Spring 2014 USA Ultimate Magazine

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D-III Women’s Division p37

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D-III Men’s Division p33 D-I Women’s Division p26 D-I Men’s Division p20 Focus: College Division Footnote Aceball: Ain Ultimate History p7

WHAT’S INSIDE OF F I C I AL M AGA Z I N E OF U S A ULT I M AT E S PR I N G 2014

USA

ULTIMATE

VOLU M E X X X V ISSU E ON E

SPRING ISSUE

P7 NATIONALS MEN‘S RESULTS P20 COLLEGE FEATURES

P7 ACEBALL

Ohio State Fever made a good run at the 2013 National Championships and looks poised to make a run for the title in 2014. Photo: CBMT Creative

In the spring of 1942, Bud Southard created and introduced Aceball, a team sport using a flying disc at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio. Photo: Eliot Elisofon/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images

Programs for middle school ultimate players are thriving in South Seattle, offering an abundance of opportunities for youth ultimate players from all areas of the city. Photo: Tiffany Phan.

P15 BEYOND THE FIELD ON THE COVER: In 1942, Bud Southard and his brother Tom developed Aceball, a game that may account for an alternate beginning to modern-day ultimate. Bud introduced the game at Kenyon College that spring.

Photo: Eliot Elisofon/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images

U S A U LT I M AT E

USA ULTIMATE 4730 Table Mesa Dr. Suite I-200C Boulder, CO 80305 303-447-3472 www.usaultimate.org info@usaultimate.org

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A Letter to Our Members

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By the Numbers: College Award Winners

USA ULTIMATE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Mike Payne – President Gwen Ambler – Vice President Kathy Hendrickson – Treasurer DeAnna Ball – Secretary Val Belmonte Mary-Clare Brennan Brian Garcia Stephen Hubbard Mike Kinsella Sandy Park Ben Slade Henry Thorne

7 Aceball: A Footnote in Ultimate History 15 Beyond the Field: Ultimate in South Seattle Ages Up

USA ULTIMATE STAFF Dr. Tom Crawford – Chief Executive Officer Administration & Finance Julia Lee – Director Ethan Taylor-Pierce Competition & Athlete Programs Will Deaver – Managing Director Ty Krajec Byron Hicks Mike Lovinguth Baker Pratt David Raflo Ernest Toney Marketing & Communications Andy Lee – Director Matthew Bourland Stacey Waldrup Membership & Sport Development Melanie Byrd – Director Ryan Gorman Josh Murphy Anna Schott

COLLEGE FEATURES 20

D-I Men’s Feature: Embracing the Darkside

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Men’s Callahan Watch

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D-I Women’s Feature: Fever Rising

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Women’s Callahan Watch

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D-III Men’s Feature: Attitude Shift

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D-III Women’s Feature: Life After Division III

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.

42 2013 Coordinators of the Year 44 Above the Competition

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.

46 Nutrition Matters 50 Local League Spotlight 51 Cleats & Cones

Editor-in-Chief Stacey Waldrup

52 Injury Timeout

Advertising Complete rates and specifications are available online at www.usaultimate.org/ sponsors.

54 The Spirit Circle 56 What’s the Call

Change of Address USA Ultimate is not forwarded by the post office. To update your address, please contact USA Ultimate.

58 News & Notes

For a complete list of contacts, visit www.usaultimate.org.

Mission Statement To advance the sport of Ultimate in the United States by enhancing and promoting Character, Community and Competition.

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A LETTER TO OUR MEMBERS USA Ultimate Update from Feb. 22-23 Board of Directors Meeting

BY

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

DR. TOM CRAWFORD USA Ultimate Chief Executive Officer

BUILD NATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE

Wow, can it already be 2014? Here we go on another exciting year for the sport of ultimate in the U.S.! Over the weekend of February 22-23, we held our first Board of Directors meeting of the year, and I wanted to share some of the big strategic decisions that were made which will impact our plans going forward.

With exposure and growth as major goals, the Board directed the headquarters staff to finalize some ongoing research in order to develop and implement a plan for building a strong national infrastructure.

In the years ahead, USA Ultimate will expand its Affiliate Program by forming close working/ business relationships with local and regional disc organizations throughout the country to drive the growth and scalability of our sport. The goal is to grow into a “community of communities,” so we have a delivery mechanism at the local level for all of our programs. These local organizations will become an official part of USA Ultimate while teams in the various regions will also become an integral part of these local organizations.

Imagine a national infrastructure where local organizations support the teams; the teams help their local organizations with clinics, coaching and mentoring; and USA Ultimate helps the local organizations stabilize, grow and thrive as 501(c) (3)s. This type of structure will catalyze ultimate’s growth while reinforcing and reinvigorating the community aspect of our mission. Once the model is finalized and approved by the Board, organizations will be invited to apply to become the official local USA Ultimate organization for their area. These first steps toward building this network of relationships have already started with the USA Ultimate Affiliate Program, and we look forward to continuing to build on that foundation throughout the country.

As we continue to evolve as both an organization and a sport, we took some time to reflect on the elements of ultimate that are valued, not only by our community, but also by important external groups such as the International Olympic Committee and, based on our initial discussions with them, held in high regard by the United States Olympic Committee. They include our unique hybrid observer/self-officiating model which keeps athletes in control of the game and reinforces Spirit of the Game as a critical element of the sport. The Olympic family sees it as a great reflection of Olympic ideals, while ESPN views it as a unique and entertaining aspect of the game.

Our commitment to gender equity and having our sport played at its highest level by mixed teams is a very attractive and unique element of our sport.

The Olympic movement is very committed to gender equality and both ESPN and the Olympic family are intrigued by the mixed division.

So with these great fundamentals in place and attracting both attention and favorable reactions, the discussion shifted to how we continue to advance the sport: our mission.

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SHIFT NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

U.S. NATIONAL TEAMS

The Board established an important goal of being able to hold our National Championships in major ultimate cities and markets. Thus, the Triple Crown Tour season and series will be shifting into the summer over the next two years, so the National Championships can be hosted by cities like Seattle, Boston, Chicago, New York, San Francisco, Denver and Minneapolis, just to name a few. This shift will also increase the likelihood of significantly growing the viewership of, and interest in, our sport by casual sports fans who, in the fall, are focused on college football, MLB playoffs, NASCAR and the start of the NFL, NHL and NBA seasons. As we begin this shift, we will communicate and work closely with team and event organizers to ensure a transition that is well-planned and doesn’t catch anyone by surprise.

As the world becomes more competitive and works to catch us, an inevitable outcome of worldwide growth, we will begin examining options to field “All-Star” teams to represent the United States at the WFDF World Ultimate and Guts Championships, similar to how we currently select teams for the World Games, U-23 and Junior World Championships. Not only will this allow us to stay competitive and challenge for the gold medal every time, it will also align us with common practices in the Olympic world and family. It will also make our international teams truly United States National Teams, with the entire community engaged in support of the teams and athletes.

USA ULTIMATE FOUNDATION Finally, as announced earlier, a major outcome of the meeting was the decision to create the USA Ultimate Foundation. The Foundation will allow us to solicit and raise funds in support of our programs and special initiatives, such as support for our national teams and athletes, scholarship programs for disadvantaged youth, gender equity initiatives such as creating more opportunities for girls to play ultimate, and financial support for our state and local affiliates.

This development also aligns us with the best practices of most other national governing bodies, almost all of whom have a Foundation. Many great things happen as a result of Foundation resources.

For example, the U.S. Soccer Foundation, with over $60 million in assets, helps build fields across the U.S. and helped thousands of children in disadvantaged communities experience soccer in well-coached after-school programs. Another great example is the USA Hockey Foundation. With $30 million in assets, each year the Foundation provides hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants to USA Hockey’s affiliates all over the U.S., to help them flourish and grow.

The future of ultimate is very bright, and we have an exciting plan to continue to advance the sport through character, community and competition.

Everyone’s welcome on this exciting journey!

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BY THE NUMBERS schools with awards in both awards schools 96 men’s & women’s divisions since 2002 1735 total 175 different

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OVERALL MOST AWARDED SCHOOLS

58 Colorado 53 Carleton College 50 Texas 50 Wisconsin 49 Oregon

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43 Michigan 43 Pittsburgh 41 North Carolina 38 Stanford 36 Georgia

PLAYERS TO MAKE ALL REGION AS FRESHMEN

Lauren Rapp Beau Kittredge Dailey Jackson Kate Stambaugh Shannon O’Malley Leila Tunnell Dylan Freechild Aaron Honn Joe Thompson

Georgia Colorado New Mexico Washington University Washington Connecticut College Oregon Oregon Syracuse

22 15 12

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2002 2004 2005 2006 2007 2007 2011 2012 2013

MOST AWARDED SCHOOLS PER DIVISION

MEN’S

WOMEN’S

36 Colorado 32 Pittsburgh 31 Carleton College 30 Oregon 25 Wisconsin

26 Texas 25 Wisconsin 23 UCLA 22 Carleton College, Colorado, Michigan, Northwestern, Stanford, Washington

36 4 8 2 5

Players to receive honors 4 or more consecutive years

Players to receive honors at two different schools Individuals to receive honors as both player & coach

CALLAHAN AWARDS PRESENTED

Times Callahan winner’s team didn’t qualify for Nationals Times Callahan winner’s team also won Nationals Schools to win in both divisions in the same year: Stanford 1997 & Oregon 2003

Most wins by one school: Oregon

12 7

Schools to win FOTY in both divisions in the same year (no school has done it more than once) Most players from one school on year’s All Region first teams (N. Carolina’s men, women & FOTY)

RON KUBALANZA Only person to win coach of the year at two different schools: Washington 2009, Northwestern 2011

Data compiled using All-Region, Freshman of the Year and Coach of the Year awards from 2002-2013.

Boy & Girls | Ages 11-19 All Skill Levels Welcome

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Aceball: A Footnote in Ultimate History By: Tom Kennedy, with Eric Brach “When I arrived at Kenyon in 1939, guys were throwing candy and cookie box lids across the quad…for all I know, they could have been doing it for a hundred years…the contribution my brother and I made – the only contribution – was to devise a game…which I introduced at Kenyon in spring 1942.”

– William “Bud” P. Southard

Students playing Aceball on the campus of Kenyon College in September 1950. Photo: Eliot Elisofon/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images

1984 – SANTA BARBARA, CALIF. The 1984 National Ultimate Frisbee Championships were about to be held in my hometown of Santa Barbara, and the local daily, the Santa Barbara News Press, had recently run an article to promote the event. When I stopped by their offices to follow up on that piece, the paper’s sports editor, Dave Kohl, approached me and held up a letter, asking if I knew anything about it. It was the second letter he had received in as many days from a man named William P. Southard. As I would soon find out, everyone called him Bud. In the 1970s, I was a founding member of what is today the world’s longest-running club ultimate team, the Santa Barbara Condors. I started planning and promoting Frisbee events in and around Santa Barbara as early as 1975. I helped create the Ultimate Players Association in 1979 and served as its first Director. But I’d never heard of Bud Southard.

The letter Dave showed me that day changed forever how I view the history of the game I love.

Bud Southard in the early 1980s, before first meeting Tom Kennedy.

Photo: Courtesy of Jon Southard

Bud Southard was a quiet, modest and very thoughtful gentleman. I liked him immediately. He never wanted attention or acclaim for any contributions he and his brother may have made to our sport. He only wanted to be sure whatever credit – perhaps a footnote – those contributions were due in ultimate’s history belongs to two brothers and a group of friends from Kenyon College.

— Tom Kennedy

Aceball was still being played when Bud’s younger brother Tom Southard, pictured here second from left, arrived at Kenyon. Photo: Eliot Elisofon/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images

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direction of the final dive of the disc." Unless helped by the wind, I myself was never able to throw it that way the ful I 60 yards, and I dontt recsl I that anyone else cou Id; I und ers tend •••. thot some of the young folks now can throw it three or four times thot for.

If my first letter seemed to you amusing enough to print 6 t a II, I hop et hat it wi II be printed either with the changes suggested (your desk can write them in) or with those parts of this postscr.ipt qualifying the claim -- unless you think all t~is to be excessively scrupulous.

See you at the Championships, where I expect the game to be played"as we always hoped it would be.

Yours

ff{,f. d

faithfully,

s:ex... -f l..

PLA..

tt ,

rro ~ e +c.

(w. P. Southard)

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Although the rules may have differed, the athleticism required by Aceball was just as marked as that required by modern-day ultimate.

Photo: Eliot Elisofon/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images

U S A U LT I M AT E

Bud Southard was bound for the Navy and World War II by way of the Navy Language School in Boulder after leaving Kenyon. This picture was taken during WWII while he was an ensign.

Photo: Courtesy of Jon Southard

In the spring of 1942, Bud Southard and his brother Tom developed a game similar to ultimate in Ohio, using an Ovenex cake tin as the disc. Photo: Eliot Elisofon/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images

1939 – GAMBIER, OHIO The world was on the brink of a second world war when William P. Southard left his hometown of Lakewood, Ohio to study at Kenyon College. He had earned himself an academic scholarship and was bound for the Navy by way of Kenyon and the Navy Language School in Boulder, Colorado.

