intensity. Georgia College’s presence should remind people just how much the division has grown and how small schools can have difficulty securing funding, establishing programs and, at times, recruiting players. With a few young stars on their team, Georgia College will be an exciting team to watch in the future. John Brown University also presented a fascinating story in

The decision to focus their efforts on winning the Division III Championships instead of competing against higher caliber teams at New England’s Division I Regionals was necessitated by the team’s perceived decline in athleticism and overall skill. While becoming a big fish in a relatively smaller pond appealed to the Pranksters, they also attributed the transition to the surge in excellent competition from other D-III programs. Citing past games against teams like Carleton GOP, Claremont Braineaters and Puget Sound Postmen, Middlebury realized there was growing athleticism and talent in the smaller division. In addition, the games were often more spirited and just more fun – something that is clearly very important to the Pranksters. They hope their decision to play Division III this year will prompt other prominent D-III schools who typically compete in Division I, such as Whitman or Williams, to consider playing with other small schools and further contribute to the overall level of competition at Nationals. The Pranksters believe that by providing examples of extremely competitive D-III programs, other colleges will be inclined to work harder and further develop their own programs. Small schools often struggle to maintain strong programs as star players and leaders depart, but with increased focus and organization, these teams can become truly and consistently competitive. However, until those teams decide to compete at the Division III level, the Middlebury Pranksters are happy to use their D-I experience to compete with fellow small schools and hope to turn this year’s victory into several more in the years to come. Although surely a host of opponents will have something of their own to say about Middlebury’s chances. The Pranksters also cited the importance of more extensive coverage and footage, both at Nationals and throughout the season, as something they believe will increase the sport’s appeal to highly competitive D-III schools and people with little ultimate experience, in addition to encouraging less-prominent programs to further develop. 23

U S A U LT I M AT E

Milwaukee. Their final game of pool play against Wesleyan would either put them atop their pool with a spot in the quarterfinals or at the bottom, knocking them out of the championship bracket. With perhaps the smallest roster at the tournament, JBU proved that determination and scrappiness in the face of unfavorable odds can pay off, especially at the D-III level. No team at Nationals was comprised largely of players who grew up in major ultimate cities and came into college with vast experience. Such is the nature of D-III ultimate. Instead, many players are introduced in their first years in college and must pick up the skills and strategy quickly. Many teams mentioned the immediate impact of first-year ultimate players they picked up from other sports and the major influence they had on their team’s success. As noted by the Pranksters, the dramatic increase in Division III squads’ athleticism raised the bar at Nationals this year and bodes well for the future of D-III ultimate.

It’s worth noting that only two teams scored lower than a four out of a possible five in spirit scores at the end of the tournament. This division manages to combine an incredible balance of competitiveness and spirit of the game. Many teams pointed to the incredible amount of sportsmanship at this tournament in particular, no small feat given the tournament’s prominence and importance to each competing team. Everyone who showed up to Nationals wanted success for their team, whether that meant winning it all, playing with spirit throughout, or just having a good time with friends and letting the rest fall into place. Whether or not they accomplished their goals, this year’s Championships made a big contribution to the growth of Division III ultimate across the nation.

TOP: Puget Sound’s Dylan Harrington gets a footblock during the finals against Middlebury. Photo: CBMT Creative BOTTOM: Teams got a chance to play in front of a stadium crowd at the 2013 Division III Championships in Milwaukee. Photo: CBMT Creative

SUMMER 2013

U S A U LT I M AT E

MIDDLEBURY â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 12 JERSEY #

NAME

PUGET SOUND - 11 GOALS

ASST

JERSEY #

NAME

Ben Meltzer

Daniel Mozell

Elliott Cohen

Jeff Hetzel

Will Lones

Davis Whitehead

Oliver Sutro

CB Wolf

Patrick Adelstein

Peter Geertz-Larson

Sam Hage

Robin VanHouten

Nathan Kowalski

Dylan Harrington

Nathan Arnosti

Alan Henzy

1 1

Eric Hopfenbeck

Sean Stackhouse

Spencer Sheridan

Travis Shetter

Sam Tauke

Jonas Cole

Jason Leehow

Sam Berkelhammer

Walker Bohannan

Riley Carpenter

Conner Sleeper

Jack Derham

Jeff Dobronyi

Stephen Lammers

Philip Chang

Asa Julien

36 75

TOTALS

1 1

TOTALS

1. Middlebury 2. Puget Sound T3. Amherst T3. Stevens Tech T5. Lehigh T5. Wake Forest T7. Claremont T7. Harding T9. Georgia College T9. North Park T11. Brandeis T11. Carleton College-GOP T13. Rice T13. Wesleyan T15. Bentley T15. John Brown The Amherst Army of Darkness was not intimidated in their first trip to the Championships, finishing the weekend tied for third. Photo: CBMT Creative

SUMMER 2013

GOALS 5

ASST DS 3

1 1

2 2

4 1

1 1 11

5.00 - John Brown*

Amherst – John Sataloff

5.00 - Amherst

Bentley – Mark Adamiak

4.83 - Carleton College-GOP

Brandeis – Victor Zhivich

4.83 - Puget Sound

Claremont – Abe McKay

4.80 - Rice

Carleton College – GOP – Kyle Markwalter

4.67 - Bentley

Georgia College – Joseph Hanson

4.67 - Stevens Tech

Harding – Luc Sutherland

4.60 - Brandeis

John Brown – Ethan Penner

4.60 - Georgia College

Lehigh – Anthony Ventura

4.50 - Claremont

Middlebury – Patrick Adelstein

4.50 - Middlebury

North Park – Dan Raymond

4.20 - Wake Forest

Puget Sound – Alan Henzy

4.17 - Harding

Rice – Alex Kundrot

4.17 - Lehigh

Stevens Tech – Andrew Misthos

3.83 - North Park

Wake Forest – Patrick McKendry

3.67 - Wesleyan

Wesleyan – Noam Sandweiss-Back

*won tiebreaker

Puget Sound was one of the heavy favorites heading into the 2013 D-III Championships. Photo: CBMT Creative

Harding came into Milwaukee as the overall two seed and had a strong weekend before falling to eventual finalist Puget Sound. Photo: CBMT Creative

U S A U LT I M AT E

Senior Phoebe Aron tallied 40 assists for Bowdoin at the 2013 Division III College Championships. Photo: CBMT Creative

By: Mikaela Hagen The final tournament of the season for Division III schools was more exciting than ever with upsets, Bowdoin’s Chaos Theory might at first seem inappropriately named: in their march through an undefeated season to the 2013 Division III College Championship, their tight defense, efficient offense and buttery flow were anything but chaotic. However, the chaos theory, also known as the “butterfly effect” explains the idea that a small change now can make an enormous difference in the future. Surveying the state of Division III women’s ultimate, it is easy to see how tiny flutters—and the occasional flap—are transforming SUMMER 2013

opportunities for women’s teams at small schools. At the heart of this metamorphosis has been the establishment of a championship tournament that allows these teams to compete at a national level while maintaining opportunities to play against Division I programs. Fresh off Bowdoin’s 15-5 championship win over regional rivals Williams La WUFA, Chaos Theory team captain Phoebe “Goose” Aron confided that she was an avid ESPN fan and joked that she finally understood how a team’s post-championship meet-the-press felt: amazing. And that’s the thing – the “big show” matters. Instead of ending the year on a weekend when the D-line barely gets their cleats dirty, small schools’ teams can compete with their peers for a chance to play on the national stage. Instead of praying to make 28

it to the second day of play at regionals, one team of D-III women will spend a Sunday afternoon in May with gold medals around their necks. It was this vision that motivated Dr. Bill Theisen to develop the D-III championship tournament in 2006 at Ohio Northern University. “It was time,” said Theisen “People were very supportive of a championship event for small schools. College varsity sports have divisions and it made sense for ultimate to have them too.” Thiesen noted that attendance climbed steadily each year, and the women’s division was added in 2009. The tournament was officially incorporated into the thenUPA College Championship Series in 2010. Since that time, conference championships and regional tournaments have been established at the D-III level, resulting in often-fierce competition for national bids. What a tribute to the organization, development and passion of D-III players and their supporters across the country. With the prospect of a national championship to galvanize them, D-III women’s teams have flourished. Teams that just five years ago were slogging it out on some hilly, back-of-the-park field at a post-regionals tournament in mid-May are now building seasons that culminate in national championships. This year’s D-III Nationals field featured an exciting range of women’s teams on the rise. Small squads like SUNY-Oneonta, Philadelphia University and Georgia College scrapped their way to several exciting upsets. Young and hungry teams from Saint Benedict and Bentley made their national debuts and will return much of their rosters next year. The defending champion Claremont Greenshirts ran a fast and explosive offense en route to a third-place finish. All teams gained high-stakes experience and had the chance to play teams hailing from all across the country. While a new echelon of college ultimate has been defined, organizers have ensured that D-III teams have not become segregated. One of the elegant yet confounding aspects of the D-III/D-I College Championship Series is that it allows small schools to choose between the two tiers depending on a team’s priorities and abilities in any given season. The option can force teams into a gamble: once a track is declared at the beginning of the series, teams must play out their chosen route. A team that might have snatched their region’s D-III Nationals bid could find their season ended by a disappointing D-I regionals finish. Several teams from D-III-eligible schools chose to pursue the D-I path this spring. Alongside perennial D-I Nationals competitor Carleton Syzygy, the

Whitman Sweets women, whose predecessors won the inaugural 2009 D-III Nationals, represented D-III schools at the D-I College Championships. “Our team goal starting in September was to make it to D-I Nationals,” explained Sweets captain Beth Daviess. “We talked about going the D-III route, but as a team and with the help and advice of Jeremy Norden and Jacob Janin, our great coaches, we decided that we had a shot (maybe a long shot) of making D-I if we started working towards that goal immediately. ” The women from Walla Walla’s four-year quest for a D-I berth resulted in a successful outing – they broke seed at D-I Nationals, tying for 13th place while Syzygy stormed to the finals and a second-place finish. The Middlebury Lady Pranksters were nearly the third D-III squad at D-I Nationals but lost in a close backdoor gameto-go this spring. This year’s upset D-III Nationals quarterfinalist, Swarthmore, is a team that has played successfully in both tiers, gaining valuable experience at both levels in the last decade and switching between them from year to year. But Swarthmore isn’t the only team to have cut their teeth against D-I competition. Play between D-I and D-III schools during the 2013 regular season demonstrated that the D-III teams could compete against their larger counterparts. Sachie Hayakawa and the Swarthmore Warmothers were surprise quarterfinalists at this year’s Division III College Championships. Photo: CBMT Creative

U S A U LT I M AT E

The 2013 season featured the feisty Carleton Eclipse and the speedy Claremont Greenshirts both making appearances at the competitive Stanford Invitational. Teams like the dynamic Valparaiso Chicks Hucking Discs and the athletic and multi-faceted Williams La WUFA won tournaments over Division I teams this year (Valpo swept the Chicago Invite while Williams dominated at Virginia is for Layouts), forcing a difficult decision between pursuing high-level success at the D-III level or trying to snatch a backdoor bid to D-I Nationals. Williams captain Meg Clark explained, “As captains, we saw the potential for D-I or D-III early on and tried to gear our practices and schedule tournaments accordingly.” The elements that influenced the choice varied from team to team, ranging from competitiveness of their D-I region, willingness to travel for more experience, graduation conflicts and goals of individual team members. In the end, all of these schools decided to play for a spot in Milwaukee. As the weekend came to a close, it was a team from tiny Brunswick, Maine that played the season with a regional focus and a huge amount of heart that walked away with the D-III crown. Captain Aron explained, “Going D-III was a very natural decision for our team. We are a pretty laid back group and like to have a good time during the season, especially during tournaments. D-III has the perfect combination of competitive games and fun play that we’re looking for. It just fits with our team identity.” Coming off a perfect season against D-I and D-III regional rivals, Chaos Theory was peerless in their composure throughout the weekend. SUMMER 2013

Their lighthearted pre-game and halftime dance parties to Ellie Goulding’s “Anything Could Happen,” gave way to ruthless and disciplined full-team defense that utilized off-handler poaches to clog force- and break-side lanes and a ferocious offensive attack built on a tight corps of disciplined handlers and relentless cuts by confident utility players. Highlights included long hucks by Aron and Ana Leon, ceaseless energy on both sides of the disc from Julie Bender, big defense from Claire Stansberry and ridiculous long cuts from Hannah Young. Bowdoin was able to dictate the pace of games throughout the weekend and maintained focus even in heavily lopsided contests. Watching the team celebrate the championship, their obvious commitment to each other, incredible dedication to the team and pride in their game exemplified the very best that comes from providing small schools the opportunity to perform on the national stage. Gives you butterflies, huh?

TOP: Bowdoin Chaos Theory celebrates their championship win in Milwaukee, Wis. Photo: CBMT Creative BOTTOM: Julie Bender was one of Bowdoin’s biggest playmakers all season. Photo: CBMT Creative

SAVE UP TO 20% OFF “Best “Best Available Available Rate*” Rate*” at at more more than than 7,000 7,000 properties! properties!

Call Call 877.670.7088 877.670.7088 & & mention mention ID# 1000009286 to receive ID# 1000009286 to receive the the discount! discount!

Proud members of the Wyndham Worldwide family: Proud members of the Wyndham Worldwide family:

*Best Available Rate” is defined as the best, non-qualified, publicly available rate on the Internet for the hotel, date and accommodations requested. The discount for *Best Available Rate” is may defined as the best, non-qualified, publicly availableRate. rate on the Internet for the hotel, and this accommodations requested. The discount International properties be less than or equal to 20% of Best Available Certain restrictions apply. Todate redeem offer call the hotel brand phone num- for International properties less or equalOffer to 20% Best Available Rate. Certain restrictions apply. To redeem offerabove. call the hotel brand phone number above and give ID atmay the be time of than reservation. not of valid if hotel is called directly,caller must use toll free numbersthis listed Advanced reservations are ber aboveOffer and is give ID at to theavailability time of reservation. Offerlocations not valid and if hotel is called directly,caller use toll free numbers listed above. Advanced reservations areor required. subject at participating some blackout dates maymust apply. Offer cannot be combined with any other discounts, offers, required. Offer is subject to availability participating locations some blackout may apply. cannot be combined special promotions. Discounts vary by at location and time of year.and Offer is void wheredates prohibited by lawOffer and has no cash value. with any other discounts, offers, or special promotions. Discounts vary by location and time of year. Offer is void where prohibited by law and has no cash value.

5.00 - Truman State 4.60 - Oberlin 4.50 - Philadelphia 4.50 - Williams 4.40 - Mary Washington 4.33 - Bowdoin 4.33 - Elon 4.20 - Grinnell 4.00 - Bentley 4.00 - Claremont 4.00 - Georgia College 4.00 - Valparaiso 3.67 - St Benedict 3.33 - Carleton College-Eclipse

Marianna Heckendorn moves the disc for Claremont against eventual champions Bowdoin. Photo: CBMT Creative

3.17 - SUNY-Oneonta 2.50 – Swarthmore

Bentley – Elisa Lam

Oberlin – Zoe Bluffstone

Bowdoin – Clare Stansberry

Philadelphia – Erika Krueger

Carleton College-Eclipse – Julia Reich

SUNY-Oneonta – Erica Bornhoft

Claremont – Tasha Arvanitis

Swarthmore – Jackie Kay

Elon – Jill Padfield

Truman State – Erica Sumner

Georgia College – Erin Hackman

Valparaiso – Rachel Okerstrom

Grinnell – Rebecca Heller

Williams – Kristen Sinicariello

Mary Washington – Christine Valvo

SUMMER 2013

BOWDOIN – 15 JERSEY #

WILLIAMS – 5 NAME

Julie Bender

GOALS

ASST

NAME

Claire Baecher

Zina Huxley-Reicher

Mika Nakashige

Hannah Leblanc

Emma Rouse

Sivana Barron

Kelsey McDermott

Nina Underman

Stephanie Sun

Zoe Karp

Denise Park

Mik Cooper

Phoebe Aron

Hannah Young

Clare Stansberry

Erica Swan

JERSEY #

ASST

TO 6

Rachel Kessler

Haley Eagon

Sarah Freymiller

Julia Cline

Nina Horowitz

Elizabeth Carew

Chie Togami

Emily McDonald

Madeline Gilmore

Tess Chardiet

Chelsea Zhu

Elisabeth Strayer

Alison Smith

Juliet Eyraud

Meagan Clark

Ana Leon

Marissa Thiel

unknown

Rachel Nguyen

Kristen Sinicariello

Charlotte Fleming

TOTALS

GOALS

1 15

1. Bowdoin 2. Williams 3. Claremont 4. Valparaiso T5. Philadelphia T5. Swarthmore T7. Carleton College-Eclipse T7. Truman State T9. Elon T9. Grinnell T11. Oberlin T11. SUNY-Oneonta T13. Bentley T13. St Benedict T15. Georgia College T15. Mary Washington

4 3 1

3 1

unknown

TOTALS

Carleton College Eclipse, the 2012 D-III Champions, faced tough Division I competition all season in preparation for the Championships. Photo: CBMT Creative

U S A U LT I M AT E

Both of Nancy Clutton’s sons, a freshman and a junior, play for the University of Texas – Austin. While Nancy shopped at the Five Ultimate tent at College Nationals, a young man trying on a shirt asked her to read the label to tell him which size he had on, and she obliged. He was not one of her sons, but it didn’t matter. Ultimate parents are happy to take care of the whole team – no matter which team you play on.

Carleton College, located in Northfield, Minn., has been an ultimate power since college play began in the 1980s. But Dari Smith and Sergio Quintana, of Gainesville, Fla., have five children, so this year’s College Championships was the first time they’d seen their middle child, Grace, play for Syzygy. Dari summed up many parents’ observations when she said, “Ultimate players are self-motivated to be the best they can for their teammates.

The Ultimate Parents By: Phyllis Rubin

SUMMER 2013

Parents of Division I College Championships players gathered in Madison, Wis., over Memorial Day weekend, enjoying the opportunity to support their kids who were doing something they loved. Many described it as their vacation. One of the longest trips to Madison was made by a dad from Hawaii to see his daughter play for Northeastern. Whether seeing the game for the first time or watching with the experienced eye of a member of ultimate’s pioneer generation, every parent marveled at the merits of Spirit of the Game. In addition, parents of nearly every team were keenly aware of how their child’s team was funded, since they were underwriters.

It comes from themselves, not from the coaches. It’s clearly different from soccer, how teammates encourage each other.”

In addition to dutifully recording games with photos and video, wearing team clothing and “Ultimate Parent” ribbons provided by USA Ultimate, parents were busy figuring out lunch arrangements, navigating the streets of Madison to buy sunscreen, snacks and sports drinks for the whole team, and of course, cheering from the sidelines.

Not surprisingly, almost every player from the University of Wisconsin teams had multiple family members there. When Nina and Steve Cook, from the Green Bay area, learned that their daughter Biz started playing ultimate as a sophomore, they had only heard of Frisbee Golf. “She says she likes this better than any sport she’s done,”

Sergio confirmed, “I was surprised. After a hard-fought competitive match, they still showed respect for the other team. And it’s great experience that the girls manage the team as a group. It’s very non-hierarchical.” They were still a little shocked at how organized the event was, unaware that any governing body for the sport existed. Neither had heard the term “Spirit of the Game” until another parent explained it. “It’s a very exciting game, very athletic and good for developing hand-eye coordination,” concluded Grace.

reported Steve. “She was [a] starting goalie in soccer, but she says this is more fun.” The Cooks were joined by Robert Stuligross, whose son plays for Wisconsin’s open team, in expressing dismay that, even though both teams qualified for Nationals and the tournament was hosted locally, the university still did not provide financial support or allow the club to use the official Wisconsin Badgers logo. Parents who have shepherded

She drove a number of the players, and was impressed with their “respect for one another as they talked in my car. I’ve never seen such an attitude of compassion and caring in any other sport, and I am a single mom of three sons and a daughter who all play multiple sports. I couldn’t wait to get away from the yelling! With ultimate, nobody leaves with anger. It’s like you’ve put your kid in etiquette lessons!”

found a genuine community. The first time I saw him play as a freshman – he’d made the A team – I couldn’t believe it! He’d already grown, and he was so good! Spirit of the Game teaches interpersonal relationships.” The same year Andrew graduated, UCF’s ultimate coach left, and the team asked him to take on the job. Joe said Andrew occasionally asks him for coaching advice, but he finds he has nothing but praise for his son. “I am so proud of

LEFT TO RIGHT: 1. Oregon Fugue arrived at the Championships with a large group of enthusiastic and supportive parents. Photo: CBMT Creative 2. The Fallon family of Seattle showing off their “We Love You Ewo” t-shirts. Photo: Phyllis Rubin 3. Anne Van Brussek with son Peter of Florida State pictured on her phone. Photo: Phyllis Rubin 4. Sangwha Hong’s daughter and father play together while she coaches Tufts’ Ewo. Photo: Phyllis Rubin 5. Coach Andrew Roca and his Central Florida Dogs of War give a hand to their fans after the championship finals. Photo: CBMT Creative

their kids through other sports can see that ultimate’s athleticism is comparable, while SOTG makes it extraordinary, and feel frustrated with the lack of acknowledgement their children’s efforts receive, despite being so deserving. But, of course, they still enjoyed watching the tournament. Lora Holcombe is an economics professor at Florida State University and the mother of sophomore player Connor. According to Lora, when the ultimate team started in the 1960s, FSU would not permit them to identify with the school in any way, so the players selected their uniform colors from the opposite side of the color wheel from the school’s official colors. Now, however, the team dresses in the school’s official garnet and gold. She has also found that the ultimate players who take her classes are “all really good students.” Another FSU mom, Anne Van Brussel, mother of Peter, had only seen one game before coming to Nationals.

Tufts Ewo coach Sangwha Hong brought her father to Nationals to babysit her five-year-old daughter. But perhaps the only coach whose parents came to root for him was Andrew Roca, who led his University of Central Florida Dogs of Ware to a second consecutive Nationals appearance this year. This time, they finished in second place. Margo and Joe brimmed with emotion as they relayed how ultimate helped their son grow. Andrew first discovered ultimate as a 10-year-old at camp in Vermont, and he loved playing every summer. Although he’s now over six feet tall, he remained short and introverted throughout high school. Even though Joe coaches high school soccer and baseball, no matter how frequently they tried to start an ultimate team at the school, “the administration felt it wasn’t a real sport.” But after Andrew joined the UCF ultimate team, he experienced “a transformation you can’t imagine,” described Margo, nearly in tears. “He 35

him. All the boys are so respectful and appreciative. Ultimate built Andrew’s confidence, first as a young man and now as a grown man.” Another long-distance spectator, Mandy Lobel flew in from her current home in Zurich, Switzerland to watch her brother Peter play for Dartmouth, also her alma mater. She and sister Erica, who attended Carleton, both played at Nationals many times and were just taking it all in, watching as many games as possible. Watching Robin Diamond cheer on her son Jordan in her bright red Cornell shirt, you could easily conclude that she lives and dies for Cornell. But an hour later, she has pulled off the red to reveal the underlying green sweatshirt, as she cheers for Spencer, a junior at Dartmouth. She also brought a train whistle to blow whenever PainTrain pulled or scored. On her hat was her pair of “Ultimate Parent” ribbons with a badge for each school. The whole family had an impromptu reunion U S A U LT I M AT E

The Ultimate Parents

at Nationals when the boys’ sister, who attends graduate school in Denver, flew out to surprise them. The Diamond family, including dad Ted who wrote the essay “Ultimate Dad” in Chicken Soup for the Father and Son Soul, is from Amherst, Mass., where ultimate is as ubiquitous as football in small Texas towns. “I’ve been in the ultimate world for nine years,” said Robin. “It’s been quite a journey!” So many Amherst High School players go on to play for their college teams that “we are constantly playing against kids we know and their parents. When Dartmouth won the New England Regional over Tufts on universe point. Right afterward, a boy we know, who was a senior at Tufts – so this became his final college game – came over and hugged us. He must have been so disappointed, but that gesture says it all, about Spirit and the level of sportsmanship.” Seattle is another epicenter of youth ultimate in the U.S. and, like the Diamonds, the entire Fallon family came to Nationals to see their daughter/ sister Michaela power through play after play for Tufts Ewo, but also to catch up with friends whose children now populate virtually every team at the College Championships. The Fallons all proudly displayed their “We Love You Ewo!” t-shirts, made especially for the occasion by another proud parent who schlepped the shirts in her suitcase. Every Ewo family member present at Nationals bought one before the tournament. If a prize for nonchalance existed, Diane Terry and Calvin Hall, another Seattle family, would probably win. They’ve been watching ultimate games since their daughter Kelley started playing in fifth grade. She now plays for Whitman – apparently Kelley’s first criteria for a suitable college was “no football.” They lazed on a sheltered couch near the vendors saying, “We love ultimate’s culture. I think Kelley learned more about life from ultimate than she did from academics: leadership, negotiation skills, logistics, managing money, handling drama.” Then there are Roberta and Paul Shields. They came to Nationals even though their daughter Emily, who just completed her junior year at Tufts, was injured and could not play. When Tufts wasn’t playing, they watched other teams. Emily has two brothers: David, a rising sophomore at Penn who plays ultimate with their A-team, and Brian, whose Bar Mitzvah was schedule for two weeks after Nationals. The entire family stayed through finals. As they watched games, Roberta and Paul narrated, “Gotta change strategy, they’ve switched to man!” and “That girl marks better than anyone I’ve seen today.” They are a pair of ultimate’s pioneer generation who understand the game from the inside. Both Roberta and Paul played at the University of Pennsylvania over 30 years ago and played at Nationals (Roberta, three times) during their tenure. “But it was very different,” she said. “There were no coaches, and it was just Nationals, all the college and club teams.” Paul continued playing until recently and accumulated one College Nationals, three

SUMMER 2013

club Open Nationals and two Masters Nationals appearances. “Every summer we played a game of kids versus adults at a gathering with our college ultimate buddies. Two years ago, the kids crushed us. It was cool! The last game I played!” Emily and her brothers grew up in New Jersey, in a district devoid of youth ultimate. They learned endurance running and teamwork from lacrosse or soccer. But Paul always had a stack of about 20 discs around, and from the time the kids could walk, he played and invented games with them that developed handling skills: “Mac Line, Hot Box, Sandbox, Bocce Frisbee, Tree Curve, Water-In.” A common role for parents is to pay for things their kids like. Since ultimate is still a club sport with little funding from most schools, for many teams, parents play a crucial role in making the season possible. Mostly, teams try to get creative; they raise some money, contrive the least costly travel accommodations possible and share the remaining costs. But a few teams get lucky. Tiny Luther College (enrollment 2,500), which fielded a very young team in Madison (zero seniors), holds fundraisers but also receives support from college’s administration. They permit players to stay in the dorms after the semester is over to practice for Nationals, hire players as ushers for graduation to raise money and allow them to use school vans. “The kids drive everywhere,” reported parents Delores and Steve Hedrick. And unique to anyone else interviewed, “We have not paid anything all three years Sam has been on the team.” Sam enjoys pointing out that the ultimate team has the highest GPA of any sports team at Luther, varsity or club. The Tufts women gained from the men’s team’s universe point loss in the game-to-go at regionals, and were given the funds budgeted for the men’s usual trip to Nationals. The extra support enabled every girl to have a bed space, explained rising senior Hannah Garfield; no one had to sleep on the floor. Although it is unknown how many slept in each bed. The alumni of one college’s team organizes fundraisers to help with the current team’s expenses. Another school’s parents circulate email solicitations. But as Ted Diamond, the Dartmouth and Cornell dad, summarized, “You pay one way or another!” After the open final ended with UCF coming in second, coach Andrew Roca crossed the field with his team toward the stands. Midway, he stopped, pulled out his Sharpie and scribbled on a scrap of paper. He jogged to his parents and handed his mother the note: a big heart. Margo gushed, as would any mother, “I don’t care how his team did. This is what it’s all about!”

YOUTH ULTIMATE SUMMER CAMPS

2013 LOCATIONS:

Denver, CO Bristol, CT Duluth, GA Hardinsburg, KY Lanham, MD Minneapolis, MN

New York, NY Chapel Hill, NC Raleigh, NC Eugene, OR Philadelphia, PA Milwaukee, WI

Boys & Girls | Ages 7-19 | All Skill Levels

OPEN

Amherst’s David Julien extends for the disc. Photo: Burt Granofsky/Ultiphotos

Sidelines were packed with fans and other teams eager to see if the two semifinals would live up to their billing. They did. Pennsbury and Needham traded points in a marathon game with neither team ever leading by more than two points. Pennsbury’s zone defense generated turns early on, leading to huge hucks and opportunities for their many athletes to make big plays. As Needham got more comfortable against the zone, Pennsbury’s chances diminished, but both teams made the most of their opportunities. The game would end only with the hard cap. Just as the horn blew, Needham’s Ben Sadok, who had been their catalyst all day, earned a huge defensive block which he quickly turned into an assist downfield to tie up the score. On universe point, Pennsbury had an unfortunate miscue; Needham took advantage and punched their ticket to the finals.

The Fooligans Fight Their Way to the Top When the weekend began, the Amherst Regional High School Hurricanes seemed all but unbeatable. The three-peat champions came into the 2013 High School Northeastern Championships undefeated on the season and having won the Amherst Invitational, their home tournament and premier youth event, the previous weekend. Despite the rumor that the Hurricanes of 2013 had less athleticism than in years past, Saturday’s play did little to dispel the notion that they were unbeatable. Amherst won each of their first three games by an average cushion of nearly ten points.

On the neighboring field, a match up of dueling styles was afoot. Amherst’s disciplined ways were pitted against Lexington’s higher risk, higher reward approach. Amherst was strong and steady, playing tight defense and using impressive on-field communication and steadfast handlers to move the disc. Lexington was a bit more fiery, using their big three, Dan Bernstein, Zac Gunther and Tannor Johnson, and a plethora of athletic receivers to keep the offense ticking. Lexington took advantage of Amherst’s few mistakes and pulled out a 13-11 win to earn their spot in the finals.

The Lexington High School Fooligans arrived in Devens, Mass., as the fifth overall seed, with a strong early-season record and a loss to the Hurricanes in the Amherst Invite finals fresh in their minds. Despite some misgivings about their initial seeding, Coach Larry David encouraged his team to focus on using the opportunity to earn a higher seed for future tournaments. So the Fooligans came out strong, going 3-0 in pool play, including an upset of fourth overall seed Columbia High School, to clinch the pool and avoid the pre-quarter round late Saturday afternoon.

Heading into the semifinals, the Fooligans were pumped for the game ahead. “My players had seen the weekend before that Amherst was great but beatable if we played our game,” explained Coach Larry David. “Mostly the kids believed in themselves…As the game went on, I started to emphasize continuing to play as we had and to not be afraid to win. They weren’t.” Coach David also made clear the high opinion he and his entire team have of Amherst, “We had and have nothing but the utmost respect for Amherst and their program. And Tiina Booth is the all-time greatest high school coach.” In the end, the game was worthy of the two programs. This time, however, Lexington played their game and came out on top.

With a roster full of strong seniors and on-field leaders, Lexington rolled through their Sunday-morning quarterfinal match up against a tough Hampton squad to move on to the semifinals, which happened to be a rematch of the previous weekend’s finals.

Both Lexington and Needham were tired when the finals began, having left nearly everything on their respective fields in the semifinals. The Fooligans’ strategy was to jump out early and hold on. The game plan worked. After a marathon (nearly half hour) first point, Lexington came away with the

SUMMER 2013

LEXINGTON - 8 break. They proceeded to add to their lead, eventually going up 5-0. But Needham wasn’t about to give up. After pulling the score back to 8-5, the hard-cap horn blew. Needham tacked on one extra point, but the Fooligans had held on long enough. For the first time since 2009, there is a new champion in the East. After forming in 1999, the Fooligans tread a long road to being crowned Northeasterns Champions in their first appearance. Through it all, Coach Larry David has worked to evolve the team. From the handful of kids throwing with one another he happened upon on Lexington’s quad in 1999 to 2013’s 22-person varsity roster and a junior varsity squad eager to step up, all signs point to the Fooligans being a team to beat for years to come.