When Bud arrived on the school’s campus in tiny Gambier, Ohio, he found students throwing candy and cookie lids around the quad between dormitories, surrounded by the beautiful backdrop that is Kenyon College. Throwing the lids back and forth was an enjoyable pastime for the young men and a respite from their academic rigors.

As he mentioned in his letter to Dave Kohl, the original idea to create a game using the lids, playable by teams, came from “one of those literary guys.” As I soon discovered through phone calls with, visits to and letters from Bud, creating a game out of what was a means of passing time on the quad came straight from him and his younger brother Tom. During a break in the spring of 1942, while at home in Lakewood, Bud and Tom devised a game that could be played with a disc – or in their case, a cake tin. Nine-inch, squaredshouldered OVENEX cake tins, to be precise – according to Bud, “the great-granddaddy of today’s plastic Frisbee.” Bud introduced the new game to his classmates upon returning to college that spring. The game quickly caught on in popularity, and the thendaily games spread to include many local village kids who saw them being played on campus and at a vacant lot opposite Douglass House, home of Bud and “the literary guys.”

Bud Southard located an original Ovenex cake tin after taking out an ad in the local Gambier, Ohio, newspaper. That cake tin now belongs to Tom Kennedy.

Photo: Tom Kennedy

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In 1986, after months of searching, Bud was able to locate an original nine-inch OVENEX cake tin by taking out an ad in a newspaper local to Gambier. Mrs. Marguerite Brown of Mt. Vernon, Ohio, a town just five miles from the Kenyon College campus, saw the ad and sent him a vintage cake tin dated to 1941, the year before it was introduced as the first aceball.

Bud passed that original cake tin on to me in the 1980s, and it remains one of my prized possessions.

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When students of Bud’s era earned As in their classes, they were called “aces.” Bud’s educational aptitude quickly earned him the nickname Ace, so when he introduced his new game to classmates at Kenyon, it naturally took on the name Aceball.

In the brothers’ initial iteration, Aceball was played to an agreed-upon point total on a field about 60 yards long and 30 to 40 yards wide. It was played like touch football, usually five on five or six on six, with the offensive team receiving four downs to travel the length of the field.

Defenses were mostly zone, and after receiving a pass, players could throw laterally if they hadn’t been touched. Being well before the days of aerodynamically designed discs, full-field hucks were nothing but a dream. Bud didn’t remember anyone being able to throw the aceball further than 40 yards, using their standard underhand delivery.

Today’s fast-moving offenses, multitude of defensive tactics and the continuous motion of the game are a far cry from the Aceball strategies employed in the 1940s, but stories passed along by Tom and Bud to their children – especially those of dinged-up hands from catching a scratchy, worn-out disc – are all too relatable for even the newest generation of ultimate players.

Not surprisingly for an early edition of our sport, one that was played amongst friends on a college campus, self-officiating was king. But it seems an early edition of Spirit of the Game was also introduced along with the OVENEX cake tin.

As remembered by Bud’s son, “One interesting common theme between Aceball and ultimate concerns ‘spirit of the game.’ I think Aceball was surely governed by this same philosophy.

My dad many times observed what a strong sense of fairness governed games played for fun back then and how players were expected to police themselves and arbitrate any disputes among themselves fairly.”

And as for Bud himself, “The only penalties I remember from my day were for extra steps (play dead) [and] dropped pass (play dead, return to scrimmage)…We were almost always all friends, so nothing ever came up that we needed an official for.”

Bud Southard drew this rough map of the Kenyon campus and the adjacent field used for Aceball in June 1985.

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Bud graduated from Kenyon in February 1943 and moved on to the Navy Language School in Boulder. Aceball came with him and was introduced to a new, intelligent crowd. The students at the Navy Language School were all members of the Phi Beta Kappa academic honor society.

And eventually, they all splintered off around the world to fight for the United States in World War II, perhaps bringing their new game with them.

Tom Southard followed in his brother’s footsteps and, in 1950, was a senior at Kenyon College.

That summer, the popular Life magazine sent a writer/photographer team on a tour of the nation’s colleges to document campus lifestyles of the time. Aceball had continued to grow even after Bud’s graduation and, by Tom’s senior year, was a mainstay on campus. While in Gambier, the Life photographer captured more images of Aceball than any other facet of life at Kenyon.

If you asked Tom, he would have supposed Aceball may have been “the only thing he saw there that he hadn’t seen someplace else.”

1984 - SANTA BARBARA, CALIF. After reading the article in the Santa Barbara News Press that sparked our correspondence, Bud did make it out to the National Championships to see us play, and he brought along his son, Jon. Despite the stories Jon had heard from his father and Uncle Tom about their years of Aceball, it wasn’t among the cache of sports his father taught him as a kid.

Jon surmises, “Maybe there was just something about that time and place and having fun with your college friends that he felt couldn’t or shouldn’t be repeated in other settings.” Jon’s first encounters with ultimate came while a student at Stanford University from 1979-1982.

November 30, 1999 – Santa Barbara News Press Obituaries Southard, Bud (Walter P.) Age 79. A twenty-year resident of Goleta, California, Bud was born February 19, 1920 in Cleveland, Ohio, the eldest child of Walter P. Sr. and Alice Powell Southard. After graduating from Kenyon College (Gambier, Ohio) Bud enlisted in the Navy and was sent to the Navy Language School in Boulder, Colorado. He then served in the Aleutians and in China.

In 1948, Bud joined the Central Intelligence Agency where he worked for 30 years as a political analyst on problems associated with Sino-Soviet relations and the Chinese Communist Party.

A FOOTNOTE IN SPORTS HISTORY During a 30-year career with the Central Intelligence Agency, Bud became a legendary analyst, contributing greatly to our nation’s understanding of relations between the Soviet Union and China. But in the community that is the world’s ultimate players, perhaps he will become legendary for an entirely different contribution.

A group of kids from Columbia High School in Maplewood, N.J., who took to a concrete parking lot and started playing a game with a flying disc are credited with creating modern ultimate. They wrote the original rules and threw the first pull.

Is it possible that Aceball made its way from Kenyon College or the Navy Language School to the summer camp where Jonny Hines, Buzzy Hellring and Joel Silver were taught a similar game by Jared Kass that combined running, end zones and passes with a disc, the one that later morphed into modern ultimate?

Today, the traditions so ingrained in the culture at Kenyon and those so well-known in the ultimate community continue. Perhaps without even knowing it, today’s ultimate teams at

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The Columbia High School Varsity Frisbee Squad, Fall 1969.

Photo: Mark Epstein

THE FOUNDERS: MAPLEWOOD, N.J., 1968 In 1968, Joel Silver attended a summer program at the Mount Hermon School in western Massachusetts. While there, Jared Kass, one of the counselors and a student at Amherst College, introduced Silver and his classmates to a game with a plastic flying disc. Silver returned home to New Jersey and shared the game with his friends at Columbia High School in Maplewood.

That fall, Silver proposed to the Columbia High student council that Frisbee be introduced into the curriculum. In what was initially a joke, the council passed the motion. Over the next two years, Silver and his friends experimented with the game: mixing techniques from other sports,

deciding how to score and introducing rules.

The Columbia High School Varsity Frisbee Squad was born. Joel Silver, Bernard “Buzzy” Hellring and Jonathan “Jonny” Hines became “The Founders” of ultimate as we know it today.

The first edition of the sport’s rules was written and officially codified by the trio in 1970. That first rulebook also coined the name “Ultimate Frisbee.” Today, ultimate is still played largely according to the rules developed by Silver, Hellring and Hines.

The Founders were inducted into the Ultimate Hall of Fame with the Class of 2005.

Kenyon are preserving yet another Kenyon tradition every time they take the field, one that began nearly 75 years ago on the quad between the Hanna and Leonard dorms.

Throughout our correspondence, Bud continually reiterated, “I still believe a one-sentence footnote would do it.”

So here is that footnote, exactly as written by Bud himself in 1985.1 1

The first known team game with a disc, a game similar to touch-football, was devised by two brothers in Lakewood, Ohio in 1942 and was first played as a team game at Kenyon College in Ohio that year.

Tom Kennedy is the founder of the Ultimate Players Association, now USA Ultimate. He co-wrote the first book on the sport of ultimate and was inducted into the Ultimate Hall of Fame in the inaugural class in 2004. He founded the Santa Barbara Condors, what is today the world’s longest-running club team, in 1974.

Forty years later, Eric Brach plays on that team.

Editor’s Note: Although none of the 67 photos taken by Life’s photographer in 1950 were published at the time, we are extremely excited to be able to print a few of them here.

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THE CDP PRESENTED BY FIVE ULTIMATE IS A PROCESS OF EDUCATING COACHES, GROWING THE VOCATION, AND CREATING A POOL OF QUALIFIED VOLUNTEERS TO HELP GROW ULTIMATE, ESPECIALLY AT THE YOUTH LEVEL. Contact mike@hq.usaultimate.org to host a Level I or Level II clinic in your area.

THE LEARN TO PLAY INITIATIVE HELPS LOCAL ULTIMATE ORGANIZATIONS PROMOTE YOUTH PLAYING OPPORTUNITIES AND THE GROWTH OF THEIR YOUTH LEAGUES. LOCAL YOUTH GET TO LEARN FROM AND PLAY WITH THE SAME FOLKS WHO COACH, ORGANIZE AND PLAY IN THEIR CITY OR TOWN. Contact mike@hq.usaultimate.org for more information or to run a Learn to Play program in your area.

BEYOND THE FIELD Ultimate in South Seattle Ages Up What Kendra Thompson remembers most about her first ultimate practice is how welcoming everyone was. Not wanting to go alone, Thompson’s friend Arnellie, a fellow seventh grader at Asa Mercer Middle School in South Seattle, dragged her there. After a quick game of Boot, Thompson’s hesitation was gone, and she was caught up in the action.

“It was completely new to me, but it felt like I had been hanging out with these people for a long time,” says Thompson. “You don’t really find situations or people like that where you click with them automatically, and I thought that was pretty cool.”

Soon Thompson was one more in a sea of Mercer kids – 30, 40, 50 of them – throwing on the blacktop during lunch and playing on one of the school’s three coed teams. That year, 2007, was a particularly strong one for middle school ultimate in the South End. Mercer’s eighth graders were running through competition and, with only one loss all season, had earned the right to play in an exhibition game at Worlds in Vancouver.

Down the street at Aki Kurose, another South Seattle middle school, sixth graders were coming in excited to play ultimate because they had heard about the sport from older kids in their neighborhood.

South Seattle, a neighborhood populated heavily with firstand second-generation United States citizens and where the median income is 25 percent lower than the rest of the city, the story goes to a new level. Where Mercer and Aki students once lined up to hurl rocks at each other’s school buses, the ultimate players among them were now forming friendships over flicks and backhands.

“I don’t think anyone was like ‘yeah, we should hang out with [Aki],’” says Thompson. “But [the players from each school] all started hanging out with each other. They made posters and cheered us on whenever we were around. A lot of us went to each other’s graduations.”

It’s one thing for middle school ultimate participation to be high, and all of Seattle ultimate is to be commended for a system that includes school district funding for middle school coaches and the hosting of Spring Reign, the largest youth tournament in the world. But when you think about ultimate taking root in

When Thompson finished middle school, both Mercer and Aki fed primarily into Cleveland and Franklin High Schools.

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Incoming freshmen who had played ultimate in middle school had a built-in social circle and enthusiasm to spare, but they hit a road bump when they realized neither high school’s ultimate program was nearly as established as Mercer’s or Aki’s.

Seeking help in managing the growing demand, Terry and Gaoaen applied for a grant with the Seattle Department of Neighborhoods in 2009. It was rejected, and an administrator laughed at their grandiose ideals. “She was like, ‘You’re telling me all this stuff that the school district and other organizations struggle with, connecting students, families, communities together, you have it solved?,’” recalls Gaoaen. “’How are you gonna do this? You have no plan.’”

“We had multiple parents telling us we were gonna go through [to high school] with their kids,” says Sam Terry, who, along with Rex Gaoaen, oversaw Mercer ultimate’s progress through the mid-aughts. Parents pled, “You’re coming to Franklin with us, right? We’ve seen what this has done for my child, and it’s great.

What do we need to do?”

“I told her, ‘We’re not going to do it,’” says Terry. “It’s happening.”

Playing opportunities – as well as quality of play – grew over time. In 2009, former DiscNW youth coordinator Frank Nam switched from coaching at Edmonds-Woodway High School north of the city to Franklin, where he installed a program that is now a regular state title contender and has placed players on the Junior Worlds and All-State teams; Nam himself was named Washington’s Co-Coach of the Year for 2013. A year later, Lisa Neimann revived the Franklin girls’ team, and the team won the Seattle city title two years ago. Coaches would soon follow at Cleveland and Rainier Beach, another South End high school.