FINAL STANDINGS TEAM SPIRIT SCORES 4.80 Newton North 4.50 Fieldston 4.20 Amherst 4.20 Needham 4.17 Hampton 4.17 Pennsbury 4.17 Westfield 4.00 Columbia 4.00 Fryeburg Academy 4.00 Sharon 4.00 St. Johnsbury 3.80 Lexington 3.80 Xavier 3.40 Watchung Hills 3.00 West Windsor Plainsboro-North 2.67 Fox Chapel

1. Lexington 2. Needham 3T. Amherst 3T. Pennsbury 5T. Hampton 5T. Newton North 7T. Columbia 7T. Fieldston 9. Xavier 10. Fox Chapel 11T. Sharon 11T. Westfield 13T. Fryeburg Academy 13T. Watchung Hills 15T. St. Johnsbury 15T. West WindsorPlainsboro North

INDIVIDUAL SPIRIT WINNERS Tim Bobrowski – Amherst Lukas Wunderlich – Columbia Aidan Penn – Fieldston Eli Ziff – Fox Chapel Austin Gerchman – Fryeburg Academy Wally Gaida – Hampton Caitlin Go – Lexington Dan Moder – Needham Mac Hecht – Newton North Tim McNeil – Pennsbury Matt Kravitsky – Sharon William Morse – St. Johnsbury Kyle Isler – Watchung Hills Jagger Linsky – Westfield Shashank Alladi – West Windsor-Plainsboro North Collin McLaughlin – Xavier 39

JERSEY #

NAME

Carlo Cincotta

Thomas Marge

Tamar Austin

David McDevitt

Brian Chirn

GOALS

ASST

1 1 1

Charlie Coburn

Tim Schoch

Prashanth Veeragandham

Gabe Halperin-Goldstein

Ian Davis

Tannor Johnson

Matti Schreibman

Mark Rosenberg

Jack Deschler

Will Marshall

Jesse Mahler

Skylar Levey

Zac Gunther

Caitlin Go

Gregory Smail

Eli West

Dan Bernstein

unknown TOTALS

GOALS

ASST

NEEDHAM - 6 JERSEY #

NAME

Ben Sadok

Jacob Nikolajczyk

Ryan Sickles

Yeehin Li

Jim Heger

Matt Caswell

Dan Moder

Eric Silverman

Jeff Schindler

Scott Groux

Ryan Colarusso

Sam Moller

Kenny Gjerstad

Brendan Chambers

Noam Kahn

Alex Caulfield

Dan Goldstein

Ben Kaufman

unknown TOTALS

1 1 1 2

4 3

U S A U LT I M AT E

Hurricanes in a Category All Their Own GIRLS

Amherst has established a strong program over the years with two junior varsity teams and a varsity squad in a league of their own. Photo: Burt Granofsky/Ultiphotos

What can be said about the Amherst Regional High School Girls that hasn’t already been said? This year, they won their fourth consecutive regional title, a streak that spans the Eastern Championship of years past and the more recent Northeastern Championship. In 2013, the ARHS Hurricanes arrived at the fields in Devens, Mass., ready to continue their streak. By the time the weekend was over, no one could question their dominance in the realm of girls’ youth ultimate in the Northeast. Since the Hurricanes began competing on the regional and national stages, they have accumulated an unparalleled 97-7 record. In that time, the program has seen and participated in the first Junior National Championship with a girls division in 1998, the last Junior Nationals in 2004, every one of the Eastern Regional Championships from 2005-2011 and each of the first two Northeastern Regional Championships in 2012 and 2013. Don’t forget that in the process, they have also produced some of the best names in women’s ultimate. SUMMER 2013

And to be fair to the Hurricanes, if you start tallying their record one year later instead, they have suffered only three losses in national/regional championships in 15 years of competition. The 1998 ARHS team posted a 1-4 record at the Junior National Championships. But their timing was impeccable even then – they still made it to the finals after earning their one win of the weekend in the semifinals. They ended up with a second-place finish after losing to Stuyvesant in the championship game by a score of 13-9. The 2013 incarnation of the Amherst Hurricanes carried on the heralded tradition, accumulating a 6-0 record on the weekend (included in the aforementioned 97-7 record) and winning each of their games by an average margin of 13 points. Only six points were scored on the Hurricanes all weekend, four of which came in the finals against Watchung Hills. One of only four seniors on the 2013 roster, Angela Zhu was a major presence for ARHS. Her steady hands and impressive arsenal of throws were responsible for countless important plays that led to numerous scores over the course of the weekend. Her throws typically ended up in the hands of any number of fellow standouts including Tulsa Douglas, Zoe Freedman Coleman and Erin O’Connor. The spots of the four seniors on the 2013 roster will likely be filled by members of the current Hurricanes JVA squad – a talented team in their own right that should not be taken lightly. They tallied a 5-2 record at this year’s Northeasterns and ended the weekend in a tie for fifth place. They aren’t missing from the record books either. The ARHS JVA girls have participated in 10 of the so far 16 regional or national championships. In that time, they have amassed a record over .500 at 31-27, with their best finish coming in 2003 when they lost to their own varsity squad in the finals. With this kind of talent and experience available to replace graduates on the varsity roster, the team’s consistency should come as no surprise. While many high schools around the country are working to build even a single team, Amherst Regional High School has already managed to build a program. The Northeast continues to be at the forefront of growth in youth ultimate. Teams will only get better in the years to come, and ARHS will likely be ready for the competition. 40

Hurricanes NOTES AMHERST - 13 JERSEY #

NAME

GOALS

Gloria Miller

Lucy Salwen

Caroline Jones

Angela Zhu

Erin O’Connor

Mei Reffsin

Valerie Willocq

Tulsa Douglas

Julia Fay

Rachel Musante

Zoe Freedman Coleman

Meaghan McCluskey

Anna Seterdahl

Jacqueline Mathers TOTALS

ASST

1 4

2 3

1 13

• Record in Regional/National Championship Competition since 1998: 97-7 • Number of Championship Titles: 12 • Current streak: 4 • Number of Second-Place Finishes: 3 • Their only third-place finish came in 2004 after a loss in the semifinals to a Yale team that featured Shannon O’Malley. • Their finals losses in 2008 and 2009 were to the Paideia School, a team with a who’s who roster of today’s college game, including Sophie Darch, Kalli Perano, Julia Fuster and India Stubbs.

3 12

FINAL STANDINGS TEAM SPIRIT SCORES

WATCHUNG HILLS - 4 JERSEY #

NAME

Jessie Sun

Rachel Tigol

Milonee Mehta

Joy Rizzoli

Amy Hu

Annika Chan

Sheree Liu

Evey Le

Audrey Luo

Lauren Sinski

Olivia Hampton

Jessica Hoffman

Kathleen Lo

Tammy Shen

Marissa Schwartz

Kate Stoll

Lindsay Levin

Kim Chao

Jacki Salustro

Lucy Liu TOTALS

GOALS

ASST

1 2

4.33 Amherst JVA* 4.33 Beacon 4.17 Pioneer Valley 4.00 Andover 4.00 Columbia 4.00 Maine 4.00 Radnor 3.83 Allderdice 3.60 Watchung Hills 3.40 Stuyvesant 3.25 Amherst 3.25 Longmeadow 3.20 Mount Lebanon 3.00 Haverford

1. Amherst 2. Watchung Hills 3T. Columbia 3T. Haverford 5T. Amherst JVA 5T. Pioneer Valley 7T. Mount Lebanon 7T. Stuyvesant 9. Radnor 10. Maine 11. Beacon 12. Allderdice 13. Andover DNF: Longmeadow

*won tiebreak 2 5 2

1 1

5 5

INDIVIDUAL SPIRIT WINNERS Ana Jaramaz – Allderdice Mei Reffsin – Amherst Lily Gould – Amherst JVA Betsy Lownie – Andover Victoria Detres – Beacon Alexa Jones – Columbia Helen Wedegaertner – Haverford Sarah Sparks – Maine Izzy Oram-Brown – Mount Lebanon Sadie Levy – Pioneer Valley Emma Nicosia – Radnor Jenny Wong – Stuyvesant Lucy Liu – Watchung Hills U S A U LT I M AT E

OPEN

University School of Nashville Wins Open Championship

Lutz got his wish. But the match up wasn’t a gimme. Long-time power the Paideia School of Atlanta fought through an improbably crazy semifinal against Carolina Friends School from Durham, N.C., to win and meet their regional rivals in the final. Heading into the championship game, Paideia Gruel may have been more physically fatigued from their 10-8 semifinal win against the Fighting Quakers. Or perhaps Gruel was simply more emotionally spent after dominating the first half 7-0, only to see Carolina Friends make an 8-1 run in the second half to take the game down to the wire.

By: Des Keller and Rebecca Stukes

Either way, Lutz said he felt University School of Nashville was in control early in the championship. “We had them stone cold in the first half,” said Lutz. “Then the wind picked up, and Paideia came with their solid zone. From there, it became a dogfight.” The championship featured the standout talents of senior Eli Motycka, who paced Brutal Grassburn with seven assists and two Ds. Paideia’s John Stubbs, the only high-school student chosen for the USA Ultimate U23 National Team, tallied five assists and three goals of his own. USN went up 5-1 to start the game, but Gruel evened the score at 8-8 just after half. Senior Mitchell Lutz kept Brutal Grassburn even with Paideia with three scores in the second half. When the cap horn blew, the game was tied 11-11. In the final possession, Motycka threw to Lutz for the score and a 12-11 win. After a finals match up fitting of the two storied programs, University School of Nashville took home their second open division Southerns championship in as many years.

University School of Nashville’s Mitchell Lutz snags a D during Saturday’s pool play. Photo: Christina Schmidt/Ultiphotos

Michael Lutz, the coach of University School of Nashville’s varsity ultimate team, knew High School Southerns was going to be an incredibly tough tournament. Brutal Grassburn came in as the defending champs, as “marked men,” said Lutz. But he also had a desired matchup in his head if his team was to make the championship. “We wanted it to be us against Paideia in the finals,” said Lutz. “We have great respect for them as a team and a program.”

SUMMER 2013

Brutal Grassburn took home their second consecutive High School Southerns title in 2013. Photo: Christina Schmidt/ Ultiphotos

UNIV SCHOOL OF NASHVILLE - 12 JERSEY #

Paideia’s John Stubbs is the only high school player to make the U23 Worlds team headed to Toronto this summer. He tallied four goals and five assists in the finals. Photo: Christina Schmidt/Ultiphotos

FINAL STANDINGS TEAM SPIRIT SCORES 5.00 - East Chapel Hill 4.80 - University School of Nashville 4.60 - LC Bird 4.50 - Yorktown 4.40 - Carolina Friends 4.20 - Chapel Hill 4.20 - Paideia 4.10 - Independence 4.00 - Brookwood 4.00 - McCallie 4.00 - Woodside 3.80 - HB Woodlawn 3.80 - Lakeside 3.60 - Catholic

University School of Nashville 2. Paideia 3T. Carolina Friends 3T. Chapel Hill 5. Catholic 6. Brookwood 7T. HB Woodlawn 7T. Yorktown 9. Lakeside 10. East Chapel Hill 11. Independence 12. McCallie 13. Woodside 14. LC Bird DNF: Grady

INDIVIDUAL SPIRIT WINNERS Parker Greenway – Brookwood George Gildehaus – Carolina Friends Wesley Freeburgh – Catholic Jeffery Perkins – Chapel Hill Yuma Kobayashi – East Chapel Hill Riley Erickson – Grady Chris Arthur – HB Woodlawn Mac McClellan – Independence Thomas Sowell – Lakeside Jake Belvin – LC Bird Hal Robinson – McCallie Mathew Sperling – Paideia Chase Snead – Woodside Jack Spiva – University School of Nashville Nick Schall – Yorktown

GOALS

ASST

Jack Spiva

NAME

Nicky Farren

Rosario Falzone

Andrew Bridgers

Connor Seitz

Miro Hurdle

Mathieu Agee

Mark Pierce

Eli Motycka

Zack Stern

Grant Eidam

Brandon Awh

Mitchell Lutz

Grant Given

Alex Russell

Matt Hoffman

Isaac Gabella

Mitchell Coverstone

unknown

TOTALS

GOALS

ASST

PAIDEIA - 11 JERSEY #

NAME

Daniel Sperling

Gabriel Eisen

Sandy Leach

Jack Smith

Tommy Gartman

John Henry Ward

Noah Dezen

John Stubbs

Anders Olsen

Ben Mapes

Stan Birdsong

Jack Duncan

Tim Jernigan

Noah Cohen

Jimmy Peterson

James Walker

Henry Laseter

Mathew Sperling

Bryson Levisay

Alex Shrader

Nathan Haskell TOTALS

U S A U LT I M AT E

North Carolina's Saga Takes Girls Championship GIRLS

By: Des Keller and Rebecca Stukes

Hartzog. “After the loss to [Paideia] on Saturday, the biggest thing for me was keeping the girls positive. I knew our team was made up of a bunch of fighters.” And fight they did. In what may arguably have been the much tougher semifinal, Saga worked hard to get past HB Woodlawn’s varsity team again with a final score of 9-6. Meanwhile, in the second semifinal, Paideia cruised past University School of Nashville 11-4. In the championship game, Saga’s playmakers certainly played up to the moment. Klara CalderonGuthe tallied two assists, one score and five Ds. Quick, talented sophomore Katie Cubrilovic was the offensive engine that kept the team moving, dishing five assists, including the game winner. “Our mindset was to grind out every point and make sure that the other team had to work extra hard in order to score,” said Hartzog.

Saga’s Katie Cubrilovic played a major part in her team’s championship run. Photo: Christina Schmidt/Ultiphotos

The wind was a major factor in the girls’ division at the 2013 Southern High School Championships, keeping scores from reaching the predetermined limit while helping create numerous turnovers. Saga, a conglomerate team of players from North Carolina’s Triangle area (Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill), bested Paideia Groove 8-6 in a defense- and wind-dominated championship final.

Paideia Groove was competitive on every point. Seniors Leah Kessler and Rachel Kramer led the team and kept Groove in the game. Kessler assisted on four of the team’s six goals while Rachel Kramer followed up a great semifinal with three scores. Fellow senior Anna Clauson accounted for Paideia’s other two scores.

In moving on to the Youth Club Championships in August, Coach Hartzog looks to improve on the team’s last place finish in 2012 “and continue the growth that we started during the school year.” YCCs will provide stiff competition for the Saga girls, but given their success this year, Coach Hartzog’s Saga had gotten used to this type of tight, low- goal seems easily reachable. scoring game over the course of the weekend. On Saturday, the Saga girls barely beat Virginia’s HB FINAL STANDINGS Woodlawn in pool play, 7-6, before losing by that TEAM SPIRIT SCORES 1. Saga same score to Paideia Groove at the end of the day, 2. Paideia 5.00 HB Woodlawn JV their second loss on the season. But coming into 3. HB Woodlawn 4.30 Paideia 4. University School of 4.30 Saga Southerns, Saga hadn’t lost a youth tournament all Nashville 4.20 HB Woodlawn year and remained confident at the end of play on 5. HB Woodlawn JV 4.20 University School of Saturday. “History gave our girls the knowledge that Nashville they can play and beat anyone,” said Coach Josh

SUMMER 2013

SAGA - 8 JERSEY #

TOP: Klara Calderon-Guthe is one of Saga’s biggest playmakers. Photo: Christina Schmidt/Ultiphotos BELOW: Saga and Paideia played a hard-fought final, displaying the future of girl’s ultimate in the South. Photo: Christina Schmidt/Ultiphotos

INDIVIDUAL SPIRIT WINNERS

NAME

Lena Parker

ASST

Domenica Sutherland

Ashley Powell

Katie Cubrilovic

Allison Bashford

Sydney Rehder

Magy Llamas

Joy Chen

Danielle Sawyer

Sarah Shelton

Zoe Chen

Kate Lanier

Emily Irons

Amanda Maxson

Hally Bohs

Jane Carsey

Audrey Copeland

Ali Montavon

Klara Calderon-Guthe

TOTALS

GOALS

ASST

PAIDEIA - 6 JERSEY #

Grace Denney – HB Woodlawn Rachel Branman – HB Woodlawn JV Margot Van Horne – Paideia Amanda Maxson – Saga Coco Coyle – University School of Nashville

GOALS

NAME

Sarah Brock

Leah Kessler

Carly Ng

Sarina Chalmers

Kira Farley

Leni Clark

Margot Van Horne

Carly Berlin

Eva Steinberg

Anna Glass

Kirstiana Perryman

Caroline Hubbard

Emma Pettit

Katie Radulovacki

Sadie Renjilian

Anna Clauson

Syd Taylor-Klaus

Ollie Peterson

Rachel Kramer

TOTALS

U S A U LT I M AT E

Holy Family Catholic’s Dominic Schuster tallied 1 goal, 4 assists and 2 Ds in the finals against Neuqua Valley. Photo: Pete Guion/Ultiphotos

OPEN

Revolution Spins a Win By: Izzi Bikun

Holy Family Catholic Revolution is known as a powerhouse of youth ultimate in Cincinnati, but there is one title that had eluded the team –Central Region Champions. Each year since the region split, Revolution has made it to the final game of the competition, but each year, they have fallen short of being able to walk into their houses with gold medals around their necks. This year, Revolution vowed things were going to be different. This year, they were right.

SUMMER 2013

Their pool play games provided little challenge for them. Neuqua Valley B’s inability to take advantage of opportunities for quick disc movement proved no match for the superior handling skills of Jay Ratajczak and the experience of the rest of the Holy Family Catholic team. Monona Grove’s zone gave Revolution a bit of a pause, but Holy Family quickly regrouped and broke the defense by throwing over the top of the cup. It wasn’t until the crossover game with Hopkins Hurt that Revolution saw any challenge. A nail biter from the very beginning, the connection between Dominic Schuster and JP Bort gave Revolution some momentum in the beginning of the game. However, a huge layout from Max Wolk brought Hopkins back to life. Full-field hucks from Revolution brought the score to 10-8 in their favor when they called a time out five minutes before hard cap in an attempt to hold on to the lead. Hopkins wasn’t ready for the game to end and tied the score right before hard cap went on. After a few great Ds from Hopkins senior Zac Merie, Hopkins turned the disc over at the Revolution end zone, where Holy Family Catholic was quick to take advantage. Sunday got off to a sleepy start as the teams got used to day two legs in the quarterfinals. For Cathedral, the connection between Charlie Schuweiler and Tyler Meyer that had been so prevalent the day before just wasn’t there. On the other end of the field, Holy Family Catholic’s Jordan Monnin’s defense woke up Revolution who won handily after JP Bort took control of the field.

Holy Family Catholic is not a typical school. These young men don’t wake up every morning to get on a bus. Their time between classes doesn’t consist of fighting crowed hallways to get to the other side of the school. Holy Family Catholic is a consortium of families who have chosen to home school their children.

Cretin-Derham Hall Raging Safari was next to face Revolution, fighting for a spot in the finals. Raging Safari was able to stay calm under the pressure, but their small roster and tired legs quickly caught up to them. While great play after great play came from Joe Burris, Jeff McGurran, Matthew Dunn and Geoff McQuillan the comeback started too late in the game. Revolution’s deep roster and the seemingly telepathic communication between Dominic Schuster and JP Bort ended up being too unstoppable for Raging Safari.

The kids also come from the next generation of ultimate – almost all of them have parents, siblings, or other various relatives who play the game. Many have been able to throw and catch since before they could walk and have known each other since birth. It is this type of connection that allows Revolution to play the way they do and work the disc down the field with ease.

For those who follow the High School Central Region, the finals saw a very familiar matchup – Neuqua Valley A v. Revolution. The finals started with immediate intensity and back-to-back points all the way to halftime. Both teams were on their feet, and Revolution’s tallest player, Jay Ratajczak (who also won the team’s individual spirit award), took charge of the game for Revolution with 46

numerous layouts and Ds. Anytime Neuqua Valley made a mistake or committed a turnover, there wasn’t much to stop Revolution from punching the disc in for a score on the other end of the field. Revolution earned their first Centrals’ championship. The excitement doubled when Omega, Holy Family Catholic’s girls’ team also took first, and both squads won the tournament’s teams spirit awards. It was a clean sweep for the kids of Holy Family Catholic at the 2013 High School Central Championships.

FINAL STANDINGS TEAM SPIRIT SCORES 5.00 - Holy Family Catholic 4.83 - Pritzker College Prep 4.60 - Cathedral 4.60 - Sun Prairie 4.50 - Neuqua Valley B 4.33 - Hopkins 4.17 - Bloomington 4.17 - Mason 3.83 - Neuqua Valley 3.67 - Monona Grove 3.25 - Bexley 3.00 - Cretin-Derham Hall

1. Holy Family Catholic 2. Neuqua Valley 3. Hopkins 4. Cretin-Derham Hall 5. Monona Grove 6. Cathedral 7. Sun Prairie 8. Bloomington 9. Neuqua Valley B 10. Pritzker College Prep 11. Mason DNF: Bexley

Jay Ratajczak gets the D against Cretin-Derham Hall in the semifinals. Photo: Pete Guion/Ultiphotos

INDIVIDUAL SPIRIT WINNERS Alex Young – Bexley Robert Rickert – Bloomington Charlie Schuweiler – Cathedral DJ Goldstein – Cretin-Derham Hall Jay Ratajczak – Holy Family Catholic Wyatt Meckler – Hopkins Peter Mintz – Mason Sam Welsch – Monona Grove Anthony Poletto – Neuqua Valley Chad Fahrenbach – Neuqua Valley B Joshua Sanabria – Pritzker College Prep Tyler Hebert – Sun Prairie

HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC - 13 JERSEY #

NAME

GOALS

ASST

Spencer Dorhout

James Morris

Luke Monnin

Jack Brink

Mark Beaulieu

Eli Smith

Dominic Schuster

John Beatrice

John Paul Bort

Braden Dorsey

Jordan Monnin

Jay Ratajczak

Nicholas Bissonnette

Mark Schuster

Stephen Kenny

Evan Bissonnette TOTALS

GOALS

ASST

NEUQUA VALLEY - 6 JERSEY #

NAME

Karl Beck

Keith Dehnel

Jack Shanahan

Mike Giere

Jerry Kelly

Andrew Lin

Tony Poletto

Ethan Sabado

Evan Sabado

Saurav Dubey

Dom Peluso

Adam Wong

Jake Stachewicz

Hafeez Shams

Connor Power

Alex Stumphauzer

Brandon McClintock

Mike Sandstrom

Ben Royko

unknown

Zach Diener

TOTALS

U S A U LT I M AT E

Totaalultieme: The Omega System Rules Again GIRLS

By: Matthew Clayton

the second-annual Centrals Championship in easy fashion. The Omega ladies played their way to a plues-46 goal differential over six games on a humid May weekend. They demonstrated why they finished the year sixth in the national rankings and how they accumulated a 16-3 record over the course of the spring. Many coaches that weekend talked about how success, especially against Holy Family Catholic, required the utmost unity in play. Perhaps that is what makes Omega as good as they are. Not only do the Omega ladies work like a welloiled machine, they manufacture ways to destroy their opponent’s machine.

Madison Wilker kept the disc moving for Omega. She racked up six assists in the finals alone. Photo: Pete Guion/Ultiphotos

As the hot sun beamed down in Mason, Ohio on May 19, Omega captain Madison Wilker made a clean connection to Clara Fishlock. The pass wrapped up the 2013 High School Central Championships as the Omega ladies from Holy Family Catholic walked away with an 11-4 victory over Mount Notre Dame, and a second consecutive Centrals title. That pass also summed up much of the weekend for the Omega ladies. Crisp, clean passes for goals, a tournament-best 26 of which came from Madison Wilker. Omega kept the Centrals crown, winning

SUMMER 2013

Playing Omega can be like being a little leaguer batting in the big leagues. They are a powerhouse. The ‘Omega System’ is very complex and similar to the Dutch soccer system totaalvoetbal. Totaalvoetbal is a style of play that requires every player on the field to be able to play every position. So there is no such thing as being out of position, and the players can be more creative. The ‘Omega System’ is totaalultieme (literally “total ultimate”). Every player on the Omega roster can take on the role of a cutter or handler. Only four ladies did not directly assist in a goal, and just one did not score. The athletes’ utility opens up the field and challenges the defense to be alert and quick, demanding anticipation. This forced anticipation greatly increases the chances for defensive mistakes, setting up completions and goals for Omega. Totaalultieme has one other very important component: spirit. The Omega ladies carry an aura of spirit. Their cheers are loud, and their sportsmanship is impeccable. It was no mistake that the girls won the spirit award for the weekend along with their tournament title. Spirit of the Game is embedded within them, and it encompasses

HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC - 11 JERSEY #

NAME

GOALS

ASST

Madison Wilker

Hayley Samson

Anna Grace Stephenson

Janey Vandegrift

Sara Friemoth

Rachel Monnin

Andrea Willging

Grace Francomb

Lucy Teller

Ellie Fishlock

Emily Dorsey

Katherine Fry

Holly Koch

Clara Fishlock

Kjersti Fry

Maddie Samson TOTALS

Hopkins’ Becca Steinman goes for the D against Holy Family Catholic’s Holly Koch. Photo: Pete Guion/Ultiphotos

GOALS

ASST

INDIVIDUAL SPIRIT WINNERS Rose Berg-Arnold – Cathedral Madison Wilker – Holy Family Catholic Lisa Persson – Hopkins Jeaness Hargis – Mount Notre Dame Maggie Kennedy – Neuqua Valley

MOUNT NOTRE DAME - 4 JERSEY #

FINAL STANDINGS TEAM SPIRIT SCORES 4.33 Holy Family Catholic 4.28 Cathedral 4.20 Hopkins 4.00 Mount Notre Dame 3.71 Neuqua Valley

1. Holy Family Catholic 2. Neuqua Valley 3. Mount Notre Dame 4. Cathedral 5. Hopkins

everything they do. It is one thing that makes Omega and the sport of ultimate so special. Even at the highest levels, sportsmanship and spirit are still of the utmost importance. Many of the Omega girls came up through a juniors program associated with the team. The program encourages the showing of spirit and high-quality ultimate with younger players. It is a tradition Omega is beginning and one they clearly carrying with them in competition.

NAME

Katie Von Erden

Paige Brown

Ashley Poland

Jeaness Hargis

Ashley Black

Julia Smiddy

Emily McGill

Emily Carlier

Grace Castelli

Alora Reiff

Kathleen Barcomb

Ashley Woxman

Emily Schappacher

Rachel Dobrozsi

Olivia Kettler

Annie Folzenlogen

TOTALS

Congratulations to the Omega girls on their second straight Centrals title! Undoubtedly, they will be back and looking for a third next spring.

U S A U LT I M AT E

OPEN

The South Eugene Axemen took home their second Westerns Championship in four years. Photo: CBMT Creative

the team was going to win, the players on the field believed too. Over and over, Berkeley soared back into their games, flying through the second half to earn wins that a few points earlier seemed impossible. Franklin High was not to be outdone. They are a raw, athletic team with an energy rarely seen on the ultimate field. Every big play was met by a roar from the sideline. Players were making up calls, helping marks and encouraging their teammates. It was impressive to see players at such a young age so focused on what was happening in every second of the game.

A Display of Spirit and Defense By: Aaron Adamson

In a weekend filled with so much talent from all over the West, what is it that sets teams apart? Three things that really stood out over the weekend were energy, especially from the sidelines that transferred onto the field; the spirit of teams; and last, but never least, defense. With these three components, teams succeeded and were supported by fans and competitors during and after games.

Come the finals, two of these teams faced off for the championship: South Eugene v. Berkeley. South Eugene not only had a large team helping keep their energy high, but also a large fan base of parents, friends and family who traveled up I-5 to support their team. Once South took the lead, there was no giving it up. Their excitement was just too high to match, even for a Berkeley team who had a strong sideline and the support of their fellow Californians from Atascadero High to cheer them on. As ultimate has progressed, true spirit tends to be seen less regularly. This was absolutely not the case at this year’s Western Championships. It was great to see these young players continually applauding each other. Countless times over the course of the weekend, two players would fly to the disc, skying high for it, and almost every time, the player who came up short on the play would be the one to initiate a congratulatory high five. On every team players on opposite sides helped each other up after a collision or took a knee to show respect when a fellow player was down injured on the field. So often today, we are taught that winning game is the most important thing. It was refreshing to see these young players holding others above all else while still maintaining the drive to play hard and win.

In any ultimate tournament, deep rosters are important. Substitutes help keep players fresh and can bring muchneeded energy. The presence of the sidelines from just about every team was remarkable throughout the tournament. Everyone knew when South Eugene scored a goal: their sideline was huge and loud. Not only did they To cap off the weekend, as the last placement games have a big roster, but every single player was engaged in finished, teams started making their way to the finals field. the game. Countless times, I looked over to see a South With a half still to be played, other teams were able to see Eugene score and a sea of purple flooding the end zone who would take home the championship. Most teams in celebration. The best part was, the score didn’t seem took their time. Astascadero, they sprinted. The Mud Pit to matter. Whether they were up or down in a game, they Gladiators sprinted to cheer on the team that knocked stormed the field after every point to rejoice as a team. them out of championships contention earlier in the day: Little things like this keep players focused on the game and their rivals but fellow Californians. It is rare to see that kind help prevent any loss of energy. As the weekend wore on, of support and spirit from competing teams or athletes it was clear that South Eugene was not slowing down. Ever. at any level of competition. But it’s precisely what makes ultimate so special. However, South Eugene wasn’t the only team with such great energy. Berkeley High also used their sideline as fuel We always hear coaches say defense wins games. That for the team. In a few of their games, Berkeley came out of certainly proved true in Corvallis. Over and over, teams stifled half down by three or four points, often a sign that a team opponents with great their defense, with big play after big is nearly out of the game. But when the sideline believed play. Teams shut down offenses and forced opponents to SUMMER 2013

SOUTH EUGENE - 13 JERSEY #

NAME

BERKELEY - 5 GOALS

ASST

JERSEY #

unknown

Connor Matthews

Leland Nesbit

Braeden Emrick

Jinhyun Shin

unknown

Sage Holck-Luke

Ryan Rogers

Sebastian Coslow

Brooks Mikkelsen

Jimi DaWalt

NAME

GOALS

ASST

Jeremy Dolezal-Ng

Maxim Guzman

Ari Ball-Burack

Sam Johnson

Eli FischbergRobinson

Nathan Pettyjohn

Max Orland

Ian Sweeney

Rae Dallett

Blake Johnson

Bruce Service

Colby Chuck

Aaron Rogers

Dylan Owens

Max Meyers

Adonay Bahta

Zach Meyer

Finn Collom

Connor Shirk

Tycho Yacub

Trace Andreason

Hannah Wells

Asher Paules-Bronet

Nick Fox

Kenzy O’Neill

Bao Nguyen

Simon Sjostrom

Jonah Taylor

Sungwoo Kay

Nolan Stangl

Noah Stuart

Sequoya Daniels

Michael Martin

Conor Schofield

Alec Chapin-Jones

Jarett King

Aaron Poor

Efejon Ustenci

Keegan Emrick

Skylar Johnson

Jean-Luc Vidal

Chloe Carothers-Liske

Rio Chuck

Nikhil Bhatia-Lin

Chris Orman

David Woodfin

Wyatt Berreman

TOTALS

work the disc slowly up the field, having to complete throw after throw. Of course, the more throws, the greater chance of creating a turnover. It takes a lot of drive to be great a defensive team, and every squad showed flashes of that drive. Five different games in the championship bracket came down to one point, and every single time, it came down to whose defense could get that one extra stop. When the weekend came to a close, the team that worked the hardest, played with spirit and approached each game as a unit (even from the sidelines) took home the trophy. It doesn’t get any better than that.

INDIVIDUAL SPIRIT WINNERS Leah Farris – Atascadero Ian Sweeney – Berkeley Nathaniel Seagren – Corvallis Thomas Kneeland – Crescent Valley David Sachs – Fairview Miko Bagaoisan – Franklin Bryan Lee – Garfield

Ben Goossen - Monarch Zach Jackson - Nathan Hale Ethan Katz - Roosevelt Colton Clark – Sheldon Braeden Emrick – South Eugene Dahlio Losch – Summit

TEAM SPIRIT SCORES FINAL STANDINGS 1. South Eugene 2. Berkeley 3. Atascadero 4. Franklin 5. Monarch 6. Roosevelt 7. Summit 8. Nathan Hale 9T. Fairview 9T. Sheldon 11T. Corvallis 11T. Crescent Valley 13. Garfield

5.00 - Garfield* 5.00 - Atascadero 4.92 - Corvallis 4.83 - Franklin 4.83 - Nathan Hale 4.60 - Berkeley 4.33 - Crescent Valley 4.33 - Monarch 4.20 - Summit 4.17 - Fairview 3.85 - Roosevelt 3.75 - South Eugene 3.50 - Sheldon * won tiebreak U S A U LT I M AT E

GIRLS

Monarch’s senior leadership and consistency helped them bring home the 2013 Westerns Championship. Photo: CBMT Creative

South Eugene, who finished third in the Oregon State Championships, brought on three girls from the statechampion Sheldon team. South Eugene coach Danielle Hirsch noted that the girls had played together through Eugene’s ultimate community and had practiced together prior to Westerns, so the team was able to hit the ground running in pool play. South Eugene’s added depth stood out in a hard-fought game against Corvallis Ladies Ultimate – a team that defeated South 11-3 at the state championships two weeks earlier. The addition of three Sheldon seniors strengthened South’s handling line and added a six-foot tall deep threat in Gabrielle Aufderheide. After being tied at 6-6, it was a “what could have been” moment for Corvallis when the hard cap sounded with South up by two.