Grant money finally did come through when, in 2010, Terry and Neimann applied with the Women’s Sports Foundation and received $7,000. They teamed with Hana Kawai, who had joined Neimann as a coach at Franklin, to start All Girl Everything Ultimate Program. AGE UP develops leadership and healthy habits among girls in the South End by empowering them to lead their own discussions on social issues like gender equity, racism and poverty – Thompson worked on outreach while friends organized meeting facilitation. In the winter, students ranging from seventh to 12th grades participate in workshops and ultimate practices, and in the spring, those same kids go and coach elementary school students. There are approximately 75 kids involved in AGE UP, with 25 or so at any given workshop, and programming for boys started late last year.

The South End’s middle school programs, meanwhile, continued to balloon, with Aki’s team count rising to five and Mercer’s to four. In 2010, Chris Quigley, a teacher at South Shore, a pre-kindergarten through eighth grade school, started a team with six kids. There was a full team the next year, two teams the following season and three teams the year after that.

South Shore now has four teams.

Asa Mercer B Team players cheering during Spring Reign 2012. Photo: Edgar Masmela

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“I was trying to explain all that we do to people, and it’s pretty difficult,” says Terry of a recent organizational development training session he attended. “We’re more of a community than we are an organization.”

Gaoaen still regrets arriving late to one of the Mercer eighth grade team’s games in 2008 – it was the only game they lost.

Frank Nam has two tattoos related to his Franklin teams. Mike Kaiser, the man behind the Aki Kurose program, spends 12 hours coaching every Saturday during the season. Passionate individuals are the linchpins for growing youth ultimate. There’s no magic, just years of toil.

AGE UP participants listen closely alongside a guest presenter during a workshop on healthy relationships. Photo: Tiffany Phan

“I do it because of the kids I get to work with out there on the field,” says Kaiser. “We had 110 this past fall, and they’re 110 of the nicest kids at our school. It’s just fun. I really enjoy watching these kids play ultimate; it’s an amazing sport. [But] it’s so much time. If I quit coaching, I don’t think there’s anybody at the school who could do what I do. The program would fade away.”

Money certainly plays a role in making youth programs sustainable. “Volunteer-run is hit or miss,” says Kawai, and after all, it takes time and effort to pay the bills. But what’s really needed are people to stir up excitement, plan practices, answer parent questions, book fields and navigate relationships with principals and athletic directors. This year, DiscNW has budgeted $25,000 to fund stipends for Seattle’s public high school ultimate coaches; the decision to do so came after the organization’s board of directors saw the good that ultimate is doing in young lives around the city. “People look at Seattle youth ultimate and assume money,” says Cordell, “but that’s only come after years and years of grinding.”

AGE UP Returners training AGE UP First Years to prepare them to coach at elementary schools. Part of the two day 2012 AGE UP Retreat. Photo: Sam Terry

Second-year AGE UP participants actually don’t play ultimate at sessions, instead using the time exclusively for discussion.

Having entered the program as a junior, Thompson was happy with the shift during her senior year. She was beginning to get involved with groups like Washington Bus, an organization centered around civic engagement in young people, and One America, which works for immigrants’ rights (Thompson’s parents are both immigrants, her mother from the Philippines and her father from Scotland). “AGE UP gave me the tools to work more in the community,” says Thompson. “It gave me motivation to go out on my own and turn out places and go to rallies and speak in front of crowds. AGE UP pushed me along.”

What is a community? For some, it’s knowing that you’ll have a ride to practice when the alternative is a two-hour bus ride. For others, it’s a place to smile even though home life is rough or a source of pride because someone else is wearing the same jersey as you.

Ultimate was the shared experience that brought Thompson and her peers to AGE UP, but once there, each was given tools to apply to the focus of her choosing. No longer a shy seventh grader, Thompson is currently taking a gap year to intern with both AGE UP and One America, and she hopes to attend Seattle University in the fall, so she can continue working at AGE UP. From middle school to young adulthood, she has been inspired by an ultimate program.

The grinding happens when coaches leave their marks on kids, the older ones teach the younger ones to play, and many grow up determined to keep the feedback loop open. South Seattle’s coaches love what they do. Nam used to make weekly drives to games in Tacoma, an hour south of the city, because playing five days a week in Seattle wasn’t enough. Kawai recalls being

“Our programming is an evolved idea of ultimate,” says Caitlin Cordell, who leads AGE UP’s marketing team. “This is where we can go with sports.”

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in high school and recognizing ultimate as a place to challenge herself and see the impact of her actions. Chris Quigley didn’t know what ultimate was when he got to South Shore, but he immediately fit in as a coach thanks to years spent teaching basketball, baseball and wrestling.

and build some support structures that will help fund and maintain the quality of what’s happening.”

From Terry’s perspective, there’s still a lot of work to be done. At the micro level, Asa Mercer’s transportation options are thinning because the Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation changed its policy on who can drive vans for after-school programs. Looking at Seattle as a whole, new school board zoning regulations have made it more difficult for students who live in areas where high schools have fewer resources for ultimate – those slated to attend Rainier Beach, for example – to receive variances to attend schools that do.

“It’s an equity and access issue,” says Terry.

“Hopefully in 20 years these kids will be doing the same thing for another group,” says Kaiser.

It’s tough to balance organic growth with long-term planning.

Back when the South Seattle middle school scene was starting to take off, parents and league participants frequently needled Terry and Gaoaen about their intentions for the future. “We’re just getting started,” they said, careful not to get ahead of themselves. “We have enough on our plates.” If nobody brings cones to this Tuesday’s practice or clears their schedule to coach all day next Saturday, how can anyone concern themselves with next year?

What is a community? For some, it’s knowing that you’ll have a ride to practice when the alternative is a two-hour bus ride. For others, it’s a place to smile even though home life is rough or a source of pride because someone else is wearing the same jersey as you – this year, Asa Mercer, Aki Kurose and South Shore are all planning on using the same jersey design, with each school wearing a different color.

In the first few years of AGE UP, the budget was run through Seattle’s Associated Recreation Council because ARC had 501(c)3 status and AGE UP did not. As AGE UP grew, however, bank balance inquiries being a two phone-call process became cumbersome, and a new organizational structure was necessary. Last year, South End Ultimate Program was officially established as a non-profit to house AGE UP and facilitate the growth of school-based programs.

“The community is a hope to me,” says Thompson. “We built this program, and what can we do to benefit the future with all these people? We take these kids, and they learn to play ultimate, but also all this knowledge about things that directly impact their lives like socioeconomics, racism, ageism. Seeing them grow as people and wanting to do things to benefit themselves gives me a lot of hope because a lot of our kids don’t have the best situations or the resources they need. The stuff we teach them causes a lot of motivation and can change people’s lives.”

Terry says South End Ultimate’s goals are two-fold: to guarantee that any middle or high school youth in South Seattle will have access to ultimate if they want it, and to continue to intentionally build power into the community. “I see it as a way for us to collectivize a little more,” says Terry. “To go in together

Asa Mercer B Team doing a post-game recap with coaches at Spring Reign 2012. Photo: Edgar Masmela

SPRING 2014

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Join USA Ultimate and the international ultimate community July 3-6, 2014, in Minnesota’s Twin Cities for the third annual U.S. Open Ultimate Championships & Convention.

A celebration of character, community and competition.

3 DIVISIONS, 3 CHAMPIONS, 24 OF THE WORLD’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

Senior Christian Johnson, second from right, leads a talented and promising Darkside team into the 2014 College Championship Series.

Photo: Kevin Leclaire/Ultiphotos

MEN’S COLLEGE FEATURE By: Josh Norris and Ian Toner

DI EMBRACING THE DARKSIDE In March of 2014, UNC Darkside enjoyed a coveted spot at the top of the college men’s division. The team has won the last two Atlantic Coast regional titles and is aiming for the best finish in program history this spring, with three tournament titles (ACC Ultimate Championships, Queen City Tune Up and Stanford Invite) already under their belt.

team leader John “Tiger” Pearson and the addition of coach Augie Kreivenas, helped change the culture and focus of the team through increased levels of competition at practice and a commitment to meaningful training through drills, outside work outs and other means. The Darkside roster also thinned, with players only interested in scrimmaging twice a week leaving the team for good. However, with enough (and varying) levels of interest on campus, UNC started a B team that hung around until its formal recognition by UNC as its own club sports organization in 2012.

But this program hasn’t always been a frontrunner. It took three seasons for Darkside to reach their first regional championship tournament in 1996, and Darkside experienced setbacks as recently as 2011, when the team’s season ended on Sunday at sectionals.

Just a season later, in a far cry from the days of merely scrimmaging twice a week in the mid-90s, Darkside punched their first ticket to Nationals, earning a spot at the 1999 UPA College Championships. UNC beat every North Carolinian’s bitter rival, the East Carolina University Irates, in a comeback victory at regionals – impeccable timing for the second Darkside victory over ECU in program history. The team capped off their first trip to Nationals with a seventh-place finish.

More college ultimate players understand the struggles that accompany building a culture of commitment than understand building a culture of winning. UNC, over the last two decades, has managed to rebuild commitment to the team and turn that commitment into national-level success.

GROWING PAINS.

UNC returned to the practice field in the fall of `99 with more than just a year of Nationals experience under their belt: the team gained North Carolina State sophomore star Rhett Nichols, a man fresh off a national championship with the 1998-1999 Wolfpack. Darkside notched their first sectional championship (and tournament victory) in 2000 on their way to another Nationals berth. In Boise, UNC ran into the legendary team from California-Santa Barbara in the quarterfinals. The Black Tide, who had won three of the last four national titles, eked out a double-game-point victory before losing in the semifinals.

Darkside came into existence in the fall of 1993, but it wasn’t until the fall of 1996 that transformational figure Ray Parrish arrived on campus. “In my first year at UNC, the team was more of a gathering of fun-loving guys that played for the joy of sport than that of a team who put its commitment to winning as the main focus,” said Parrish.

Then, a handful of new teammates from Charlotte’s Myers Park High School arrived in the fall of 1997. Jonathan Brodhag, Steve Hallmark and Christopher Corcoran are just some of the names that had learned the game from Ed Fox, a storied youth coach in the Charlotte area, and came to UNC eager to join Darkside.

Their seriousness and experience, coupled with the focus of

“That quarterfinal game against UCSB was the high point and low point of my career at UNC,” explained Parrish. “We all played 21

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Jon Nethercutt has been a steadying presence behind the disc all year for Darkside. Photo: Daniel Tijoe/Ultiphotos

a great game and pushed a powerhouse to the brink. But to almost taste victory and just fall short of our goal, especially in the way those last couple points unfolded, was a pretty tough way to end the season and some of our college careers.”

Parrish went on to be one of the first Darkside players to compete for the storied North Carolina-based club team Ring of Fire. His work ethic and intensity meshed well with Ring’s blue collar identity and left an indelible mark and example for future generations of Darkside to follow. Parrish returned to coach Darkside in 2004-2005 - a season remembered as one of two high points during UNC’s dark ages.

SPUTTERING INTO THE DARK AGES. Darkside qualified for Nationals again in 2001, but Parrish said, “The vibe just wasn’t the same. We had the recognition, but the chemistry wasn’t great.” Though the team made it to the Championships, they struggled and ultimately finished tied for 15th.

After the influx of talent from the Charlotte high school ultimate scene, UNC had a new base to build on for future success. But Darkside faced the challenge of sustaining their commitment and high level of play on a national stage. The core players who helped to change the culture and identity of the team, like Parrish, Brodhag, Pearson and Carl Erickson, had graduated.

In 2002, with Nichols at the helm and one of the country’s strongest rookie classes filling the ranks, UNC failed to qualify for Nationals for the first time in the previous four years. As the decade progressed, Nichols and company implemented the SPRING 2014

now well-known North Carolina style of gritty defense and high work ethic to help lead the team to consistent, high finishes at regionals, but Nationals still proved elusive. Extra practices and track workouts were added to the regimen, but Darkside consistently watched teams like William & Mary, Georgia and North Carolina State break through and finish play at regionals with a season still alive.

By the time UNC made their way back to Nationals in 2005, Parrish and Nichols’ values had weathered the test of time and were holding strong as focal points in the program’s continuing identity. Riding a two-year Nationals drought, it was time for a new crop of UNC stars to leave their Dark marks. The Atlantic Coast region was becoming more and more competitive, and each upper echelon team had nationally known stars propelling their teams into the spotlight: Georgia touted Dylan Tunnell, Florida boasted a young Kurt Gibson, and sectional rival North Carolina State was led by Dave Snoke.

Enter Josh Berkowitz. A player known for his unrivaled passion, heart and desire, Berkowitz simply wouldn’t let Darkside fail.

Even with a talented supporting cast that included future Ring of Fire stars Eric Kirkham, Zach Washburn and Josh Torell, “Berk” was, hands down, the heart and soul of the team.

Darkside earned the second bid out of the region in 2005 by beating N.C. State once at sectionals and twice at regionals, including a victory in the game to go. Though UNC left Nationals having tied for 15th, the team showed that they still had what it took to grind their way to the big dance.

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Consecutive trips to Nationals proved elusive once again in 2006, when UNC lost to Georgia in championship bracket play and Georgia Tech in the backdoor bracket at regionals.