The Future is Bright in the West Kelsey Bennett, Katie Ciaglo and Hannah Brown brought Monarch from Louisville, Colo., to the semifinals of the Amherst Invitational. But they, along with the Monarch seniors, had higher ambitions for the 2013 High School Western Championships. The three leaders helped Monarch build on their Amherst appearance and deliver a dominating performance in Corvallis, Ore. Monarch entered the tournament with a hungry, seniorheavy squad. The team’s focus turned into seven wide victories at Westerns. The regional crown was a fitting accomplishment for a group of girls that helped build a strong program in their four years.

Roosevelt did not have the same instant cohesion as South. The Rough Riders welcomed several additional girls from the Seattle area. The added depth boosted the team’s confidence going into the tournament, but the new players arrived in Corvallis without any practice time with Roosevelt. Coaches Jo Leader and Elle Burstein quickly scribbled out some set plays before they jumped in against top-seeded Monarch. The Rough Riders never had a chance to settle in and lost 13-4. But the loss fueled the team in each subsequent game. Roosevelt still had to quickly integrate their new players. Pool play games against South Eugene and Corvallis tested the Roosevelt squad. South ran a tough zone defense that forced the Rough Riders into several turnovers. But after a goal-line huddle, the team responded with its long game. Roosevelt eventually came away with two close victories and new momentum entering bracket play.

Westerns returned to Oregon this year looking different than the previous two events. The top four 2011 finishers – The Northwest School, Seattle Academy, Nathan Hale and Lakeside – did not make the trip south from Seattle. The The semifinal rematch of one of Saturday’s best games – Colorado-heavy 2012 group sent only two repeat teams: Roosevelt vs. South Eugene – tested both teams player Summit and Monarch. This year’s edition showcased the integration. South turned up the intensity with a strong cup in their zone defense that pressured Roosevelt’s handlers. potential of many Oregon and Washington schools. After dropping two points, Roosevelt responded with a Saturday’s pool play gave teams a chance to settle in measured attack; their handlers found mid-field cutters and develop cohesion. USA Ultimate regulations allow and took half at 7-3. South Eugene found its long game girls’ teams to bring a small number of players onto their in the second half and pushed the game to hard cap, but rosters from other local high schools to help foster growth Roosevelt pulled out the win 10-8. in the division. South Eugene and Roosevelt both brought additional players. The extra players added talent but also Young talent challenged Monarch at times but could not match their consistency. With Monarch up by two in the brought the challenge of integrating the new additions. SUMMER 2013

MONARCH - 13 JERSEY #

semifinals, Corvallis pushed its cutting line deep to allow space for its handlers to move the disc. Corvallis’ Molly Buermeyer, Clea Poklemba and Bethany Llewellyn kept the disc ahead of lunging Monarch defenders, moving the disc up the field. But after a call and an ensuing drop, Monarch quickly punched in the break, a microcosm of their successful weekend. Roosevelt’s growing confidence provided the weekend’s best opportunity to derail Monarch, and the Rough Riders eagerly entered the rematch. But Monarch played with the same precision and intensity they had throughout the tournament. Monarch easily moved the disc through Roosevelt’s defenses and ran away with the game. Despite being able to move the disc, Roosevelt had difficulty finishing points. In the end, Monarch claimed the championship with a 13-3 victory. But Roosevelt had come together to take second and claim the team spirit award. No team scored more than four points against Monarch in a single game; the team’s balanced attack was too much for their young competitors. Monarch walked away with the championship in a tournament that sported high spirit of the game and was a preview of girls’ ultimate in the coming years. Young teams like Roosevelt, South Eugene, Corvallis, Garfield and Summit should make the 2014 Westerns Championships quite a display.

FINAL STANDINGS TEAM SPIRIT SCORES 4.71 Roosevelt 4.67 Summit 4.58 Garfield 4.57 Corvallis 4.43 Monarch 4.00 South Eugene

1. Monarch 2. Roosevelt 3. South Eugene 4. Corvallis 5. Garfield 6. Summit

INDIVIDUAL SPIRIT WINNERS Makayla Wahaus – Corvallis Hannah Ditty – Garfield Alana Chen – Monarch Zoe Kaatz – Roosevelt Raina Kamrat – South Eugene Amity Fisher – Summit 53

NAME

GOALS

ASST

Nhi Nguyen

Jackie Turner

Ally Meyer

Jessie Chesnut

Megan Henderson

Hannah Brown

Laura Schreck

Meredith Krautler-

Klemme 32

Katie Ciaglo

Natalie Forman

Caitlyn Lee

Kaci Cessna

Abby Goossen

Alana Chen

Evie Godec

Sonia Szeton

Kelsey Bennett

GOALS

ASST

TOTALS

ROOSEVELT - 3 JERSEY #

NAME

Elli Moon

Zoe Kaatz

Josie Gillett

Frances Gellert

Miyo McGinn

Anna Wysen

Jasmine Emery

Katy Snyder

Ellen Pattinson

unknown

Maja Barnouw

Mika McCracken

Grace Trautman

Sarah Bowen

unknown

TOTALS

U S A U LT I M AT E

SUMMER 2013

U.S. National Team pulls to Team Canada during the showcase game at Poultry Days in Versailles, Ohio. Photo: Denver Omelettes

U.S. NATIONAL TEAM TO GO FOR THE GOLD IN CALI

By: Eric Brach

U.S. National Team. It has quite a ring to it, doesn’t it? And this summer, the 20 players selected to the National Team will try to bring back a ring of their own.

WORLD

This July and August, the International World Games Association will present the ninth edition of the World Games in Cali, Colombia. A multi-sport athletic competition designed to be something of a staging ground for sports not yet in the Olympics, the World Games plays host to top international competition in a number of events, including ju-jitsu, racquetball, rock climbing – and ultimate. The U.S. National Team has quite a history competing at the international level. In addition to teams’ success in various events organized by the World Flying Disc Federation, American teams have been near-unbeatable in international play at this highest, global stage. Since ultimate was integrated into the World Games in 2001, U.S. teams have medaled at every opportunity, capturing the silver in 2001 and golds in 2005 and 2009. The two-time defending champion American squad has high hopes for a three-peat in 2013. USA Ultimate tapped coaches Alex Ghesquiere (Revolver) and Matt Tsang (Fury) to select and lead the National Team, and the players they chose underwent grueling tryouts and reviews at combine practices held in San Francisco and Washington D.C. this March. The team roster reflects just how well the coaches succeeded at integrating talent from across the country in creating the 2013 National Team. 55

U S A U LT I M AT E

—Mike Natenberg. But the players pulled through, each with a different goal inspiring them to push themselves to the limit. “To learn,” replied Riot star Sarah Griffith when asked why she tried out for the squad. Any ultimate fan can look at this list and be “To fulfill a goal,” answered Griffith’s teammate impressed with the talent it comprises, and any Rohre Titcomb. “When I was 12,” she went on, “I ultimate fan can just as easily name a great player wrote an application essay to boarding school (or ten!) whose name didn’t make the final list. about playing ultimate and wanting to play in the Olympics. Playing for the USA at the World Games… Still, it’s a testament to the quality and skill of the that’s about as close to that goal as you can get!” nation’s ultimate players that the team roster turned out as it did. The team’s makeup? Twenty players, Other players shared similarly distinct, personal selected from 12 different club teams – and their reasons. “Because I saw the 2009 team play at collegiate backgrounds are even more diverse. college nationals, and they were total heroes to me,”

U.S. National Team by the numbers: • 4 are graduates of the University of California system (5 if you include Coach Tsang). • 3 went to school in the Ivy League (4 if you include Coach Ghesquiere). • 3 graduated from the University of Colorado in Boulder. • 2 went to Texas. • 2 went to Wisconsin. • And yes, 1 went to Carleton.

said Octavia ‘Opi’ Payne of Scandal. “They became my ultimate idols, and they were the kind of players I wanted to be.” And now, this young gun will likely be a role model to some other future star. Though the members of the team will face a rigorous summer schedule—the team’s first practices took place in San Francisco followed by Boston, and by the time this article has gone to print, they will have competed at the midsummer Poultry Days, which the National Team won in 2005 and made the finals of in 2009—they all look forward to the road ahead.

Of course, given such diverse backgrounds, it took a “This is major. It’s a huge honor,” said Chain long time and a lot of work to pull the team together. Lightning’s Nicky Spiva, when asked about touring Tryouts were difficult and intense, with many of the the country with the squad this summer. “Playing game’s top players calling the March weekends in with the best against the best is what attracts me San Francisco and Washington D.C. the most trying most. It’s the pinnacle in some ways, and it should experiences of their playing careers. “They tested be an absolute blast…It’s Team USA!” our stamina,” admitted former Doublewide captain Beau Kittredge, one of four returners from 2009’s —and defending USA Ultimate national champion gold-medal winning team, agreed. “It’s always fun to strive for a goal with a group of friends who share Women’s Traveling the same passion,” he noted.

Men’s Selectees:

Ryan Farrell Ashlin Joye Beau Kittredge Brett Matzuka Mike Natenberg Chase SparlingBeckley Nicky Spiva George Stubbs Mac Taylor Dylan Tunnell Russell Wynne

Selectees:

Team:

Georgia Bosscher Cara Crouch Sarah Griffith Cree Howard Sandy Jorgensen Anna Nazarov Octavia Payne Alex Snyder Rohre Titcomb

Ryan Farrell Ashlin Joye Beau Kittredge Mike Natenberg George Stubbs* Mac Taylor Dylan Tunnell Georgia Bosscher Cara Crouch Sarah Griffith Cree Howard Octavia Payne Alex Snyder* * denotes team captain

SUMMER 2013

Because of World Games rostering restrictions, only 13 of the 20 team selectees will actually be permitted to compete in the games in Cali. Still, every member of the team feels the weight of the task before them: coming home with another victory. “I love playing teams like Australia, Britain and especially Japan,” said Kittredge. “Japan’s style is so different from ours. Even though Japan is small, you can’t beat them by just throwing big hucks.” The point was underscored by American teams’ recent defeats at the hands of Japan in international play: Japan beat the U.S. head-to-head in the women’s finals at the 2012 WUGC tournament, and top 56

Octavia “Opi” Payne:

Mike Natenberg

* Of all the players who made the team, who are you most looking forward to playing with, and why? Dylan Tunnell, because he and I played on the same teams throughout tryouts, and he completely forgot that it happened. Hopefully, with only nine women he’ll remember me this time. ;) * Are there any teams you’re particularly excited to play against at the World Games? Japan, bar none. That’s my motherland. And I had the pleasure of meeting some of the Huck girls a few years ago at ECC. All very cool people. * How about the team’s summer tournament schedule? I’m super excited to go to Poultry Days! I’ve never been, but I’ve heard a lot of things about the orange drink.

* Why did you decide to try out for the National Team? I went into the 2009 tryouts happy to have the experience of playing with so many great players, not fully confident I could make the team... this time, I tried out with the dream of working towards a common goal with some of the best players in the country. * How does this compare with the best ultimate moment(s) in your career to date? Huge! Although it doesn’t compare to winning a championship with Doublewide, and it just doesn’t taste as sweet without the shared sacrifice of a team, I’m really looking forward to building a team with these great players.

* Are there any teams you’re particularly excited to play against at the World Games? Georgia Bosscher * How did you feel about tryouts? How I’ve always loved the Aussies’ spirit, so I’ll go with them. did they go for you? It was amazingly difficult to play Rohre Titcomb: defense against such a fantastic set of * How does this compare with the best women’s ultimate players. ultimate moment(s) in your career to date? * Of all the players who made the team, It was definitely up there, getting that who are you most excited to play with, and why? Sandy Jorgensen. She and I played in college together email telling me I made the team. It on Bella Donna, and we were lifting buddies, roommates was 5:30 in the morning, and I was by and super close friends. We made a pact (somewhat myself, in the airport in Milan for Paganello and super jet jokingly) that if one of us made it on the team, we’d refuse lagged! And there was no one there to celebrate with! But to play unless the other person made it too. Thankfully, I was smiling to myself, thinking: this is pretty awesome. we didn’t need to resort to that... Sandy, did you get me * What’s your role on this team? on this team? No idea. I know that one of my strengths is the energy * Are there any teams you’re particularly excited to play that I bring to a team and to the field. It’s a very intangible against at the World Games? thing, but I do make people have fun and smile a lot. I’m super fired up to play against Japan, since the last time I saw those ladies was losing to them twice this past summer. Canada will also pose a fun challenge, since I’m guessing a lot of the team will be people we know from playing against them.

Japanese club team the Buzz Bullets beat a handpicked USA All-Star team at the Dream Cup earlier this year. Still, team members—though driven as ever —remain optimistic and refuse to forget the cardinal rule: Spirit of the Game. Every player on the team wants to win in 2013, and they plan to do it the right way.

* Of all the players who made the team, who are you most excited to play with, and why? I was really impressed by Cara at tryouts. She’s a phenomenal player, and afterwards, I was like, “You’re my new role model, Cara Crouch!”

Ultimate in 2011. “That’s a unique opportunity. Anyone begins to feel surprisingly patriotic when you find yourself in that place…It’s inspirational to have the opportunity to represent the U.S. and be the face of your sport.”

This year’s selectees to the National Team will certainly do that. All of USA Ultimate has high hopes that the team will play hard in Cali and do their country, teammates, fans and “Representing your country at an international event?” friends proud. noted Titcomb, member of the gold-medal-winning USA women’s team at the World Championships of Beach 57

U S A U LT I M AT E

by: Jonathan Neeley

IT ALL STARTS WITH CHEMISTRY

Musings on long-distance team building.

U.S. National Team captain Alex Snyder is trying to think of an appropriate story to share from the squad’s impromptu Ask Me Anything session. Her co-captain, George Stubbs, answered eager ultimate fans and players’ questions on one of the popular Reddit forums last October, and teammate Rohre Titcomb suggested the team put each other on the hot seat while hanging out on Saturday night of the team’s second practice weekend in Boston. Snyder finally gives up and laughs. “Unfortunately a lot of the AMA questions were not necessarily safe for work.”

and Austin, Texas resident, works out alongside Crouch and throws with her during down time.

“I don’t know if this is interesting or not, but the house we were staying in was kind of creaky and haunted, and there was this creepy little doll that we all kept laughing about. When Ryan [Farrell] fell down the stairs on Sunday morning we were all convinced that it was the doll’s fault.” She goes on to mention how the team’s Revolver contingent is less than prompt when responding to emails while Dylan Tunnell probably writes “one every couple hours.”

Close relationships also provide an in-game support network. “Last practice in Boston, I threw a turn, and he could tell I was getting in my own head,” says Crouch. “No one else would have noticed that I was hating on myself at that moment and was about to spiral into a pretty bad place, and he just nipped it in the bud because he knew.”

Athletes at every level know the importance of team chemistry. It grows from an organic process that happens largely off the field: learning about someone’s family or job on a long road trip, fits of laughter at the gas stations along the way, falling asleep with Point Break on TV while packed six to a room at a Quality Inn. It’s hard to win without the trust that comes from camaraderie and familiarity. There are 20 players on the National Team, 13 of whom will travel to Cali, Colombia to compete in the World Games. Of the 13, eight have won the Club Championships and three more have competed in the final. Four were on the 2009 U.S. team that won gold, and Farrell and Opi Payne are the only players that have not played in some form of Worlds tournament. But even with all the talent, cohesion has to precede success, and with only four months and few practices between when the roster was set on March 29 and the start of the tournament, the team must forge it quickly. “A lot of people look at this roster and see the up side,” says coach Alex Ghesquiere. “The ceilings are through the roof. The challenge for Matty [Tsang, Ghesquiere’s assistant coach] and I is to get us to play up to that ceiling. There are countless examples of favorites that don’t come home with the gold because the team chemistry or system wasn’t right, and I think that’s the challenge for a country that has as good of individual players as we do.” Cara Crouch’s weekly workout routine is brutal: three lifting sessions, two track workouts, two agility workouts, speed work, and yoga. One of the 2009 gold medal winners, she admits that keeping up these days means putting in a few more hours per week than it did four years ago. Mike Natenberg, a fellow National Team member

SUMMER 2013

Seeing how hard the other is working creates a loop of motivation – you fight not only for your own gain, but also not to let teammates down. Crouch and Natenberg are uniquely positioned to see just how much the other wants it because of their proximity. It also helps that they’re married – the couple met during their first years of ultimate at the University of Texas in 2001, moved in together in 2005 and wed in 2011.