Following Berkowitz’s graduation in 2006, the cupboard certainly wasn’t bare. The team maintained experience, talent and athleticism from previous years, which, in conjunction with Darkside’s recent return to Nationals, led to considerable hype and high expectations. Players like Eric Kirkham and Mat Thomas joined Washburn and Torell to form a formidable core.

At the same time, UNC’s regional competitors continued to gain strength. Florida, led by Gibson and Tim Gehret, had just come off of a national championship, and future Chain Lightning stars Greg Swanson and Peter Dempsey were coming into their own for Georgia. Even the North Carolina section was upping its game. Tiny Davidson College had played well enough during the regular season to take the number one seed at sectionals in 2006, and UNC-Wilmington had jump-started their turnaround with the arrival of current Ironside stalwart Rusty Ingold-Smith.

Making Nationals only got tougher as the decade progressed.

The Atlantic Coast was a three-bid-region in 2007, so Darkside’s leadership knew they had a strong chance to qualify for Nationals if the team focused internally. UNC met Georgia in the semifinals of the regional championships, and with the win, Darkside punched their second ticket to Nationals in three years. “Beating UGA at regionals in 2007 to secure a trip to Nationals was the high point of my college career,” said Torell.

“It really showed what kind of potential we had, and we looked forward to broadcasting that at Nationals.”

After that trip in 2007, UNC wouldn’t make it back to Nationals for another five years, something Torell didn’t see coming.

Expectations were high, once again, with the arrival of future NexGen star Noah Saul and future Ring teammate Paul Weeks.

“The low point of my career was 2008 regionals,” said Torell.

“It was a two-bid region with six teams who all had a chance at going. We had a lot of hype that year but ultimately lost to Georgia in the game to go.”

Sophomore Vikram Sethuraman gets up for Darkside at the 2014 Stanford Invite. Photo: Daniel Tijoe/Ultiphotos

Darden, among others. Saul identifies that season as a rebuilding project, with the team recovering from the loss of 12 seniors from the 2007-2008 team.

Still, Darkside was a strong regional contender in a season that contained uncommon depth. Florida, who stood at the top of the country all season long, failed to qualify for the College Championships, while Virginia won the program’s first regional title (and first Nationals berth), and Georgia and N.C. State earned the region’s remaining bids to Columbus.

That weekend, UNC lost to Georgia and Virginia before suffering a season-ending loss to UNC-Wilmington in the backdoor bracket.

EMERGING INTO THE MODERN ERA. Today, Mike DeNardis needs no introduction. Rewinding to 2009, however, finds DeNardis as the new coach of a Darkside team that touted Atlantic Coast stars Saul, Weeks and Lucas 23

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Taking to heart their coach’s philosophy, North Carolina Darkside has been striving all year to play perfect ultimate. Photo: Kevin Leclaire/Ultiphotos

2009-2010 was Tristan Green’s first season with Darkside, but DeNardis describes the season as a mess. “I was more of a strategist, and I let the machine run itself,” he said. The commitment faded, as players were late to practice, seniors displayed a sense of entitlement, and the team failed to make it out of the North Carolina section.

Then-captain Saul explained what it was like to deal with falling short of making regionals. “I think if I look back and had to be honest, I’m not surprised that we didn’t make Nationals.

It was always our goal, and we obviously wanted to get there, but to not even make it to regionals hurt.”

History repeated itself in the 2010-2011 season, as Darkside failed to qualify for regionals once again, but behind the scenes, DeNardis and team leaders worked to reorganize the team’s goals and culture. They knew that if they wanted to win Nationals, they would have to play their best ultimate, so they began a steady “rebooting” process that refocused the team on the process of becoming great, rather than the actual results.

Commitment to the process and striving for perfection became well-defined team goals. Saul noticed improved chemistry through additional playing reps and more time spent together off the field. Darkside also enjoyed an influx of strong youth talent during these years – talent that leads the team today.

DeNardis also worked to establish an innovative ultimate scholarship funded by donations from Darkside alumni, and with the Nike Ultimate Camps gaining a foothold in the Triangle, DeNardis expects more scholarship money to become available.

In the fall of 2011, former Darkside captain Thomas SayreMcCord took it upon himself to redefine commitment to the

SPRING 2014

team with a speech that put many players on notice. “I’ve been here for three years, and I haven’t won a tournament,” said Sayre-McCord at the time. The team agreed to higher accountability standards, improved practice attendance and more positive attitudes and levels of support for teammates.

The intensity Parrish instilled more than a decade ago had returned as well.

Following Sayre-McCord’s speech, UNC went on to win their first tournament of the 2012 regular season, besting Virginia in the finals of Darkside’s home tournament, the ACC Ultimate Championships. In the midst of the 2012 series, Sayre-McCord went down with a knee injury. “But that’s when we reached our turning point as a team,” explains DeNardis. “Even with our best player lost to injury, we responded to the adversity and went on to win the regional championship.” After two years of failing to earn a spot at regionals, Darkside put the program back on the map with a regional title and a Nationals berth.

And they used and developed their depth in doing so.

Darkside has continued their upward trajectory, clinching another regional title and a quarterfinals appearance at Nationals in 2013 that improved on the previous year’s 13th-place finish. And if Darkside’s early spring results (including their ACCUC, Queen City Tune Up and Stanford Invite victories) are any indication, the sky’s the limit for this resurgent program in 2014.

“We are focusing on ourselves and what we need to do to play perfect ultimate,” explains DeNardis. “And we strive to play perfect ultimate because if we want to win Nationals, we know that’s what we’ll have to do.”

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MEN’S CALLAHAN BUZZ

This year’s Callahan race is packed with talented ultimate players in both divisions who fulfill the qualities sought after in Callahan Award winners: exceptional athletes that combine outstanding leadership, sportsmanship and dedication to the sport of ultimate with superior athleticism and skill.

Here is a look at just a few of the players in the men’s division who are receiving early-season buzz in 2014.

Photo Credit (left to right, top to bottom): 1. William Brotman 2. William Brotman 3. CBMT Creative 4. CBMT Creative 5. William Brotman 6. CBMT Creative 7. CBMT Creative 8. Kevin Leclaire/Ultiphotos 9. CBMT Creative 10. CBMT Creative

CHRISTIAN JOHNSON NORTH CAROLINA BOBBY LEY - FLORIDA WILL DRISCOLL - TEXAS

TRENT DILLON - PITTSBURGH

JIMMY MICKLE - COLORADO

MIKE OGREN CENTRAL FLORIDA

DYLAN FREECHILD - OREGON

JON NETHERCUTT NORTH CAROLINA

ELI KERNS CALIFORNIA-SAN DIEGO

JOSH KLANE - MINNESOTA

Paige Soper is one of the many strong leaders Ohio State Fever has relied on to help advance their program to where it is in 2014.

Photo: Billy Dzwonkowski/Ultiphotos

WOMEN’S COLLEGE FEATURE By: Rodger Oakes

DI FEVER RISING OHIO VALLEY REGIONALS, 2011, MANHEIM, PA We looked at each other. Smiles were as wide as an Ultra-Star. I shook my head. We hugged, and I couldn’t stop thinking, “Smoke and Mirrors. Smoke and Mirrors.” Fever, whom I had met just seven months earlier, had qualified for the College Championships in Boulder…so much for a three-year plan.

My one season with Fever was the best coaching experience I’ve had – that spans over a decade of captaining open club and college teams and coaching youth ultimate and scholastic basketball. Fever’s rise from obscurity to the national spotlight can be summed up in two words: chemistry and consistency.

becoming an assistant coach for Fever. I knew Cassie was a sophomore and had been a Junior Worlds player, but the rest of the team was a mystery. As we sat down, the passion these women had became apparent. They were tired of being blown out in every big game. They were fed up with leaving Regionals without having qualified for Nationals. They were done leaving every season disappointed with the on-field results. I looked them each in the eye and said they had no chance of going to Nationals in 2011, but we could at least put the pieces in place to make it there by Cassie’s senior year.

Fever lost a strong group of players in 2010 that had laid the groundwork for competitiveness. Coach DeAnna Ball was in her fourth year coaching the team. The 2010 season filled the returners with a desire to compete at the highest levels.

Captains Janine Walker and Cassie Swafford had a dream of competing at Nationals, and they weren’t afraid to broadcast it to anyone who would listen. That was the first step. The fresh captaining duo was willing to dream big and put a plan in place to succeed.

2011 COLLEGE CHAMPIONSHIPS, BOULDER Friday – no wins. Saturday – no wins, Sunday – final game victory over British Columbia. We danced. We broke seed. Do we belong?

According to Walker, “In 2011, Fever was finally able to get 21 players and three coaches who were ready to put in the effort it takes to get over that hump.”

After a mediocre fall season in 2011, where any mild gains in confidence were tempered with familiar losses to Case Western and Michigan, something changed deep in the winter. Fever committed to a conditioning program that would rival most.

Every practice was an opportunity to get more athletic through a strict plyometric routine and sprints strategically worked into the practice plan. Fever became a team focused on the field.

They worked harder together than any team I’d ever seen. The

Coach Ball had her own take on getting over the hump. She called it “the willingness to play to win, with the risk of not winning.” She said it was, “the idea that winning doesn’t just happen because ‘it should,’ and that as a team, you have to go out there and make it happen.”

I was lucky enough to hear that dream. On a humid August night, I sat down with Janine, Cassie and Coach Ball to discuss

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OHIO VALLEY REGIONALS, 2012, NORTH HUNTINGDON, PA FEVER 15-PITT 3 2012 COLLEGE CHAMPIONSHIPS, BOULDER Fever, as the fifth seed from Pool A, reaches prequarters and outlasts Iowa State 12-10 to reach quarters. Hello world. Dancing ensues.

Fever has traveled to tournaments all over the country in 2014 to prepare themselves to face off with the nation’s best, back in their home state, come Memorial Day weekend. Photo: Billy Dzwonkowski/Ultiphotos

chemistry was building. The bonds were being forged in the sweat of winter. As Walker says, “When you are playing with your best friends, it changes the way you play…you play with a lot more urgency and fight.”

Those bonds were solidified off the field. A “Frisbee” house was created when four returners moved in together. “It became a gathering place for team dinners, parties, movie nights, etc., which made it easier to build a strong team bond. As a younger player, if you feel like the older girls like you enough to want to hang out outside of practice, then it creates more love for the team versus just love for the sport…It creates this united effort to help each other out, not just because they are your teammates, but because they are your friends.” The tenants have changed, but the house is still Fever’s.

SPRING 2014

The chemistry forged over the last two years has turned into #Feverlove. Current captain Cait Harley defines it as “acting for your teammates on and off the field.” For her, it started with Walker’s “uncanny ability to bring people together.” Paige “Diddy” Soper, the team’s 2013 Callahan nominee, chalks it up to “a group of teammates who genuinely love to be around each other and want to work together to reach our goals.” #Feverlove has built a solid foundation and doesn’t have to deal with the minutia that can derail many teams. As the Fever ranks have grown in number, enough to have a B-team this fall, they maintain a “strong, one-team bond.” They seem to recruit the right type of girls that fit in on the field and off. #Feverlove has also pushed Fever to invest in club opportunities in the mixed and women’s divisions during the summer months. With a majority of players still found through on-campus recruiting, Fever relies heavily on the club season to keep pushing along the skill development of its top players.

2013 COLLEGE CHAMPIONSHIPS, MADISON Fever comes in as the second seed in Pool C, validates 2012 victory over Iowa State, slides by Tufts 15-13 to reach semis. Carleton stops the run but not the drive. Hit the music.

There are hundreds of reasons Fever has climbed the ranks of women’s ultimate. But through the ascent, two names have become synonymous with Ohio State women’s ultimate: Coach D and Cassie Swafford. When you ask Coach D about the success, she’ll point to the players. When you ask Cassie, she’ll flash her trademark grin and point right back to the coaches. Both are humble. Both are giant keys to the success of the program. Both have been on each of Fever’s journeys to Nationals.

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Fever has been building and solidifying their team chemistry through tough workouts and time spent together off the field. Photo: Billy Dzwonkowski/Ultiphotos

Coaching an ultimate team is different than coaching in other sports. You are part coach, part parent, part restrained observer. It is a delicate dance as you want your players to perform on their own, determine their own calls. And yet they need so much guidance at times. Ball has a wealth of knowledge. Her affair with ultimate has lasted longer than most of her players have been alive. And like most, I would bet she’d rather be playing than coaching. But her growth as a coach has coincided with the success of the team. As great coaches do, Ball has grown into a teacher. Anyone can come up with drills to run. The teacher-coach transfers the knowledge acquired during practice to game situations. Ball has become adept at teaching a player why a drill is run, which in turn helps enhance that individual’s in-game skills. In 2011, we were just figuring out how to get the best results for the team. Now, practices run like clockwork and aim to fulfill a bigger purpose.

In Swafford’s words, Coach D is the “glue” for Fever. She plays the role of “strategist, peacemaker, motivator, confidant and friend.” Ball has a genuine love for ultimate, and for “the joy that it brings the people around her.” But don’t let the goodwill fool you. The competitive fire burns deep and bright, and as Fever has gotten more competitive, Swafford has seen that fire in her eyes grow.