Not everyone on the National Team has the advantage of eight years of cohabitation, yet they’re all looking to build that same kind of familiarity. Ghesquiere has been impressed so far. “Players put in a lot of effort to get to know each other very quickly,” he says. “They set about building that camaraderie in whole-hearted fashion. I think that’s one of many examples of what makes them all great ultimate players, that they see building team unity as something that’s important.” Players send mass texts about workouts and their relative difficulties over the team’s GroupMe account. They formally track their progress – right alongside Ghesquiere’s urgings to do more – in a shared Google spreadsheet. Inside jokes made at practices are revisited over email threads. The frequent communication and transparency are all part of a deliberate effort to build intimacy. “We see each other five times and are expected to gel and be motivated by one another when we’re spread across the country,” says Titcomb. “The more connections, the easier it is to do that last 100 at the track or finish that last set at the gym or get to sleep on time.” At time of print, the National Team had held one practice weekend in San Francisco and one in Boston, with future weekends planned for Poultry Days in Versailles, Ohio; the U.S. Open in Raleigh, N.C.; and finally a last practice in Boulder, Colo., before the travelling team leaves for Cali. The U.S. Open weekend will be tough – all but a few members will be competing in the tournament with their club teams – but the team eagerly added the practice after it became apparent that their time together was at a premium. Players stayed with various friends throughout San Francisco’s vast ultimate community during the

team’s first practice weekend, but the group decided to rent the house in Boston to increase time spent together during the next practice weekend. It was a financial burden – the rental fee was paid out of pocket – but worthwhile. “Our time together is limited,” says Snyder. “We need to have forced engagement with each other.” Of the 2009 team dynamic, Crouch says, “We did a lot of dancing together. You want to play for people you love. The people I care about, I want to perform and do my best for.” The 13-player rosters of Australia, Canada, Colombia, Great Britain, and Japan will be the U.S. National Team’s final test. Passing won’t be easy. “Teams are better this time around,” says Tunnell, also a member of the 2009 team. “The Canadian team has some of these young GOAT guys, and Japan is always good, so that’ll be interesting. This is not a gimme by any means.” Ghesquiere, in fact, is incredulous at the suggestion that the U.S. has the talent to run away with the tournament. “[The United States] may have the most depth in ultimate, but I’ve seen Australia and England and Japan and Colombia’s players at the last several worlds tourneys, and when you ask a country to select 13 of those players for a team, any country will be great. They’ll have 13 extremely good players and can be a very powerful ultimate team. In no way am I taking any country lightly.” The coaches are tasked with converting the team’s offfield unity efforts to on-field performance. “Our number one goal at Poultry Days, bar none,” says Ghesquiere, “is to tune our offensive systems. We have to clarify our roles on offense and the spaces we’re generating and clearing

into, and we have to get synched into how we’re going to flow down the field.” Cooperation and understanding will go a long way for this group of players, all of whom hail from different systems in which they are used to playing primary roles. “If you were to ask 20 players what their offense was like on their club team,” says Ghesquiere, “they’d give 20 different answers.” Snyder confidently acknowledges the unknown when asked how she can know the team will do its best work when the stakes are highest. “There’s no way to 100 percent say for sure,” she says. “But I think that we all respect each other a lot as players, and on top of that baseline respect, in actually getting to know each other, [we have created a] really strong foundation and a sense that we’re all in it together. We have faith in each other.” National team members are keeping their teammates at the front of their minds as they train for those moments when push comes to shove in Cali. Each has a deep personal drive to succeed, and the opportunity at hand is a reminder that great company enhances a great experience. “This represents the pinnacle of what we’ve done in ultimate,” says Chase Sparling-Beckley. “The ability to bring everything that we’ve learned as players to the biggest stage with the best group to test it against the best competition in the world. From a personal level, that’s one important thing to keep in mind – that this is the pinnacle of what all of us have ever done.”

ADVANCED SPEED, STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING TRAINING TIPS

ABOVE THE COMPETITION AGILITY: THE CROSSOVER STEP & SHUTTLES

TIM MORRILL, M.A., CSCS, HFS Owner of Morrill Performance & Explosive Ultimate

In the spring issue, we discussed how to improve agility via three main interventions: increasing one’s capacity to absorb and produce force, plyometric training and grooving the main Inside Foot Push (IFP) pattern: the Jab Step. Recall, the Jab Step serves as the precursor to the Serpentine Drill.

your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes pointed forward. Lean towards the ladder to load the hip. When you feel like you are going to fall, push under. The foot that starts furthest from the ladder will briefly touch in a box before you land with both feet on the other side of the ladder. Stick the landing with your center of gravity shifted toward the ladder in order to set up for the next crossover.

IN THIS ISSUE, WE WILL TAKE ON THE MAIN OUTSIDE FOOT PUSH (OFP) PATTERN: THE CROSSOVER STEP. The Crossover Step is used during 180-degree turns and involves a forceful push off of the pinky toe side of the foot (OFP). This forceful outside foot push will result in an explosive adduction + extension. Just as the Jab Step is the precuror to the Serpentine Drill, the Crossover Step is the precursor to the 300 Shuttle. In order to learn this skill, start with the Crossover Run. While running, push off hard under so you get an instance of toe drag while keeping the shoulders and pelvis square. If done properly, you should feel the movement in your glutes. Once you have mastered the Crossover Run progress to the Ladder Crossover Drill. This valuable drill teaches a forceful OFP and landing in an athletic position. To execute this drill, start with both feet on the outside of the ladder in an athletic position with SUMMER 2013

FIGURE 1. TIM MORRILL DEMONSTRATES THE CROSSOVER RUN, WITH THE “TOE DRAG” CUE.

Morrill Performance has traveled the world and worked with some of ultimate’s best athletes. Here are the best times recorded for the 300 Shuttle:

OPEN DIVISION PLAYER

TEAM

TIME (IN SECONDS)

Michael Egan

Machine

53.84

Recorded at the 2010 Club National Championships in Sarasota, FL with a stopwatch.

WOMEN’S DIVISION FIGURE 2. OWEN SHEPHERD DEMONSTRATES THE START POSITION OF THE LADDER CROSSOVER DRILL. WITH TOES FORWARD AND BODY LEANING TOWARDS THE LADDER, HE PREPARES TO PUSH UNDER WITH HIS RIGHT FOOT.

PLAYER

TEAM

TIME (IN SECONDS)

Christie Kim

Brute Squad

60.1

Recorded at IronSquad peak training session, October 2012, with a stopwatch.

Once you master the Crossover Run and the Crossover Ladder Drill, you are ready to progress to Shuttles. The 300 Yard Shuttle involves sprinting 25 yards down and 25 yards back a total of six times. That makes for 11 crossovers in one drill. The better you get at developing solid OFP, the faster your shuttles will be. When running shuttles, focus on leaning back into your turns. This will allow you to load your hip and will result in a more forceful crossover. In addition to developing agility, the 300 Shuttle is a great conditioning drill. It is objective and easy to replicate.

FIGURE 3. BOSTON BRUTE SQUAD’S AMBER SINICROPE DEMONSTRATES THE LADDER CROSSOVER DRILL WITH GREAT FORM. NOTICE HOW HER SHOULDERS STAY SQUARE AS HER HIP GOES INTO FULL ADDUCTION + EXTENSION.

In sum, owning the main IFP and OFP patterns, the Jab Step and Crossover Step serve as foundational movements in agility for ultimate training. Once you have these patterns grooved, you can add conditioning on top of them via the Serpentine Courses for IFP and 300 Shuttles for OFP. Look forward to the fall issue of USA Ultimate where we will discuss Linear Speed Mechanics.

Tim Morrill is the owner of Morrill Performance & Explosive Ultimate. He is the Speed, Strength & Conditioning coach for Boston Ironside and many other Boston-area Ultimate teams. Tim has played ultimate since 2005. Visit www.MorrillPerformance.com for more info.

FIGURE 4. THE 300 YARD SHUTTLE DRILL

U S A U LT I M AT E

A LETTER TO OUR MEMBERS BY

SUMMER 2013

DR. TOM CRAWFORD USA Ultimate Chief Executive Officer

NUTRITION MATTERS: From Training to Competition: Healthy Meal Plans to Maximize Your Ultimate Performance

ATHLETE-SPECIFIC NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION TO HELP YOU PERFORM YOUR BEST

KATY HARRIS, MSPH, CSCS Lifestyle Educator, Phoenix, NC Ultimate

Proper preparation, recovery and nutrition could be the difference between making your team’s roster and not, between sitting on the bench and being a go-to player. The good news is that you can do something about it—it’s something you can control. The bad news is that it takes advanced planning, a commitment to your health and performance, and knowledge and experience to get in all the healthy nutrients you need every day. But if you can get a good system down, you’ll finally know what you are really capable of on the field and for your teammates, and you’ll improve your health at the same time!

providing the building blocks for hormones, immune cells and enzymes; maintaining body composition and bone health; and providing energy source for muscle and the liver. •P rotein is needed in adequate amounts frequently throughout the day and must have high biological value (e.g., animal sources considered to be highest quality), •A dequate amounts of lean protein, fruits and vegetables, and good fats from healthy sources are necessary for proper health and athlete performance.

A BRIEF REVIEW.

•A thletes regularly training for and competing in ultimate are at the highest end of protein needs (almost 2x our typical body weight’s requirement per day).

Before getting into the details of meal planning, some review might be helpful. This review will be helpful when relating what you are eating to what your body needs to do what you are asking it to do. Refer back to these concepts while meal planning to remind yourself of what nutrients you need and check out the spring issue of USA Ultimate for more details.

NUTRIENTS, CALORIES AND PROTEIN. After reviewing these important concepts, try to now shift your thinking from calories to nutrients. Many of us think of food in terms of calories, since we are constantly bombarded with conflicting messages in the media about counting calories, not counting calories, worrying about whether our calories are coming from good or bad fat and so on. Every day there is a new fad coming out for weight loss or weight gain. However, a good nutritionist or strength coach will tell you the nutrients are just as important, if not more so, as the overall calories. To build muscle and increase performance, you must have a positive overall

• Our bodies are made mostly of protein and water. • We get energy for all cells from carbohydrates (protein or fat can also be broken down into carbohydrates). • We use good fats to build cell membranes and perform other essential functions. • Protein provides many essential functions, including building and maintaining muscle tissue; 63

U S A U LT I M AT E

net protein balance: the difference between rate of muscle protein synthesis (MPS) and rate of muscle protein breakdown (MPB). This means that (MPS) must be greater than overall muscle breakdown (MPB). So for lean body mass gain, MPS > MPB A focus on protein intake, nutrients AND calories ensures that MPS>MPB. Quality sources of nutrients must be consumed in adequate amounts each meal or snack throughout the day, including protein for muscle synthesis and cell building blocks, carbohydrates for energy and good fats for cell membranes and proper cell and brain function.

body fat who is 5'8" and weighs 175 lbs. may need up to 25 ounces of protein/day. Body builders know this routine, but we don’t necessarily think of ourselves as body builders. But effectively that’s exactly what we are when you combine the duration, frequency and intensity of both ultimate’s training, competition and recovery. *Vegetarians should consider egg whites, whey, vegetable protein shakes, soy, grains, legumes, dairy or vegetable protein to consume enough protein throughout the day.

MEAL PLANNING FOR ATHLETES. As you may have already guessed, the hard part isn’t knowing how much you need every day, it’s actually preparing and taking the time to consume all those calories during a busy work or school day. Eating out is always an option and is recommended during the first few days after a tournament if energy, funds for a big grocery trip and time to cook are low, but as a habit, athletes should cook and prepare food frequently. As a perk, these habits will not only help you perform better and prolong your career as a player, but will also help you avoid weight gain as you age; support a healthy gut, immune function, hormonal function, brain, and stress response and help you avoid a number of dangerous conditions such as cardiac disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes.

Active athletes typically need meals and/or snacks 4–6 times per day to get in the allotted number ounces of protein spread out through the day. This is not necessary every day, but should be followed when possible. For example, each meal or snack should include: 1) The necessary ounces of protein, 2) 2-4 servings of healthy carbohydrates, including veggies, fruit, and/or whole grain carbohydrate, dairy, and 3) A good fat source such as nuts, nut butters or olive oil (approximately 2 servings for meals and 1 serving for snacks).

For performance in ultimate, the goal of a healthy diet is to head into competition fueled (and ideally fully rested), with adequate liver and muscle glycogen, the long chains of the ‘sugar’ molecule glucose stored in the muscle and liver, to get you through the long, hot, sweaty days of ultimate ahead. After a tournament, it is crucial to replace those glycogen stores with increased amounts of nutrients. Protein shakes (see Example Workout Day) are an ideal meal replacement immediately following training or practice. Their easily absorbed calories help your body capitalize on the highly absorptive window of muscle tissue that exists 20 minutes to 2 hours after exercise, promoting replacement of used glycogen stores in the muscle and more rapid recovery and tissue healing. Since most of those calories are absorbed into the muscle and liver, another meal is often needed within 1–2 hours of the protein shake to support the brain, blood cells and other bodily functions.

Athletes should also be sure to consume a calcium source, including dairy with the fat necessary for the calcium to be absorbed—2% or above is ideal— as well as enough green leafy vegetables such as kale, spinach and swiss chard. Portion sizes are easiest to relate to handfuls, e.g. a meal is roughly five handfuls of food: two handfuls of lean protein, two to four handfuls of healthy carbs from fruit, veggies, whole grains and/or dairy. Remember that cooked meat will weigh less (typically by 2–4 ounces) than the uncooked weight listed on the package, and a handful of fruit or uncooked veggies will be larger than cooked veggies or berries. A 145 lb. female may need 17 ounces of protein, on average, per day (see below for how to calculate your average necessary protein intake). That may seem daunting, particularly if you are vegetarian or vegan.* But if you weigh more, you need even more protein. For example, an athlete with excess SUMMER 2013

It goes without saying that added sugar, sodas, caffeine or other stimulants, excess saturated 64

fat, etc. are not advised for your health on a daily basis, regardless of whether you are an athlete. These foods and ingredients, or “non-nutritive calories” can trick your body into thinking it is full, even though you haven’t consumed what you need to stay healthy, let alone perform at a high level. Some of these foods may be included occasionally in a healthy, balanced diet, but avoiding them on a daily basis is ideal.

3) D ivide grams by 7 to get ounces EXAMPLE: 143.01g ÷ 7 = 20.3oz/day 4) D ivide by 3 to average ounces per meal/snack EXAMPLE: 20.3oz ÷ 3 = 6.76oz/meal

TABLE 1: MEAL PLANNING IN THREE EASY STEPS. Athletes who are in the high point of their seasons, are under stress or have an active job prior to the season will need twice their body weight’s requirement for protein. Each meal should be 2/3 carbohydrate and 1/3 protein from a variety of animal, vegetable and dairy sources.

Following the steps in Table 1 will ensure a balanced diet during training, so you are fueled going into competition. Here are some tips from strength coaches and nutritionists at the National Strength and Conditioning Association:

STEP 1

1) Meal planning is easiest if you keep it simple and varied and prepare it ahead of time when possible. 2) Athletes should have a normal routine of frequent high-quality protein intake starting with breakfast and continuing throughout the day, as well as adequate carbohydrates (2-3 servings per meal), fruits and vegetables, and good fat. 3) Be careful not to focus solely on protein as some athletes and body builders do, but rather consume high-quality protein frequently throughout the day (at least 3 times/day), and avoid binge eating or skipping meals. 4) When you are thinking about what to eat, plan meals that are easy to prepare, moderate in cost, easy to consume in large enough quantities, highly digestible, accessible, tasty and are low in food-safety risks.

CALCULATING PROTEIN NEEDS. Here is how to calculate your protein needs. Try it and see what you get! It may need tweaking, but you will adjust naturally as you listen to your body and try your new healthy habits. You may feel like you are eating all day long, but you will get used to it; and don’t worry, it’s normal for us athletes!