FLORIDA WINTER CLASSIC, 2014, GAINESVILLE Fever finishes second to Central Florida. UCF accounts for both of Fever’s losses on the weekend.

We’ll dance again.

Through the leadership of their coaches, Fever has blossomed.

The 2014 series will be the third with Ball, Brent Reeb and Nick Hamilton at the reigns. That consistency has allowed for a tremendous amount of growth. The three together are on the same page, getting the most out of the squad. As the players change, the coaches are able to provide a strong connection from year to year, and each season has built on the previous.

With three consecutive Nationals appearances and 17th, fifththen third-place finishes, Fever has reached one goal and been able to set a new one to keep themselves hungry and focused.

Each taste of success has served merely to whet their appetite.

The coaches and players have made the decision to push themselves as much as they can. Fever will travel over 7,500 miles this year to compete against the best college ultimate teams in the country, all with the hopes of ending up about an hour away from home come Memorial Day. Coach D has always been a proponent of going to tournaments to be challenged, even at the risk of suffering big losses. “With the regular-season 29

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According to her coaches and teammates, Cassie Swafford is the heart and soul of the Fever squad. Photo: Billy Dzwonkowski/Ultiphotos

structure, that is a risky proposition,” she explained. “But as this team has developed and gained confidence, taking those risks has paid great dividends.”

QUEEN CITY TUNE-UP, 2014, CHARLOTTE After finally getting past Central Florida in the semis, Fever dances through the championship game with a resounding 15-4 victory. Captain Harley has the 2013 Nationals Carleton video at home to remind the team of its goals.

What do you get when the best player on your team works absolutely as hard as she can and brings you along to work with her? What happens when that best player is also a great leader who puts her team above her own play? You get a team like Fever. You get a player like Cassie Swafford. Great players are usually better than 95 percent of their opponents based on talent. Cassie Swafford is that special player that has the gift of athleticism and a work ethic that exceeds even her talent.

Cassie is something special, and Coach D knew it from the first time she saw her play.

SPRING 2014

When Cassie works, everyone works. For four and a half years, she has shown the way, even when she couldn’t be on the field herself. In July 2012, Cassie had her ankle shattered by an opponent’s misplaced bid. After six months of recovery, she was under the knife again, but her personal frustration never shook her faith in Fever. On crutches or in a boot, she was on the sideline at every tournament. Cassie has the ability to make every member of Fever understand the role she can fulfill to help the team be its best, even when Cassie couldn’t directly contribute herself. Her coach says it best, “While she isn’t the only Fever that has been dedicated to ensuring the high-level success of the team, she was the forerunner of this mindset and the driver to finding success. And it isn’t just about her play on the field. She has been a leader for recruiting, motivating, nurturing and developing the team in every way. Her efforts to support this team are endless and, quite frankly, immeasurable.”

Through Swafford and Ball, and countless others, Fever demands the best of every player. Each role on the team is an integral part, and every player respects it. The consistency has choreographed a culture of success that keeps Fever rising with an aim of a Mason coronation.

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WOMEN’S CALLAHAN BUZZ

This year’s Callahan race is packed with talented ultimate players in both divisions who fulfill the qualities sought after in Callahan Award winners: exceptional athletes that combine outstanding leadership, sportsmanship and dedication to the sport of ultimate with superior athleticism and skill.

Here is a look at just a few of the players in the women’s division who are receiving early-season buzz in 2014.

Photo Credit (left to right, top to bottom): 1. Kevin Leclaire/Ultiphotos 2. Billy Dzwonkowski/Ultiphotos 3. Daniel Tijoe/Ultiphotos 4. CBMT Creative 5. CBMT Creative 6. CBMT Creative 7. CBMT Creative 8. CBMT Creative 9.

MEERI CHANG - MICHIGAN

SHELLIE COHEN NORTH CAROLINA

CAMI NELSON IOWA STATE

SUNNY HARRIS CENTRAL FLORIDA

LISA PITCAITHLEY CALIFORNIA-SANTA BARBARA

CASSIE SWAFFORD OHIO STATE

CALLIE MAH - WESTERN WASHINGTON

SHIRA STERN WASHINGTON

PAIGE SOPER - OHIO STATE

SOPHIE DARCH - OREGON

MEN’S COLLEGE FEATURE By: Evan Ma

DIII

Hans Christenson and the St. Olaf Berserkers believe 2014 is their year after falling to cross-town rival Carleton College GOP in the regional finals in 2013. Photo: Alex Fraser/Ultiphotos

ATTITUDE SHIFT Historically, ultimate programs from Division III eligible schools have been an afterthought, at least outside of powerhouses like Carleton College’s CUT and a few other programs that have made runs to D-I Nationals. But since the advent of the Division III College Championships in 2010, things have clearly changed, and the St. Olaf College Berzerkers are an excellent example of that shift. In 2011, the Berzerkers decided to go to D-I North Central Regionals and finished seventh behind some elite company.

While not a terrible finish for a school with only about 3,000 students, captains John Knapp and Ben Liska reflected on how the creation of a championship for D-III programs lit a fire under their team and has driven them to steadily improve over the past several years, noting “Now we have something to work for, and other teams have something to work for. It really raises 33

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The North Central region is home to notoriously tough weather. After several postponements, St. Olaf and the rest of the Northwoods teams still fought through snow to compete at the 2013 Northwoods Conference Championships. Photo: Alex Fraser/Ultiphotos

the level of D-III ultimate and competition.” However, having a more satisfying end goal doesn’t build a program on its own, and the Berzerkers have faced their share of issues along the way: season structure, an acceptable yet frustrating-at-times relationship with their school, struggles with commitment and athleticism, and a lack of confidence in their own ability to take down top-level competition.

This season, things began a little differently for St. Olaf. With an enormous class of seniors (12 in all) who have developed a ton of chemistry, Knapp and Liska, along with the rest of the team, decided that 2014 is their year. They adjusted their schedule for A-team cuts in order to make sure they had the best team they could field and spent the majority of their fall season focusing on steadily improving the bottom half of their line up instead of concentrating solely on winning games. With this attitude in mind, they finalized their roster early in the year and headed indoors, away from the unforgiving Minnesota winter.

An issue the Berzerkers still face, along with many other ultimate programs at all levels, is acquiring field space at reasonable hours, but the ‘Zerks endure and design their practices to accommodate their limited resources. Their practice schedule is varied; they find space on weekday mornings and weekend SPRING 2014

afternoons. In addition to their load of track workouts and throwing practices, the team has worked hard this year to master a variety of offensive and defensive sets. Knapp and Liska cite this versatility, which stems both from their focus during indoor practices and the high level of chemistry between their players, as a large part of their 2014 success. Knapp noted the team’s ability to “adapt mid-point to a zone look that we might not have seen before or being to able to say, ‘let’s run ho[rizontal] stack, vert[ical] stack, side stack’ and to be able to run an offense that keeps other defenses on their toes.” This feat is particularly impressive without a coach dictating the team’s strategies or running their practices. The recent development of D-III ultimate has included the rise of teams who have found great success both with and without coaches, a trend that speaks to the players’ commitment to their programs, regardless of the leadership structures. The Berzerkers also focus on maintaining a high level of intensity throughout their scrimmages, which is particularly difficult when forced indoors for months at a time.

While Liska and Knapp have their concerns about the team’s athleticism – especially late into tournaments – their intensity drove them to an excellent regular-season record.

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MEN’S COLLEGE FEATURE

With their first tournament in January, D-III Warm Up, the Berzerkers made waves, running through pool play unfazed before eventually losing to last year’s D-III Nationals runner up, the Puget Sound Postmen, in the finals. But St. Olaf did still leave California with an upset of Puget Sound from Saturday.

Reflecting on the tournament, Liska commented, “You always start off the season with a little bit of a question mark, and it kind of answered a few questions.” An undefeated record on Saturday definitely gave the Berzerkers an answer. Not only did this early season success give the team an excellent reason to feel confident moving forward, it also provided them with a clear set of weaknesses to improve upon and strengths to hone.

In March, they performed well at their second tournament, Southerns, which was highlighted by a tight game against LSU in which they stayed level all the way until 7-7. Even though Olaf dropped their focus and LSU ramped up their intensity in the second half, resulting in a 9-13 loss for the Berzerkers, the game bodes well for St. Olaf. It demonstrated the relationship between relatively high-level D-I and top-flight D-III programs.

While larger schools tend to have more established programs with higher levels of talent, experience and athleticism, Knapp argues that when playing well, “We can certainly give them points, we can give them moments, we can give them halves sometimes, maybe from time to time we can give them a game.” Consistency against high-level competition is an issue many teams face, but for D-III teams in particular, it can provide an important lesson in confidence.

bid available, the Berzerkers now enter the 2014 postseason with renewed fire. This year, they won’t be satisfied with just a bid to Nationals; their aim is to claim the regional crown over rivals GOP, St. Johns, and the rest of the steadily improving North Central region.

The St. Olaf Berzerkers are an exceptional team, bringing intensity and experience to the 2014 D-III scene like few others can. But still, the development of their program features questions and problems with which most college ultimate players, especially at the D-III level, can empathize. These issues include negotiating a workable, if not ideal, relationship with the school’s administration and athletics department, balancing the importance of high-level play and young player development at practice, navigating the varying availability of coaches and developing the program’s identity. The Berzerkers’ development over the past few seasons is quite clear on the field, but how they got there is a complicated process that only those within the team can truly ever understand.

Liska and Knapp talk about their team’s past issues with confidence when playing top teams, but there has been a very noticeable shift in that attitude this year. Liska noted, “In years past, we kind of went into those games with the mentality of ‘we can win this game.’ And if we didn’t [win], we weren’t really that upset because we didn’t consider ourselves better than them. It was…the idea that maybe sometimes we’ll beat them, and they’ll beat us.” This year’s turnaround is a result of consciously shifting their attitude at practice, in the huddle and on the field. Liska goes on to say that when playing strong teams this season, they have avoided thinking, “Well maybe we’ll beat them.” Instead, St. Olaf focuses on their ability to win if they play the way they know they can play. And it shows. The Berzerkers, while not currently ranked number one, are a formidable team with a daunting track record so far this season.

Captain Ben Liska gets up for a score over Old Dominion at Southerns in March. Photo: Courtesy St. Olaf Berzerkers

Two years ago, the team made Nationals, snagging the North Central’s third and final bid behind Carleton College GOP and St. Johns. After a disappointing finish in 2013, losing 15-13 to GOP in the North Central regional finals with only one Nationals 35

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DIII

The St. Olaf Berserkers made the long trip from Northfield, Minn., to Riverside, Calif., to test themselves against Division III’s best at the 2014 D-III Warm Up. Photo: Jennifer Pratt

The Berzerkers last made the trip to Nationals with their 2012 roster and are hoping to earn their way back this year.

Photo: Brandon Wu/Ultiphotos

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WOMEN’S DIII COLLEGE FEATURE By: Ariel Jamison

DIII

Becoming part of an ultimate team can have a lasting impact one that extends far beyond the field. Photo: CBMT Creative

LIFE AFTER DIVISION III You may not know it at the time but becoming involved with your school’s ultimate team as a college freshman is among the most important decisions you can make as a young adult.

Playing college ultimate leaves a lasting, if not permanent, influence on the lives of those who participate. Friends, an education in life, meaningful experiences, connections, a

significant other (sometimes more than one), opportunities to travel – all things on the proverbial list of things you should acquire during college – can be found by simply catching a disc. If all of this sounds fantastic, maybe exaggerated, I would agree with you; or I would have if someone had told me that while I was playing during my undergraduate years. But what 37

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After competing against schools across the Southeast with much larger student populations, Elon has become an up-and-coming program in women’s Division III since its inception.

Photo: CBMT Creative

I have come to realize from my current position, busy in the middle of a graduate degree in architecture, is that these are not exaggerations.

It is a real advantage to have played and competed at the Division III college level, or any division of ultimate. I could never have stumbled upon a friendlier nationwide network of people, one that has been accessible to me from Indiana to Arizona. Since my college experience in the D-III women’s division began, the number of participants and teams has only increased. The Sports and Fitness Industry Association reports that in the U.S. alone, over five million people play ultimate each year. USA Ultimate has an annual membership of over 40,000, and that number keeps growing. Of this group, the greatest number of participants has been, and continues to be, at the college level. This growth means the opportunities that were available to me as a freshman starting out in 2009 have expanded and continue to increase for me and for every new USA Ultimate member each year. There are more people and teams to play and more tournaments at which to play them than ever before.

Having officially joined Chicks Hucking Discs (CHD), a smaller women’s team from Valparaiso University, as a freshman in the spring of 2009, my experience of the women’s college D-III SPRING 2014

level and Championships was unique. I joined the Chicks at a time of great growth in both size and skill level across the team.

I’m sure many ultimate players, particularly those from D-III schools, can relate to and have stories similar to the one shared between me and my teammates. CHD was formerly been coed but managed to get the numbers needed to separate into men’s and women’s teams the year prior to my arrival at Valpo.