STEP 2

STEP 3

SELECT PROTEINS SELECT CARBS (2 SERVINGS) (2–4 SERVINGS)

SELECT FATS/DAIRY (1–2 SERVINGS)

Lean Protein Sources: • Chicken or turkey breast • Ground chicken or turkey (90% or higher) • Ground beef (93% lean or higher, grass-fed) • White fish (cod, haddock, trout, flounder, halibut, grouper) • Shellfish (shrimp, lobster, scallops or crab) • Tuna (1-2 servings/ week due to mercury content) • Eggs • Venison • Bison • Ostrich • All wild-caught fish • Salmon • Veal • Lean deli meat • Pork (limit bacon)

Healthy Fats: • Coconut oil • Extra virgin olive oil • Pumpkin, almond, cashew, or walnut oil • Almonds, walnuts, cashews, • Pecans, peanuts • Butter • Almond, cashew or peanut butter • Flax seeds • Avocados • Olives

Nutrient-Dense Veggies: • Greens (lettuce, bok choy, swiss chard, kale, collards, mustard or beet greens) • Spinach, cabbage, broccoli or cauliflower • Cucumbers, tomatoes, tomatillos • Onions, peppers, mushrooms • Bean or Brussels sprouts • Celery, chives, green onions • Garlic, leek • Eggplant, squash, zucchini • Radishes, eggplant, artichoke • Green beans, asparagus Starchy Veggies/Legumes: • Soy* (tofu, tempeh, edamame, soy milk, kefir) • Hummus* • Split peas • Lentils • Beans (garbanzo, pinto, kidney, black, lima, navy, refried)

Dairy:** • Cheese • Milk • Cottage cheese • Yogurt, Greek yogurt, buttermilk, whipped cream

Fruits: • Apples, berries (blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, etc.), cherries • Grapefruit, nectarines, orange • Grapes, apricots, kiwi • Cantaloupe, honeydew • Coconut, watermelon • Peach, pear, plum Whole-Grain Carbohydrates: • Quinoa* • Bread • Rice (basmati, brown or wild) • Buckwheat, barley, millet • Whole oats, slow cooked • Pasta • Crackers • Tortilla or pita

1) Get weight in kg (lbs x .454) EXAMPLE: 175lbs x .454 = 79.45kg 2) M ultiply by activity factor (1.8 to 2.0) for the daily grams needed EXAMPLE: 79.45kg * 1.8 g/kg body weight = 143.01g/day

*Soy is also a complete protein. Hummus is also a good fat source. Quinoa is also a complete protein. ** Dairy is a carbohydrate, a fat and a complete protein, but it should not be considered a lean protein source when meal planning. For planning, it helps to think of dairy as a healthy carbohydrate and good fat source.

U S A U LT I M AT E

EXAMPLE TYPICAL DAY.

MEAL PLANNING IN A TIME CRUNCH.

(145 lb. female; 16 ounces protein/day). Breakfast. 3 eggs cooked as desired, 1 ounce cheddar cheese, turkey sausage, 1 toasted English muffin with omega-3 butter spread, 1 handful berries, add an 8–12oz. glass of juice or milk if desired (approximately 4 oz. protein) Snack. 1 handful nuts, 1 handful dried fruit, 2 ounces deli meat, electrolyte drink (e.g., coconut water or 100% juice) (approximately 2 oz. protein) Lunch. Grilled chicken (sliced) pesto sandwich on whole grain bread with peppers, red leaf lettuce, tomato, red onion, 1 medium-sized pear, kettle cooked chips or small dessert if needed (approximately 4 oz. protein) Snack. Soy protein bar, 2 (approximately 2 oz. protein)

handfuls

There are MANY ways to make meals throughout the week and be prepared for your day and competition. Since we are not professional athletes with access to training tables of food 24/7, we have to fend for ourselves with frequent cooking of large meals. Taking the time to plan monthly, weekly and daily is crucial for success. If you can’t get to the grocery store for a few days just do the best you can, but the sooner you can get a plan and make it to the store, the better off you will be for your next day, your next workout, and your next competition or practice. Here are some tips: 1) Prepare whole meals that don’t require watching (e.g. crock pot, chili, etc.) in the crock pot or oven that you can freeze or keep in the fridge for the week.

grapes

Dinner. Lean ground beef hamburger with lettuce, tomato, mustard, whole grain bun, whole potato fries, small whole food dessert (e.g., chocolate or fruit + yogurt, soy ice cream or frozen yogurt, cobbler, key lime pie) (approximately 4oz. protein)

EXAMPLE TRAINING DAY. (145 lb. female; 20 ounces/day). Breakfast. 2 pieces whole grain toast with 2 tbsp peanut butter, 1 banana, 1 glass 100% juice, 2 hard boiled eggs (approximately 4 oz. protein) Lunch. Salad with blue cheese, steak strips, red onion, peppers, mushrooms, dressing, side of hummus or bean salad, whole grain bread or all-natural chips if needed (approximately 4 oz. protein) Pre-workout snack. (approximately 1–2 hours prior). All-natural granola bar, 1 cup soymilk, 1/2 grapefruit (approximately 2 oz. protein) Post-workout snack. (within 15 minutes–1.5 hours of workout). Protein shake with ice coconut milk, water, vanilla egg white protein powder, 2 handfuls frozen raspberries, 1 banana, 1 scoop peanut butter or flax seed, agave syrup, blended (approximately 4 oz. protein)

2) Always buy some frozen, some fresh and some already prepared ingredients (e.g. frozen and fresh veggies; snackable fruits and veggies; dried fruit; frozen and fresh fruit; frozen, fresh and prepared meats; nuts; oils; seasonings; juices; milk; cheese; bread; desserts, etc.). 3) Always try to have some snackable or whole pieces of fruit or veggies on hand that you can carry with you and don’t make a mess or spoil. Good options might be granola or granola bars and fruit, dried fruit and nut mixes with soy protein sticks or cubes, cheese sticks, deli meat, hard-boiled eggs or 100% juice.

MEAL PLANNING ON A BUDGET. Eating all this food may seem like it will get expensive, but only if you eat out every meal. It’s actually cheaper to buy fresh meat and fruits and veggies from a grocery store, and if you get all the food you need from these healthy sources, it will drastically cut down on the packaged food and snacks you need to buy that can really rack up a bill. The sales are tempting, but you don’t need all that if you are getting enough whole foods from your meals.

Dinner. Baked barbeque chicken with corn on the cob; kale sautéed with garlic and vinegar; whole grain bread; milk, soymilk, coconut milk or 100% juice, dessert, etc. as needed to make 2–3 servings carbs (approximately 6 oz. protein) SUMMER 2013

You are now ready to begin your journey to becoming a healthy, top performer for your team. Please spread this knowledge to your colleagues. Good luck and have fun trying your new delicious meals six times a day! 66

CLEATS & CONES U U LTIMATE DRILLS AND SKILLS BY

MARKING

LTICOACH

The Marker

A strong mark is the foundation of a great defense, and inversely, a weak mark can leave even an experienced and athletic defensive line vulnerable. A great marker relies on excellent technique and conditioning as well as strict adherence to the team concept and strategy. Developing foot speed, agility and hand-eye coordination, as well as the ability to study the tendencies of your opponent and adjusting accordingly, are the tools you need to excel at this fundamental ultimate skill.

Key Concepts for Strong Marks

A marker’s job is to prevent throws to a predetermined area of the field (the break side). Beginning players tend to be too aggressive on stopping force side (open side throws). Early in your development, focus on preventing break throws while being content with allowing your teammates to deny cuts on the open side. Keep your arms out and around mid-level, and use your feet to challenge low throws. Don’t overreact to fakes, and always maintain your position and balance.

Focus For Each Development Level BEGINNER

INTERMEDIATE

ADVANCED

Commit to holding the mark and not giving up easy break throws. Don’t develop bad habits (slapping, poking, overextending), and focus of the basic mechanics of a good mark.

Continue working on the mechanics while becoming more active on the mark. Work on being able to shift your weight without sacrificing balance. Think about challenging throwers who throw long by extending your mark towards the open side to disrupt those long throws.

Study specific characteristics and fakes used by the throwers you are marking and set your mark to make those options more difficult. Challenge force-side throws to make them more difficult without giving up easy break throws. Learn how to challenge break-side throws without fouling.

ABOUT THE BEGINNER DRILL

ABOUT THE INTERMEDIATE DRILL

ABOUT THE ADVANCED DRILL

As with any skill, learning the basics well and practicing strong fundamentals will provide you with the tools to succeed. Keeping an effective mark isn’t flashy like a layout D, but it is THE essential skill needed for defensive success.

Actively denying the break side requires quick feet and active hands. In this drill, focus on preventing both the inside out and around options for the thrower. Look to use your feet to help stop the inside outs and a quick shuffle to prevent the around breaks.

Truly great markers can execute marking fundamentals while simultaneously analysing their opponents throwing tendencies and micro adjusting to take throwing options away. This is something that can only be mastered with a lot of discipline and practice.

Breakforce 45s

Marking

6 10+

15 Yds

USEFUL FOR: ● The backbone of the defense PERFORMANCE TIPS: ● Stay on your toes ● Keep low center of gravity, good balance ● Butt low, back straight ● Move with your feet, not with your upper body ● Keep your hands active ● Don’t bite on thrower fakes, maintain position

USEFUL FOR: ● Marking, cutting, breakforce throws METHOD: ● Team split into equal lines ● Thrower becomes receiver, cut as soon as you release ● Marker becomes thrower ● Receive disc, go to back of opposite line ● Run this drill on both forehand and backhand sides PERFORMANCE TIPS: ● Cut hard, catch at full speed ● Marker yell “up” when disc is released ● Try new fakes to break the mark

Three Man

10-15 Yds

USEFUL FOR: ● Throwing against straight-up mark, fakes, pivoting, marking, team warm up METHOD: ● Throw through straight-up mark to receiver 10-15 yards away ● After throwing run to mark receiver, repeat sequence ● Try to throw straight, no hammers or scoobers ● Begin stall count at 6 PERFORMANCE TIPS: ● Yell “up” when the disc is released ● Run hard to put on the mark ● Thrower focus on your fakes and range of motion ● Marker should be actively moving hands & feet

ulticoach.com

Created by world champion players and coaches, UltiCoach is the world’s premier provider of Ultimate training and coaching materials. For more drills, skills, and Ultimate stuff visit www.ulticoach.com 67

U S A U LT I M AT E

x x

INSIGHT AND TIPS FROM COACHES, FOR COACHES

COACHES’ PLAYBOOK Authentic Ultimate: Part One

KYLE WEISBROD

All coaches have a “coaching philosophy,” a set of ideas or beliefs that guide your decision making and leadership. A coach’s philosophy helps them to analyze issues and determine solutions. It can guide a coach in his most difficult moments, create a framework for interacting with a team, and help create a vision for the team he is looking to shape. A coaching philosophy is independent from strategic philosophy, and while strategic vision can change with personnel or new developments in the sport, a coach’s philosophy tends to change and evolve much more slowly.

the players I’ve coached, particularly the Paideia Girls, 2012 U20 Women’s team and University of Washington Element, for giving me the opportunity to learn about myself and improve as a coach. The working title for my philosophy is “Authentic Ultimate.” By authentic, I am talking about the ways in which players on my team interact with one another. My philosophy is that teams are successful when each player on the team is able to bring his or her whole self to the table, not just a piece or caricature. By bringing themselves to the table honestly and openly, teams can forge real, lasting relationships while also finding success on the field.

Whether or not you’ve articulated your philosophy, you’ve got one. It’s been shaped by all of your experiences as a player and as a coach. You’ve learned things from both your good and bad experiences, and you’ve integrated them into the way you coach. Intentionally considering and articulating your philosophy, though, can help ground you while also helping players buy into what you are doing. It can give you a way to communicate why you make the decisions you do and help the team make those decisions as well. At its best, your philosophy serves as motivation for you to make the sacrifices you make to coach. The clearest and most well-known example of a coaching philosophy in ultimate is Lou Burruss’ “Clown Tent.”

Those relationships are an end goal in themselves and much more meaningful than any end-ofseason record or goal. That said, establishing real relationships based on knowing your teammates and being known in return also breeds on-field success. Feeling safe and supported allows players to make mistakes and improve without constant judging from themselves and others. Knowing your teammates allows you to trust they are doing what is in the best interest of the team, even if it isn’t what you would do yourself. And feeling invested in the team will help your players invest more in achieving their own potential. For most of us, there is deep satisfaction in being known and in knowing others. Being known dissipates loneliness and increases connections with the world. The last two paragraphs may seem self-evident. But achieving that vision is easier said than done. We live in a culture where being whole and genuine is increasingly rare. In classrooms, we stare at computer screens with our Facebook page or Gmail account open, only half conscious

In my 10 years of coaching, I’ve struggled to articulate my own philosophy but a string of coaching and non-coaching events over the past year have helped me frame it with words. What follows is my evolving coaching philosophy. My hope is that some of the content is helpful to you as a coach and, at the very least, helps you work towards articulating your own philosophy. A special thanks to all of SUMMER 2013

of what is going on. We walk around with our cell phones out, responding to a text and only partially aware of the spring beauty around us. Irony is the current generation’s dominant form of humor— dressing or talking in a way that creates humor in the incongruence of the truth and the appearance. Even without these cultural trends, knowing oneself and knowing others is not an easy task. Most current ultimate coaches work with high school and college-aged students, and that 14–22 year old period is a challenging time when individuals are dealing with major issues including bullying, sexual awareness and orientation, and peer pressure. This is a period where character and personality are very much developing—individuals are determining who are they and how they interact with the world. At their worst, teams can make this period even more challenging for individuals. It can be easy as a coach to focus on one aspect of your players: how good are they at ultimate, and how can I make them better? In a way, that’s the obvious reason you are there as a coach. But a culture that only values players based on how much they can contribute to winning and losing not only fails to help make a safe and trusting environment, but is likely not giving the team their best opportunity to improve and win in the long run. Short of the worst, there are many damaging ways teams can interact if they don’t intentionally prioritize whole individuals. With 20+ players, it’s often easy to put people in boxes and look at them one-dimensionally (e.g. that player is fast, that player is funny, that person is a bad decision maker, that person is a great athlete). Creating caricatures can simplify complex interactions with teammates but

AUTHENTIC ULTIMATE SEEKS TO CREATE TEAMS WITH REAL, LASTING RELATIONSHIPS WHO ALSO FIND ON-FIELD SUCCESS. PHOTO: CBMT CREATIVE

often results in players feeling like they are not truly known and/or leads to players not trying new things that may be outside of their normal “box.” Another common occurrence is a team culture rife with put-downs, sarcasm and inside jokes. While joking and nuanced communication such as sarcasm can sometimes strengthen team bonds and understanding, unclear communication that has a negative or cliquey feeling can be a minefield for a team. Negativity breeds insecurity, and insecurity will create division, slow player development and limit player investment. Authentic Ultimate is a philosophy that helps me focus on creating a supportive, positive environment that allows people to be themselves. It is a reminder to look at my players as whole people and provide opportunities for players to share themselves. Through this approach, I hope to allow my teams to learn and grow more quickly as individual people and players. And through the experience of competitive ultimate, I hope to forge lasting relationships with my players and for them to form enduring friendships with each other.

U S A U LT I M AT E

INJURY PREVENTION TO KEEP YOU PLAYING, REHAB TO GET YOU BACK

INJURY TIMEOUT Chronic Lateral Ankle Pain

JAMIE NUWER, MD

Ankle sprains are the most common injuries in ultimate and most other sports. Ankle sprain severity is rated Grade I, II or III. Grade I can be thought of as micro-tearing

for health problems. Always seek medical help for worrisome or persistent symptoms.

of the ankle ligaments, Grade II is a partial tearing, and Grade III is complete tearing. It is important to understand that even minor ankle sprains that you can “walk off” involve tearing of ligaments and warrant attention.

Stretched or torn ligaments are the most common cause of chronic lateral ankle pain. Someone who chronically sprains their ankle may end up with permanent instability, inviting even more ankle sprains. Chronic lateral ankle instability has the following symptoms: recurrent ankle sprains, sensation of feeling “unstable” or “giving out,” reduced ankle function, swelling, tenderness and chronic or recurrent pain. If you have any of these symptoms, see a sports medicine physician as soon as possible for diagnosis, treatment and proper rehab.

Unfortunately, 10–20 percent of ankle sprains become chronic, most often because the ankle was not fully rehabilitated. Treating an acute ankle sprain and subsequent rehab have been addressed in previous articles which can be found at injurytimeout.org.

Chronic ankle instability, with or without pain, leaves patients at high risk for more serious injuries that could take a long time to come back from. Some of the more common ones, such as peroneal tendon injuries, intra-articular (inside the joint) injuries and sinus tarsi syndrome, are described below.

This article will address the various causes and treatments of chronic lateral ankle sprains and chronic pain. Lateral refers to the outside of the ankle and is the most commonly injured part of the ankle. Chronic ankle pain should always be evaluated by a sports medicine physician. If left untreated, chronic ankle pain will often lead to arthritis, permanent instability and/or surgery. This column is not meant to replace medical evaluation

The peroneal muscle is mainly used to turn the foot out, but also helps with pushing the foot down. This muscle is used in pivoting and changing direction and is sometimes difficult to treat. The peroneal tendon can be injured during an acute ankle sprain or from overuse of the ankle. Changing shoes, changing running surfaces or increasing training regimens can cause peroneal tendonitis. Left untreated or improperly rehabilitated, peroneal

VIEW OF LATERAL (OUTSIDE) OF FOOT; PAIN WHEN PUSHING ON EITHER OF THE BLACK AREAS MAY SUGGEST A FRACTURE. CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR IMMEDIATELY.