The first time I played in a game of ultimate was with the ladies of Chicks Hucking Discs. They had such energy and managed to cultivate such an irresistible atmosphere that I became intoxicated. Over the next four years, I went from having virtually no skill with a disc to becoming a valuable member of the team.

During those years, CHD grew from a team that needed to partner with teams from other colleges at tournaments to a fullsize team steadily retaining an average of 20 players each year.

In my first year, the team attended Great Lakes College Regionals and placed 13th. CHD made no real splash, and our season ended at regionals. In 2010, USA Ultimate created a D-III division for teams from smaller colleges. CHD finished sixth at Great Lakes Regionals that year, but was able to continue on to play at the inaugural USA Ultimate Division III College Championships. Beginning in 2011, teams had to choose to compete either for a place at the D-I or D-III Championships.

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DIII

WOMEN’S COLLEGE FEATURE

Being forced to choose between one or the other, while initially frustrating, brought a new level of competition to the D-III College Championships. No longer a fall back, the Championships became the goal for teams from many small schools.

In 2011, Valpo chose to compete in Division III and earned a spot at the Championships, which had changed from a mere threehour trip to Appleton, Wis., in 2010, to a substantial eight-hour trip to Buffalo, N.Y., in 2011. Heartbreakingly for the team, CHD tied for third in both those trips to the Championships, losing out to the teams that went on to take home national titles.

In my fourth year with the Chicks, the D-III Championships conflicted with Valparaiso’s graduation, and CHD was unable to bring its seniors, including myself, back to Nationals. The team played fantastically, but despite high hopes, CHD ended up tied for fifth.

Sitting in the graduation ceremony with my best friend and favorite handler, receiving score updates from our teammates via cell phones we were asked not have on us and having suffered the almosts of seasons past, I had no idea what had been gained from all the work we had put in. In four years, I had traveled to eight states; met many people involved in ultimate, and many who were not; and stayed active through college, mentally and physically. But gaining perspective without some distance on what is truly gleaned in the thick of those four years and all the work is difficult, whether your ultimate team wins the D-III Championships or not.

Now, as a graduate student who moved from the middle of the country to its southern border, I have a better view of all ultimate has given me. I didn’t know anyone in Tucson before moving and had no contacts. All I knew is that it would get hot and stay hot, but frankly, that means you can play ultimate outside yearround. Many people experience the difficulty of graduating from college, moving on and trying to meet new people. But as an ultimate player, there is always room for one more on the field at a weekly league or with a local club team. Being involved in ultimate has provided a wonderful extracurricular during a time in life when getting away from schoolwork is a lifesaver. It has led to multiple part-time jobs, places to live with roommates who understand the peculiar habits often exhibited by ultimate players and, most importantly, new friends.

Ultimate may not be the only way to find new friends, travel or get a job, but it is, based on my experience, by far the most fun way. Finding a place amidst the larger world of ultimate is an invaluable asset and experience. Being a participant in D-III college ultimate is an experience shared by a small but growing

Valparaiso’s Chicks Hucking Discs finished fourth at the 2013 D-III National Championships. Photo: CBMT Creative

number of athletes across the sport. The division’s horizons are constantly changing. One school has not dominated year 39

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Bowdoin College, a school with fewer than 2,000 students, took home the national championship title in 2013 and looks strong again in 2014. Photo: CBMT Creative

Parity remains supreme in Division III. Teams like Grinnell, Williams, Bowdoin and Valparaiso all stay competitive each year. Photos: CBMT Creative

after year. After the division’s separation from D-I, there is no great difference in skill level between competing teams. Teams like Grinnell, Bowdoin, Claremont, Carleton and others stay competitive each year, and each year, the competition is fierce, with no clear front-runner. Small schools like Valparaiso and Williams can compete against similar teams on the national level. That parity brings value to playing in Division III.

SPRING 2014

But in ultimate, the value of playing, whether at the Championships or in a hat tournament, doesn’t stop after the winner is decided. It stays with you after the weekend is over, after graduation and throughout countless days spent off the field.

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2013 COORDINATORS YOUTH DIVISION STATE YOUTH COORDINATOR

REGIONAL DIRECTOR KEN KAMINSKI – GREAT LAKES

Michelle went above and beyond the role of State Youth Coordinator to organize a structured event that accommodated as many teams as possible from the state of Texas. Her communication was unmatched by any other SYC in the regional and her dedication to the growth of the sport at the youth level was phenomenal to see in our region.

Ken has displayed a remarkable ability to handle all of the challenges that have come his way as Regional Director of the Great Lakes region. He is always quick to respond to players, anticipate solutions and communicate with both teams and coordinators to ensure a well-run series. We appreciate Ken’s contributions in the Great Lakes and look forward to him bringing these abilities to his new role as National Director of the Developmental Division.

Heather Ann Brauer, South Regional Youth Director

Kevin Kula – National Men’s College Director

MICHELLE WALTERS - TEXAS

RUNNER-UP: BEN HAIM, NEW JERSEY

OPEN COLLEGE DIVISION

HONORABLE MENTIONS: DAVE BRANICK (ATLANTIC COAST) JOHN MARTIN (SOUTHEAST)

D-I CONFERENCE COORDINATOR

WOMEN’S COLLEGE DIVISION

SCOTT SAWINSKI - NORTH CENTRAL

D-I CONFERENCE COORDINATOR

Neither snow nor rain…in a region where the weather always presents unpredictable and unique challenges, Scott was once again up to the task. He was able to use his knowledge, commitment, and confidence to provide teams with the communication and tournament experience they’ve come to expect. Scott has also been instrumental in bringing the Division-III College Championships to Wisconsin, and we look forward to working with him again this year in his D-I role.

ALYSSA WEATHERFORD - NORTHWEST Alyssa is a valuable resource for the Northwest. Her positive attitude, attention to detail and connections in the region are just three of the many qualities she brings to her role as the D-I Conference Coordinator. As a member of Riot, one of the top women’s club teams in the country, it is wonderful to have her be an exemplar leader and volunteer for the women’s college division.

Beth Nakamura – National Women’s College Director

Kevin Kula – National Men’s College Director

HONORABLE MENTION: KYLE KOTZMAN - SOUTH CENTRAL

HONORABLE MENTION: MEG DUFFY - ATLANTIC COAST

D-III CONFERENCE COORDINATOR D-III CONFERENCE COORDINATOR ZACK PURDY - SOUTHWEST

JESS WAUGAM - METRO EAST

Heading up both the Open and Women’s divisions for the Southwest Region, Zack has served a central role for the national development of the D-III Series. He came in with a unique perspective to the position, seeing through the lens of an author for Skyd Magazine and leader for the Claremont Braineaters (2011 D-III Champions). We had confidence that events would run smoothly when working with Zack, and we thank him for his overall contributions to Division-III.

Jess is an invaluable coordinator in the Metro East. Her thorough and detailed communications and connections with the D-III teams over the last three years has led to a large growth of new teams. Thanks to her efforts, the team growth led to the addition of a new conference this year. Not only has she worked hard to raise the bar for excellent conference events, but without hesitation when a D-I event lost their fields at the last minute, she stepped up to run both a D-I and D-III event.

Kevin Kula – National Men’s College Director

Jackie Booth – Metro East Regional Director

HONORABLE MENTION: WYATT SEE – NORTH CENTRAL

WPI N S R ITNEGR 22001143

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OF THE YEAR REGIONAL DIRECTOR

REGIONAL COORDINATOR

COURTNEY VERHAALEN - SOUTH CENTRAL

BRYAN MCCALLUM – SOUTH CENTRAL

Courtney’s patience, thoroughness and commitment to a geographically-challenging region has been a huge asset over the last three years. Collaborating with the South Central Open Regional Director to co-host regionals, when possible, enabled teams at the same school to be more strategic with their travel plans. We thank Courtney for her contributions to the region!

Bryan stepped into the South Central RC role in 2013 after two years as a sectional coordinator. He was impeccably and persistently organized, putting in many hours above and beyond the call of duty to understand all of the rules and procedures relevant to his position. He worked tirelessly with his fellow coordinators to push the announcements of his Regionals and Sectionals dates and locations to far earlier than was required.

Beth Nakamura – National Women’s College Director

HONORABLE MENTIONS: ROBYN FENNIG - NORTH CENTRAL CHARLIE MERCER - ATLANTIC COAST

MEN’S CLUB DIVISION SECTIONAL COORDINATOR CHRIS LATHINGHOUSE – ROCKY MOUNTAIN House stepped up for his first year as a sectional coordinator and immediately fell right into the role like it was old hat. He was clear with instructions and always ahead of the game with making sure that teams had all the information and deadlines needed. House did a fantastic job of anticipating issues and ensuring that everything ran smoothly. Kudos!

Meredith Tosta – South Central Regional Coordinator

REGIONAL COORDINATOR CODY BJORKLUND – NORTHWEST Cody delivers. From running regionals to managing communication with teams, staff and players to...well, whatever needs to be done. Cody earns Regional Coordinator of the Year this year for getting it all done and done very, very well.

Adam Goff – National Open Director

MIXED CLUB DIVISION SECTIONAL COORDINATOR HOLLY AMERSON - TEXAS Holly decided to take on hosting for her local organization as well as being the SC. When the weather decided to not cooperate and the field owner attempted to force a reschedule for the tournament, she helped to fix an alternative solution to prevent teams from having to pay addition travel expenses and the additional hassles of changing weekends. Aside from weather disagreeing with the event and reorganizing the schedules, she put on a very smooth event.

Dave Klink – National Mixed Director

WOMEN’S CLUB DIVISION SECTIONAL COORDINATOR KATY PEAKE – WEST NEW ENGLAND MADDIE PURCELL – EAST NEW ENGLAND Katy Peake (WNE) did a great job keeping the lines of communication open. [Jes] could always count on her for quick responses and timely updates. With Sectionals only days away and teams dropping out, Katy calmly handled changing formats multiple times.

Maddie Purcell (ENE) was a true champ when it came to flexibility and patience. She seamlessly organized her tournament, played in it and updated the tournament’s format after two teams dropped out after their Saturday games – multi-tasking at its finest!

Jes Heil – Northeast Women’s Regional Coordinator

REGIONAL COORDINATOR KATE WILSON - SOUTHEAST Kate is super positive, eager to help, and very open with her communication, and she was extremely proactive in volunteering for this seat. She also has a lot of respect for what USA Ultimate is building, and Kate is patient when we don’t have answers immediately.

Remy Schor – National Women’s Director

MASTERS DIVISION REGIONAL COORDINATOR HUGH DASCHBACH – SOUTH CENTRAL Hugh Daschbach should be recognized for his totally professional demeanor, speed at relaying information and excellent quality of events that he oversees.

Kyle Christoph – National Masters Director

Bryan McCallum – South Central Mixed Regional Coordinator

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ADVANCED SPEED, STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING TRAINING TIPS

ABOVE THE COMPETITION

Kettlebell Training for the Ultimate Athlete

BY

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

Power Endurance: Ultimate is a sport of power endurance. We have to display maximum amounts of power when making big layouts and skys. At the same time, we need to be able to repeatedly display high amounts of power when continuously sprinting during long points.

Power is how much force you can generate in a short amount of time and is a product of force x velocity. Power endurance is the ability to maintain this force and velocity over extended periods of time. Have you ever been in a long point, where you were running for a disc and your legs just felt like they didn’t have any juice left?

Welcome to a new year at Above the Competition!

This year, we will be discussing the ultimate training tool: the kettlebell.

THE BENEFITS OF KETTLEBELLS Balancing Asymmetries: Ultimate players are notoriously asymmetrical due to all the pivoting and throwing. Many kettlebell moves are unilateral in nature, meaning they are performed with one arm or on one leg. Unilateral exercise helps to promote symmetry which leads to more efficient movement and a decrease in the risk of injury.

When purchasing your own bells, women typically should start with a 12kg bell and men with a 16kg bell.

Grip Strength: Squeezing the kettlebell helps to develop your grip strength which transfers to making stronger grabs and developing better throws.

Your opponent sprints past you and makes the play while you are left in the dust thinking, “How does he have the legs to get to that?” It is not a good feeling. The more we develop this power endurance quality, the better we will be able to maintain explosiveness when our legs are tired.

Train Anywhere: Many ultimate players work fulltime jobs and find it difficult to access the gym.

Kettlebells allow you to train anywhere: at the park, in your house, even on the field before and after practice. When purchasing your own bells, women typically should start with a 12kg bell and men with a 16kg bell.

SPRING 2014

DEVELOPING POWER ENDURANCE WITH KETTLEBELLS Traditionally, ultimate players have labeled drills like the 150-yard shuttle and the 10 cut as power 44

1

FIGURE 1. HIKE POSITION

2

3

FIGURE 2. TOP OF THE SWING

endurance training because they train us to run fast over extended periods of time. These drills are training endurance in some way; however they are not technically power endurance drills because they are missing the “force” part of the equation.

The only way to give muscles the capacity to generate force is through loading (adding weight).