SUMMER 2013

TOP: Ankle injuries are one of the most common maladies in sports. Photo: CBMT Creative BOTTOM: Iowa’s Chelsea Twohig suffered an ankle injury early in the semifinals but played through it. Photo: CBMT Creative

THERABAND (EXERCISE BAND) EXERCISES FOR ANKLE SPRAIN REHABILITATION

tendon injuries can lead to complete tendon tears or ankle dislocation, both of which require surgery. Intra-articular injury occurs in 10–20 percent of chronic or recurrent ankle sprains. Intra-articular injuries cause pain, stiffness, weakness, clicking, catching, locking and/or the feeling that something is loose inside the joint. Intra-articular injuries include cartilage and/or bone injuries. Bruises to the bone or cartilage can take up to 12 weeks to heal. Most other cartilage and bone injuries cannot heal on their own and often require surgery. Sinus tarsi syndrome (STS) involves an injury to the joint between the ankle and the heel (subtalar joint). STS can happen when the lateral ankle ligaments are already torn, either from multiple sprains or one Grade III sprain. Without the restraint of the lateral ligaments, the ankle rolls so far that it tears some of the internal ankle ligaments. STS causes severe and recurrent ankle sprains, severe pain and difficulty even walking on uneven surfaces. This injury requires specialized rehab of both the external and internal ligaments; regular ankle rehab will not be sufficient. Seek medical attention for chronic ankle pain, instability or recurrent sprains. Causes are varied and require a thorough exam to determine. Treatment should be started as soon as possible to avoid permanent problems and chronic pain.

References: Chorley J, Powers C. Clinical features and management of ankle pain in the young athlete. www.uptodate.com Last updated 1/23/13 Koenig MD. Ligament injuires of the foot and ankle in adult athletes. DeLee and Drez’s Orthopaedic Sports Medicine, 3rd ed (2009). Chapter 25: Foot and Ankle

U S A U LT I M AT E

REFLECTIONS ON SPIRIT FROM MEMBERS OF THE ULTIMATE COMMUNITY

THE SPIRIT CIRCLE The Right Calls or the Right Outcome

CHASE SPARLING-BECKLEY

I am not a writer. Let’s air that out right away. However, I am a longtime member of the ultimate community, and I feel my voice ought to be (as should yours) a part of the larger conversation about how we play the game we love, involve ourselves in its community and choose to shape it moving into the future. I have done a lot of thinking about ultimate over the years and am constantly revising my understanding of the game and the community that plays it. Historically, one of the ways in which we have differentiated ourselves as a sport (and one of the strong selling points to parents and school administrators) has been with our version of “player control.” Although ultimate is by no means the only sport in which individuals are tasked with policing themselves and their competitors (both tennis and golf, for example, utilize self policing at several levels of play), it is the only sport, at least that I have ever heard of, that is both a player-controlled environment AND a team sport. This makes for a lot of moving parts, each with their own ideas, viewpoints and understanding of the rules. Recent debate about our sport has often revolved around whether our player-controlled environment is what is best for the future or if we would be better off ceding our control to a third-party official like most team sports. Arguments have been lofted about the watchability of our sport, the comfort levels of potential non-playing fans at seeing a non-reffed sport, the optimal player experience and the “correct” outcomes of plays, points and games. I will leave the debate about many of these points to other more wellversed, eloquent commentators; however, I would like to quibble with one of the salient points laid out in the reffed-vs.-not debate: the “correct” outcomes theory. SUMMER 2013

The theory goes (and I am paraphrasing some very good arguments), “we are all biased to our own self interest, and therefore, our predisposition is to see the outcome of any play in our own favor.” In essence, we are all human, and humans do what we need to do to win, even if it’s not a conscious decision. Therefore, we are unfit to administer the rules of the game. This argument is logical, albeit a bit spineless. However, the theory fails to take into account the natural biases and shortcomings of a third party who would be trusted to make the “right call” in our stead. To me, this debate comes down to the difference between the “right call” and the “correct outcome.” Making the right calls assumes the rules are followed to the letter, and every infraction is whistled and penalized. Facilitating the correct outcome entails an admission that the right call is rarely cut and dry, and there is still a correct outcome that should result from every play. In most sports, officials are tasked with the difficult job of making the right call 100 percent of the time. But they make mistakes – many, many mistakes. Mostly, officials understand this reality, and so instead of focusing on making every right call, they try to ensure the correct outcome. This is why concepts such as the make-up call and “letting them play” exist: outcomes that defy the letter of the rule but facilitate the correct outcome to a sequence or game. For me, trusting a third party to determine the correct outcome is a big leap of faith. For others, trusting your opponent to help facilitate the correct outcome is too risky. The debate of top-down control versus bottomup organization reminds me of Steven Johnson’s 2002 book on emergence, Emergence: The Connected 72

Photo: CBMT Creative

Lives of Ants, Brains, Cities, and Software. Effectively, the theory of emergence states that complex systems, patterns and solutions can arise from a multitude of simple actors making individual decisions based on their own local inputs. The book is worth a read. Johnson describes how this sort of simple problem solving pervades countless different systems in the natural and man-made universe.

the system. Each voice of dissent from a teammate, opponent or coach over someone else’s knowing or unknowing manipulation of the rules helps realign the system. If you didn’t like that hard foul, discuss it. Tell your friends. Tell the internet. If you don’t like being called out for committing a hard foul, respond with your viewpoint. The more inputs to the system, the better we will be. Voice your opinion.

In ultimate, each player has input on how to reach the resolution of a play. We are all addressing the outcome from our own biased positions, and these very biases help facilitate the correct outcome. The

As a sport and a community, we are governed by a series of ideals codified as Spirit of the Game –respect for yourself, your opponent and the game. In all my years of ultimate, I have come to understand that respect is an

I have come to understand that respect is an active proposition, not a passive one. key to understanding this process, and to buying into it, is taking the long view on what the correct outcome is. Every input into the system feeds downstream, generating a more refined outcome for each play and infraction. Because all individual actors have control of the way a game is called and its flow, pace and severity of foul calls, each interaction feeds into the complexity of the system, and the ability to determine the correct outcome increases as the game moves forward.

active proposition, not a passive one. Respect for your opponents entails keeping calm during a discussion, but it also includes sticking up for your own beliefs. Respect for the game means knowing the rules but includes interpreting them to fit the situation. Respect for self entails having the courage to listen and, when appropriate, change your mind.

Can this process be hijacked? Of course. But so can any other rules system. What recourse do we have? We, the ultimate community at large, are all actors in

The Spirit Circle is one of the many efforts of USA Ultimate’s Spirit of the Game Committee to make spirit real for today’s ultimate players and community.

U S A U LT I M AT E

A LOOK AT LOCAL LEAGUES AROUND THE COUNTRY

LOCAL LEAGUE SPOTLIGHT

TRIANGLE FLYING DISC ASSOCIATION BY HART MATTHEWS

Perry Sugg remembers the first draft held for an ultimate league in North Carolina. Four captains drafted teams over beers at the league founder’s house. There were fewer than 15 players for each team.

When Dobyns left the area for a few years, he handed the reins to Sugg. From season to season, games bounced around the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area to whatever fields weren’t being used or perhaps weren’t being watched by the authorities.

The league poached fields at a low-lying park in Raleigh, infamous for its poor drainage. Teams were coed, jerseys were tie-dyed by the players and communications were by phone tree. The most ancient player was 30 years old, and there were zero youth players. Sugg, a founding member of Ring of Fire who retired from the game nearly 10 years ago, collected the first-ever league sponsorship, $200 from a hipster coffee joint near the N.C. State University campus.

By the early 2000s, North Carolina Winter League had spawned a parent organization, the non-profit Triangle Flying Disc Association (TFDA), and grown to two dozen teams with nearly 500 players. In 2013, TFDA and its youth organization, Triangle Youth Ultimate League (TYUL), will run at least 10 leagues with more than 800 players, including three youth leagues and 300 youth.

In the mid-1980s, Brian Dobyns moved south from New York. With Southern winters so mild, Dobyns wondered why people didn’t play ultimate. So he convinced 50 or so Southerners that sub-40-degree weather was actually warm for winter, and together they inaugurated North Carolina Ultimate Winter League.

These days, Triangle-area league players range in age from elementary school to senior citizen, 10 years old to 60, with experience levels from beginner to elite club. The post-fall Winter League continues to be the most competitive, attracting many of the area’s club players in their off season. In 2012, TFDA introduced men’s and women’s summer leagues to accompany the long-standing coed league. This year brought the first-ever invite-only league, organized by members of local men’s club teams. The high school season continues to grow – this year’s spring league included 16 area schools.

With only four teams, the original plan was for 12 games – four games against each other team. But after only three rounds, the captains agreed it was getting tedious and decided to go ahead with the tournament. Perhaps because of the date change, one team showed up with only eight players. At finals time, the beleaguered team begged to be released, but the opposing captain would have none of it – the first Winter League championship would be played out. And played it was, regularly punctuated by shouts from captain Tim Brooks as he stalked the sideline exhorting his competition to make a better effort.

Through all the growth, perhaps the most interesting change has been the unlooked-for acceptance gained amongst Triangle field owners. There are still some poachable fields, but the days are long past of being able to run a full league without field rentals and insurance. As TFDA and TYUL have needed to reserve and rent fields over the decades, as well as take better care of those fields, owners have become more accepting of the sport. The Triangle’s ultimate players would like to believe this is a manifestation of Spirit of the Game in the community at-large.

Despite the first year’s small teams, the league took off. It doubled in size its second year and featured a team made up entirely of players from the local IBM pickup game. In the third year, the men made the female players do all the captaining.

SUMMER 2013

TFDA is serving as the local organizing committee for the 2013 U.S. Open Ultimate Championships and Convention to be held July 4-7 in Raleigh, N.C. 74

NEWS & NOTES U.S. OPEN ULTIMATE CHAMPIONSHIPS & CONVENTION

NEWS AND UPDATES FROM USA ULTIMATE HEADQUARTERS IN BOULDER, COLO.

Questions about the event? Check out the U.S. Open webpage or contact usopen_info@usaultimate.org.

This year’s U.S. Open is taking shape. The teams are set, the convention sessions are filling in, and the festivities are planned.

Come join USA Ultimate and the international ultimate community July 4-7, 2013, in Raleigh, N.C., for a celebration of character, community and competition.

The best ultimate teams from across the United States will take on each other and international competition from Canada, Colombia, Denmark and Japan in a bid to be named the 2013 U.S. Open Champions. The highest level of ultimate in the world will be broadcast live on ESPN3 for fans everywhere to watch.

The Masters Division Coordinator of the Year was mistakenly omitted from the previous issue of USA Ultimate. Please see the spring issue for a full list of 2012 Coordinators of the Year.

2012 COORDINATORS OF THE YEAR

MASTERS DIVISION RC of the Year: James Olson - Northeast In the simplest of terms, James Olson just flat out killed it this year. By being proactive and engaging the teams in the Northeast, James had an incredible turnout with a record 12 teams at regionals. His professionalism and work ethic have made him a pleasure to work with the last few years. Whoever succeeds Jim in 2013 will have some large shoes to fill.

Convention participants can choose to attend a number of sessions catered to their interests and needs. Three separate course tracks are geared toward coaches, organizers and athletes. Participants can even attain their Level One Coaching Certification. • Coaching Ethics and Safe Sport;

Byron Hicks – Manager, Competition and Athlete Programs

• Teaching Ultimate Sequences and Cues;

YOUTH MEMBERS TOP 10,000!

• Impacts of the Emerging Ultimate Market on the Culture and Evolution of the Sport;

On May 21, 2013, USA Ultimate’s youth members topped 10,000 for the first time! A huge thanks goes out to all the youth members and the thousands of people who support and help grow youth ultimate around the country every day!

Sessions include:

• Best Practices of Developing Successful and Comprehensive Youth Programs; • Developing a College Program; • Strength and Conditioning;

TOP FIVE COLLEGE REGULAR SEASON EVENTS

• Running an Effective Practice; • a session with the World Flying Disc Federation;

Congratulations to the following events and organizers for being rated as this year’s top five USA Ultimate college regular-season tournaments!

• and many more. The Raleigh Marriott City Center is the hub for tournament and convention activities. Event registration, convention sessions and the athlete and convention social will all take place at the hotel. Free shuttle buses to and from the fields will leave from the Marriott, and Raleigh’s Fourth of July Festivities are just steps away. Convention registration is now open! Download the registration form (available on the USA Ultimate website) and return completed registrations via mail, email or fax. Pricing and contact information are included on the form.

• Bonanza – Women’s Division – Harrisonburg, VA; Alex Sirney • New England Open – Hamilton, MA; Tim Spittle • Tally Classic VIII – Tallahassee, FL; Sam Stewart • T-Town Throwdown 9 – Tuscaloosa, AL; Brian Moore • Virginia is for Layouts – Axton, VA; Michelle Ng Ratings were determined by the post-event survey results. 75

U S A U LT I M AT E

2013 HIGH SCHOOL STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIPS ARE HEADED TO DENVER

Twenty-five states have plans to host High School State Championships this year. Here is a recap of the winners so far.

The 2013 Masters Championships are coming to Denver, July 26-28. For the first time, the Masters and Grand Masters divisions for both men and women have their own time to shine.

CALIFORNIA: Open – Berkeley

NEW YORK: Open – Fieldston

COLORADO: Girls – Monarch Open (D-I) – Monarch Open (D-II) – Collegiate Academy

NORTH CAROLINA: Open – Carolina Friends

CONNECTICUT: Open – Middletown GEORGIA: Girls – Paideia Open (D-I) – Paideia Open (D-II) – Lambert IDAHO: Mixed – Boise ILLINOIS: Girls – Neuqua Valley Open – Neuqua Valley MAINE: Open – Cape Elizabeth MARYLAND: Open – Winston Churchill MASSACHUSETTS: Girls – Amherst JVA Open (D-I) – Lexington Open (D-II) – Xaverian Brothers Open (D-III) – Xaverian Brothers B

OHIO: Girls – Holy Family Catholic Open – Holy Family Catholic

NEW HIRE FOR USA ULTIMATE STAFF

OREGON: Girls – Sheldon Mixed – Sheldon Open – South Eugene

Ryan Gorman was recently hired as USA Ultimate’s new Manager of Membership & Sport Development. Gorman will work to achieve the membership recruitment, engagement and retention goals of USA Ultimate. He will engage with current members and work to encourage the recruitment and growth of the USA Ultimate membership along with other duties in support of the organization.

PENNSYLVANIA: Girls – Lower Merion Open – Pennsbury TENNESSEE: Girls – University School of Nashville Open – University School of Nashville

Gorman began playing ultimate in 2005 at Notre Dame University where he earned a degree in Finance and Mathematics. Before moving to Boulder, he accumulated several years of data management experience as an Accounting Analyst and a Project and Investment Analyst in Cincinnati, Ohio.

TEXAS: Open – Coppell

UPCOMING EVENTS EVENT

UTAH: Girls – Utah Super South Open – Lone Peak

U.S. Open Ultimate Championships & Convention

VERMONT: Girls – BFA Fairfax Open – BFA Fairfax

MINNESOTA: Girls – Southwest Open – Hopkins

VIRGINIA: Girls – HB Woodlawn Open – HB Woodlawn

MISSOURI: Open – De Smet

WASHINGTON: Girls – Northwest School Open – Northwest School

NEW JERSEY: Girls – Watchung Hills Open (D-I) – Columbia Open (D-II) – Paramus Catholic

Teams in the Masters Open (33+), Masters Women (30+) and Grand Masters (40+) divisions will all converge on Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Denver to fight for the championships. A maximum of 16 teams will compete in each division.

WISCONSIN: Girls – Madison Memorial Open – Madison West

SUMMER 2013

LOCATION

July 4-7, 2013 Raleigh, NC

Pro-Elite Flight Challenge

July 20-21, 2013

M/W – Atlanta, GA X – Philadelphia, PA

Masters Championships

July 26-28, 2013

Commerce City, CO

Elite-Select Flight Challenge

August 10-11, 2013

M/W – Boulder, CO X – Seattle, WA

Youth Club Championships

August 10-11, 2013

Blaine, MN

Pro Flight Finale

Aug 31 - Sept Davis, CA 1, 2013

National Championships

Indiana will round out the 2013 High School State Championships June 22-23 in Noblesville, Ind.

DATE

October 17-20, 2013

Frisco, TX

U S A U LT I M AT E