To train power endurance, you have to move weight (force) explosively (velocity) for multiple reps (endurance). This is accomplished via highrep kettlebell moves such as the KB swing, KB One Arm Swing or the KB Snatch.

FIGURE 3. BACK SWING

approximately shoulder level (Figure 2), then swing it back down. Let the bell go behind you through your knees (Figure 3). Next, drive your hips forward and repeat. You are swinging!

Swing Tips: • Make sure to use your hips to drive the bell as opposed to your arms. Your arms, in this case, only connect your torso to the bell; they do not do the work.

• Move the bell along a horizontal pendulum.

Be sure to stop the bell when it becomes perpendicular to the ground at the top of your swing.

These movements are a lot like sprinting. Sprinting is repeated bouts of hip extension, as are the KB Swing and the KB Snatch. The major difference is that with the KB Swing, we are loading the hip extension in order to develop power. Performing these movements for high reps is how we develop power endurance. Think about it this way – if you can swing a 32kg bell for 100 consecutive reps, when you are on the field, each of your 100 strides will be more powerful. You will be able to run faster, longer! Awesome! Let’s groove out those swings.

• Do not “squat” the bell. Maintain a solid hinge with very little knee flexion.

• Keep a big chest and your shoulders engaged.

• Exhale at the top of the swing, squeezing your abs and your glutes.

STEP TWO: CONDITION THE PATTERN Add this three-week beginners’ kettlebell swing workout to your program.

Week 1: 10 sets of 10 swings on 20 seconds rest = 100 swings

STEP ONE: KB SWING

Week 2: 10 sets of 15 swings on 20 seconds rest = 150 swings

With the bell 12 inches in front of you and your feet approximately shoulder width apart, hinge back until you reach the end of your range of motion. Bend your knees until you reach the bell.

This is your starting or “hike” position (see Figure 1). Make sure to keep a tight back. Slightly lift the bell off the ground and allow it to move back behind your knees. Next, drive your hips forward and squeeze your glutes. Let the bell swing to

Week 3: 10 sets of 20 swings on 20 seconds rest = 200 swings Grab a bell and get swinging! Look forward to the summer issue where will discuss progressions of the swing. For more info on kettlebell training, visit www.morrillperformance.com.

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ATHLETE-SPECIFIC NUTRITIONAL INFOR­MATION TO HELP YOU PERFORM YOUR BEST

NUTRITION MATTERS

Hydration – A Body in Balance

BY

KATY HARRIS, MSPH, CSCS MSPH, CSCS, Owner, WellLife Consulting, LLC

they lose. Performance and muscular strength start to decline after only a two-percent loss of body weight in fluid (about four pounds for a 200-pound athlete). At a four-percent loss (about eight pounds for a 200-pound athlete), your core temperature, heart rate and perceived exertion increase. You also use glycogen more quickly and impair your ability to sweat and regulate body temperature. Athletes exercising in the heat typically dehydrate between two and six percent. When losses surpass seven percent, you are at risk for heat illness or even death.

If you are an ultimate player, you have likely felt overexerted or exhausted or experienced cramping and a raised heart rate on more than one occasion. But do you really know how much it affects your performance? These are symptoms of hypohydration, an insufficient volume of water caused by “voluntary dehydration,” and can easily occur during any athletic event or exertion for an extended period of time, such as an ultimate practice or tournament, especially in the heat. In fact, athletes only replace about twothirds of water lost during exercise. So now that you know, what are you going to do about it?

Our sport has different fluid demands depending on whether you are doing a workout, playing a game, going to practice or competing in a tournament. The main goals during competitions, which are usually longer than a practice or game and can often take place in the heat, are to 1) prevent dehydration, 2) delay fatigue, and 3) minimize the risk of heat illness. A practice has similar needs, but because of its shorter duration, you may need fewer electrolyte or carbohydrate beverages. For a workout, you may only need cool water to stay hydrated, or you may need the calories from a carbohydrate beverage to both hydrate and fuel your workout. Individuals may fine-tune their hydration habits over time, but it is important to start working on a routine, especially if you do not already have one.

DRINK TO PLAY Experts’ best advice emphasizes understanding the importance of proper hydration, finding a routine that works for you and consulting experts when you have questions. If you want to play your best and stay healthy, hydration is the most important factor on game day. Your nerves may be high, you may be under travel stress or you may have just been having too much fun, and it all affects what happens in the last moments of your most important game.

Water is often referred to as the most important but least-emphasized nutrient.

Continuous sweating leads to a loss of approximately two liters of fluid per hour, so athletes sweating excessively for hours may need to consume an extra three to four gallons of fluid to replace what SPRING 2014

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PUT ME IN COACH!

discern your average fluid loss can be helpful in establishing a hydration routine for the rest of the season.

If you want to hear “YES� in response to these words, focus on the simple rules below when you are at practice and during games and tournaments. Most recommendations are suitable for both men and women, but suggested daily amounts are broken out by gender. Specific amounts will vary based on the individual, the type of exercise and heat and humidity, so it is always best to find a way to test your fluid consumption and find a routine that works for your personal training and competition regimen. To avoid detrimental effects on performance and health, coaches and players alike need to be aware of hydration needs, and extra water breaks should be built into practices in the heat or when conditioning and playing. Water and/or sports drinks should always be by your side. Thirst is known to not be an accurate indicator of hydration status, so never wait until you are thirsty to drink.

Fluid Timing - Before Exercise: Consume an extra liter of fluid the day before activity (2 - 20oz bottles) OR 400-600ml two hours before exercising (a 20oz bottle). Athletes exercising in the heat should consume an extra 250-500ml (8-16oz or 1-2 cups) within two hours of the onset of exercise.

- During Exercise: 15 gulps every 15 minutes.

Drink 5-12oz (roughly 1 cup, 8oz or 15 gulps) every 15 minutes.

- After Exercise: Replace pounds of fluid lost with approximately 2-3 cups (15-22oz) for every half pound lost, every 15 minutes.

SIGNS OF DEHYDRATION Dark, yellow, strong-smelling urine Decreased frequency of urination

FLUID CONSUMPTION RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ULTIMATE PLAYERS

Rapid resting heart rate Prolonged muscle soreness

General, Daily Fluid Recommendations

NOTE: Normal urination is approximately one liter per day (or 8-10oz per urination, four times/day). Urination during the rehydration process does not necessarily mean rehydration is complete.

- Males: 16 - 8oz cups/day (125oz or 3800ml) - Females: 11 - 8oz cups/day (87oz or 2600ml) - 1lb lost is equivalent to approximately 0.5L, and all pounds lost must be replaced before the next workout session.

Sports Drinks

- Fluids should be cool and palatable to the athlete (taste good),

- Contain a 6-8 percent carbohydrate solution (e.g., diluted Gatorade)

- Optimal gastric emptying of water into the stomach occurs at 400-600ml (roughly 8-12oz),

- Consume after about 60-90 minutes of exercise to replace electrolytes and avoid hyponatremia (low blood sodium due to high water consumption; a risk mainly to endurance athletes), OR before, during or immediately after workouts to provide fuel and prevent muscle breakdown. Additional carbohydrates during excessive exercise may not be tolerated and may cause gastrointestinal distress.

- Beverages may be any non-alcoholic drink, including water, juice, tea, coffee, milk, sports drinks, etc. Some carbohydrates and sodium in the beverage increases the rate of absorption by the intestine and can be advantageous.

- Sipping is better than not drinking, but slightly larger volumes increase absorption (~15 gulps); very large amounts will be uncomfortable during intense exercise and inhibit absorption1

- Ultimate is both an endurance AND power event, so many more calories, fluids and electrolytes are required throughout the day.

Therefore, carbohydrate drink consumption (along with water) may begin even before an exercise bout and continue throughout the day, especially a full day of playing in the heat.

- Although it may not always be feasible, starting a practice of weighing in before and after practices early in the season to help 47

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- Small amounts of high-fructose corn syrup are okay in these drinks, even though the sugars are not immediately available to the body.

Since these drinks often contain other sugars that allow glucose to be released in small amounts over time, the issue is mitigated.

- Energy drinks often contain B vitamins, water-soluble vitamins that are highly utilized during stress and physical exertion. They also often contain caffeine, so it is important to make sure your overall caffeine intake does not exceed 300mg.

High-Carbohydrate Beverages

- Caffeine is a powerful appetite suppressant, so keeping consumption down on a regular basis will help ensure you maintain the caloric and fluid intake needed to replenish stores and build muscle and strength.

- Contain about 70g of carbohydrates in 12 ounces - Are more appropriate when athletes need a higher carbohydrate source, such as several hours before or immediately after exercise

Considerations for Athletes

- Can be a useful way for endurance athletes, such as ultimate players who find it difficult to eat while playing, to ensure adequate calorie intake and avoid dehydration when imbibed throughout the day

- Intensity and Duration: Ultimate tournaments are long in both intensity and duration, so we rely on constant carbohydrate and fluid consumption for good performance.

- Individual Needs: Overall stress and hydration levels, pre-competitive nervousness, tolerance for food, etc., will all affect what type of drinks (water, carbohydrate, meal-replacement or energy beverage) each individual chooses to consume.

Meal-Replacement Beverages - Contain high amounts of carbohydrates, moderate protein and low fat, as well as electrolytes like sodium and potassium - Provide extra calories for athletes like ultimate players who have higher calorie needs during training, practice and competition

- Consider stress level, training regimen and fitness level when deciding when and how much carbohydrate drink to consume on a regular basis, as well as during activity.

- Useful as a meal for athletes pre- or postexercise when they may find it difficult or inconvenient to eat

REFERENCES 1. Online Sports Nutrition Course Materials. 2008.

2. Baechle, T. R., & Earle, R. W. (Eds.). 2008. The Essentials of Strength and Conditioning, Third Edition. Champaign, IL. Human Kinetics Publishers.

3. McGuigan, M.R., Scheett, T.P., & Stoppani, J. Nutrition for Strength/Power Athletes. Retrieved March 8, 2014, from http://www.kinkaid.org/uploaded/Athletics/Falcon-Fitness/ NSCA_-_SNP_Strength-Power_Athletes-slides.pdf.

Caffeine and Energy Drinks - Intake of caffeine in excess of 300mg can negatively affect fluid balance.

- Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant and can make you feel jittery. Athletes, in particular, need to develop an understanding of their individual tolerance levels.

TABLE 1: FLUID TIMING AND INTAKE WORKOUT < 1 HOUR

WORKOUT â&#x2030;Ľ 1 HOUR OR GAME

NORMAL OR TOURNAMENT PRACTICE

PRACTICE OR TOURNAMENT IN THE HEAT

Day Before Exercise

Water; ~10 cups/day for females, ~15 cups/day for men

Water; ~10 cups/day for females, ~15 cups/day for men + 1 extra liter (20-oz bottle)

Water; ~10 cups/day for females, ~15 cups/day for men + 1 extra liter (20-oz bottle)

Water; ~10 cups/day for females, ~15 cups/day for men + 1-2 extra liters (1-2, 20oz bottles)

Two Hours Before Exercise

Water, normal intake

Water and/or sports drinks; 1 extra, 20oz bottle

Water and/or sports drinks; 1 extra, 20oz bottle + 1-2 cups

Water and/or sports drinks; 2 extra, 20oz bottles + 1-2 cups

During Exercise

Water, every 15 minutes

Water, sports drinks, CHO beverages, every 15 minutes

Water, sports drinks, CHO beverages, every 15 minutes

Water, sports drinks, CHO beverages, every 15 minutes

After Exercise

Water or sports drinks; 0.5L/lb lost (~5 cups)

Water, sports drinks, CHO beverages, meal replacement beverages; 0.5L/lb lost (extra 8-10 cups, 1 cup/15 mins)

Water, sports drinks, CHO beverages, meal replacement beverages, 0.5L/lb lost (extra ~10-20 cups, 1 cup/15 mins)

Water, sports drinks, CHO beverages, meal replacement beverages, 0.5L/lb lost (extra 20+ cups, 1 cup/15 mins)

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2 014

The highest level of competitive ultimate in North America is back.

Come check it out. Everyone is invited. usaultimate.org/triplecrowntour

A LOOK AT LOCAL LEAGUES AROUND THE COUNTRY

LOCAL LEAGUE SPOTLIGHT

KALAMAZOO ULTIMATE DISC LEAGUE BY MATT FRAYER, PRESIDENT KALAMAZOO ULTIMATE DISC LEAGUE

SPRING 2014

The Kalamazoo Ultimate Disc League (KUDL) was officially founded in 2006 after a small handful of dedicated club and recreational players in a carpool returning from South Bend, Ind., on a hot and steamy July evening in 2005 began to talk about the possibility. The core of what would later be known as the “Brain Trust” had been commuting over an hour each way all summer long to play in the Michiana Ultimate Summer League and having tremendous fun. Eventually, the inevitable question came up of whether we could create a league in Kalamazoo.

sportsmanship, openness and teaching the game.

Paramount to this bonding was having all teams play in one location on the same night.

The first summer was a tremendous success.

Six mixed teams played weekly for eight weeks before marking the end of our inaugural league with an end-of-season, all-day tournament and themed costume night. Players came from all over Southwest Michigan and Northern Indiana to participate in the inaugural season alongside local representatives from Western Michigan University and Kalamazoo College. Approximately half of the players from the first year had never played ultimate before. Most importantly, all of these players truly came together and established what would later be coined “KUDL Culture.” KUDL Culture is a family feel that includes all teams and players promoting and encouraging fun, good

An energized and transparent board of directors and a dedicated group of volunteer captains have taken the reins from the original Brain Trust and currently organize and run KUDL. They work tirelessly to provide a great product to our members and continue to build our community.

Since that first season, the KUDL summer league has grown to include 10 teams and over 180 players. We have also expanded playing opportunities for our community and now feature four sessions each year, allowing for great play through all seasons. We also host free, weekly learning and play sessions that include games, drills and scrimmages for any interested youth players ages six and up throughout the summer.

To learn more about the Kalamazoo Ultimate Disc League, please check us out on Facebook or at kudl.org.

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HANDLER MOVEMENT

CLEATS & CONES U U LTIMATE DRILLS AND SKILLS BY

LTICOACH

Basic Handler Positioning

The Handler A strong handler has speed, quickness and an ability to control the tempo of the game on offense. A great handler should always be available to give teammates an easy reset throw and have the ability to move the disc from side to side with ease. Lastly, handlers need to understand that they are the key to dictating where the offense attacks the field and do so smoothly within the threeperson handling unit.

Vertical Set

Horizontal Set

Key Concepts for Strong Handler Skills The diagrams to the right show basic handler positioning in both vertical and horizontal stack formations. Generally, handlers who do not have the disc should set up at least 10 yards away from the thrower, angled behind the disc. This positioning leaves ample throwing lanes on the open and break sides.

Focus For Each Development Level BEGINNER

INTERMEDIATE

Focus on maintaining proper positioning when you don’t have the disc. Hustle to get in position and start your dump cut early in the stall count. As the thrower, focus on “commiting to the dump.”

ABOUT THE BEGINNER DRILL

As with any skill, learning the basics well and practicing strong fundamentals will provide you with the tools to succeed. A handling unit has the ability to easily swing the disc across the field. When you are in the middle position of the drill, transition from catching to throwing as quickly as possible. This is an easy way to break the mark and move the disc laterally.

Static Swing Drill

1 3

ADVANCED

Being able to throw and go effectively is a great way to keep the disc moving both upfield and laterally across the field. Maintain balance while releasing the disc for a give-go. This will give you a quick first step to receive the next pass.

The ability to break the mark is one of the most important handler skills. Whether it’s for a quick goal near the end zone or to set up a deep throw by a cutter, throwing a good leading pass to the break side will help any offense.

ABOUT THE INTERMEDIATE DRILL

ABOUT THE ADVANCED DRILL

The most effective way to consistently get open is to be continuously moving and have the ability to throw the disc quickly after establishing a pivot foot. This keeps defenders on their heels and chasing, rather than dicataing where you, as the offensive player, can go. Use this drill to sharpen your footwork when stopping and improve your pivoting and quick throws.

Throw & Goes

1 3

The focus of this drill is to improve your ability to break the mark and develop consistent leading thows to space. Use your fakes and footwork to move your mark and create space to throw. From a cutting perspective, this drill mimics vertical stack continuation cuts perfectly; set up your cut hard to lose your defender.

Quick Breaks

10+ 6+

25 Yds

USEFUL FOR: ● Basic disc movement, swinging the disc METHOD: ● Swing the disc across the field 5 times ● When on the sides, throw fake upfield once, then throw swing ● When in the middle, focus on a quick swing across the field, do not fake PERFORMANCE TIPS: ● Aim at receiver’s chest ● Catch with two hands whenever possible

USEFUL FOR: ● Fitness, quick catches and throws, pivoting ● Field awareness METHOD: ● Cones 15 yards apart ● Two throwers, one receiver ● Make hard cuts between receiving areas, catch and throw clockwise to next cone ● Complete 10 passes then rotate PERFORMANCE TIPS: ● Quickly pivot & throw upon receiving disc ● Don’t watch your throws. Run!

USEFUL FOR: ● End-zone offense, marking ● Breakmark throws, break-side cuts METHOD: ● Cut 5 yards to open side, receive on break side ● Return disc, go to back of stack ● Thrower/marker do 10 reps, then rotate PERFORMANCE TIPS: ● Lead the receiver, throw to space ● Use fakes to move marker ● Keep your head up & eyes on receiver CHALLENGE: Add defender on the receiver

Images & Text © UltiCoach 2014. All Rights Reserved.

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

INJURY TIMEOUT

ADVANCED SPEED, STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING TRAINING TIPS

LOW BACK PAIN

BY

JUSTINE M. CROWLEY, DO

Low back pain. It is the bane of so many athletes – and many times, it’s preventable. This article will address some of the ways to avoid low back pain (LBP). It is not meant to replace medical evaluation and treatment, nor will it address low back pain that is associated with nerve entrapment which can cause pain that radiates into the leg. Low back pain associated with pain that radiates or travels, or back pain following a traumatic event (car accident, fall), is not within the scope of this article.

As the college season ramps up and club athletes start to shake off the winter rust, low back pain is a timely topic. Two common causes of low back pain are easily prevented. One is lack of core strength. The other is minimal flexibility – especially of the hamstrings.

CORE STRENGTH The concept of core strength/stability is getting attention in many medical fields, including occupational medicine, as evidenced by a study published in the Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology.1 And how does a study in occupational medicine relate to ultimate? It was a study of firefighters, who are considered “industrial” athletes. The firefighters were put through a battery of functional movement tests followed by therapeutic exercises to strengthen core muscles and improve flexibility. The therapy decreased the number of injuries by 42 percent and time lost due to injuries by 62 percent.

Core strength is necessary for positioning the body in space – in particular, the legs and the torso. Core strength is not just about thousands of crunches. It involves training multiple muscle groups – particularly those of the back and pelvis.

The abdominal muscles (transversus abdominis, rectus and the obliques) are involved, but the muscles of the back and pelvis are bigger and require different training than crunches. Planks train some of the muscles, but there are still other

FIGURE 1: LUMBAR SPINE

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52

muscles that contribute to core stability, and it is important not to ignore them. The muscles of the back (quadratus lumborum, the erector spinae group) can be trained with easy exercises that can be done in your living room and more involved exercises typically done in a gym. Exercises that work these muscles include supermans, “dead bug” exercises (Figure 2), back raises (extension) and glute-ham raises. Incorporating exercises into your routine that work the low back help strengthen it, and strong muscles fatigue less easily. Muscles that aren’t fatigued are less likely to get injured –even when you are playing in that last game on Sunday.

FIGURE 2: DEAD BUG

the result. Working on those tight muscles before they cause an injury can save your season and prevent a lifetime of back trouble.

FLEXIBILITY To some degree, flexibility is something you’re born with – think gymnasts. But flexibility can also be developed with a regular stretching regimen. All of the muscles that attach to your pelvis – and there are many – contribute to the position of your pelvis and, therefore, your back. If the leg muscles that attach to your pelvis are tight, they won’t allow proper motion of the pelvis which will translate up to your spine.

These muscles include hip flexors (iliacus is a pelvic muscles, psoas attaches to your lower spine), adductors (groin), hamstrings, glutes and external rotators (piriformis). The big muscles of the spine include the erector spinae group and quadratus lumborum.

Working on strength and developing flexibility should be a mainstay of off-season training.

Maintaining flexibility should be an integral part of in-season workouts and an athlete’s daily routine. If you have problems with LBP, be sure to address it with your daily routine and workouts. If it becomes persistent or associated with any numbness or tingling in the legs, have it evaluated by a medical professional. If you don’t have LBP, still be sure to take care of your back, core, hamstrings and flexibility.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

There are as many ways to stretch as there are muscles in the human body. There are as many different theories about stretching (before/ during/after, active/static) as there are muscles in the body. The important thing is to stretch, on a daily basis if possible, AND after every workout.

REFERENCES: 1. Peate

WF, Bates G, Lunda K, et al. Core strength: a new model for injury prediction and prevention. J Occup Med and Toxicology 2007, 2:3.

Tight hamstrings are one of the biggest contributors to LBP. Your low back and hamstrings are tied together at the pelvis. Your low back has a natural (lordotic) curve to it. When your hamstrings are tight and you take a deep lunging step for a breakmark throw, your tight hamstrings force a pelvic tilt that transfers to your back. Your low back then takes all the force in a straightened position and a strained low back is

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: Thanks to Kaitlyn Smith, BS for research assistance.

The above article represents the opinion of Dr. Crowley. It does not represent the opinion of the Salem VA Medical Center, the Department of Veterans Affairs, or the United States Government.

53

U S A U LT I M AT E

THE SPIRIT CIRCLE

WFDF Task Force to Consider its Position on the Spirit of the Game and On-Field Officiation Issues for Ultimate

INTERIM REPORT Earlier this month, the World Flying Disc Federation published an interim report of the Spirit of the Game Task Force, whose objective is to consider WFDF’s position on Spirit of the Game and on-field officiation issues for ultimate. With their permission, we have reprinted that report here.

BACKGROUND:

TASK FORCE MEMBERS:

On 30 September 2013 WFDF established a Task Force to Consider its Position on the Spirit of the Game and On-Field Officiation Issues for Ultimate.

It was expected that the task force would come up with an initial written report to the board discussing their definition of the scope of the review and expected target date for a final report by no later than January 31, 2014 with a final recommendation by mid-2014, in time for presentation to the 2014 Congress in Lecco.

OBJECTIVES:

Jarna Kalpala, Women in Sport Commission, Finland representative

Tiina Booth, Youth and Sports Commission

Makoto Ohi, Japan representative

Will Deaver, Deputy Ultimate chair, US representative

Nob Rauch, WFDF executive representative

Brian Gisel, Championships Subcommittee chair, Canada representative

Luis Rodriguez, Youth and Sports Commission, Colombia representative

Anna Haynes, Athletes’ Commission representative

Valeska Schacht, Women in Sport Commission, Germany representative

Si Hill, Ultimate Chair, UK representative

The taskforce was given two objectives: 1.

Reaffirm WFDF’s definition of Spirit of the Game and review, develop and strengthen existing programs in order to promote a clearer and more consistent understanding of how it should be applied; and

Patrick van de Valk, SOTG Subcommittee chair, Portugal representative

TASK FORCE PROCESS: So far the Task Force has undertaken the following steps:

2. Answer the question on how does WFDF ensure that Ultimate athletes play a fair game that is also viewable (interesting for spectators in person and on TV/internet to watch).

• Shared background information on all members • Received an update from the SOTG Committee on the work they are doing • Watched game footage of key Ultimate games, including non-Observed and Observed games

A key passage of the press release regarding the second objective stated that: “this second question is not the same as “should WFDF adopt Observers.” Rather, we want our games to highlight the positive qualities of player control (fair play, personal responsibility, communication) while not allowing the negative potential of player control (misconduct, disorganization, miscommunication) to overshadow or diminish the positives.” Having said that, the USAU system of Observers has been developed over the last couple decades and we agree we should not discount the conclusions that have been drawn through this experience until they have been fully considered.

SPRING 2014

Rueben Berg (Chair), Rules Subcommittee chair, Australia representative

• Shared information regarding the existing WFDF Officiating systems • Undertaken an officiating survey on different aspects of the game and how they could be best officiated • Compiled a pros and cons list for the WFDF and USAU officiating systems • Undertaken an initial survey on the two task force objectives The next stage for the Task Force will involve significant dialogue by e-mail, discussion forum and telephone.

54

PRELIMINARY TASK FORCE OUTCOMES:

process (but which could also result in a system that was different to the USAU officiating process)

This is a high level summary of the Pros and Cons work the Task Force undertook:

WFDF OFFICIATING SYSTEM

USAU OBSERVER SYSTEM

PROS

Easy, works majority of the time, unique

Can overturn incorrect calls or deliberate cheating while still mostly allowing for player responsibility, better time management

CONS

Can result in awkward game delays, the system does not work if players deliberately cheat

Removes some responsibility to adhere to the moral prerogative, requires additional resources to train and staff

Note: These preliminary responses may change based on further discussion.

TASK FORCE RECOMMENDATION: In addition to the preliminary responses to the Task Force Objectives, the Task Force would like to recommend that WFDF makes certain incremental changes to the current WFDF Officiating process that could easily be implemented at the WJUC/WUCC 2014 without requiring significant advance notice, while recognizing that anything more than an incremental change would not be able to be implemented in time for the WJUC/WUCC. The Task Force intends to develop a more detailed list of specific recommendations regarding this, with the main focus being on possible changes that could be made to the WFDF Rules of Ultimate Appendix, and the role and structure of the Tournament Rules Group.

NEXT STEPS:

The preliminary results of the officiating survey the Task Force undertook showed that the majority of the Task Force members believe:

The next steps for the Task Force will be: • Initiate a dialogue around these initial background findings and begin the process of discussing alternatives in more detail

• Player should remain solely responsible for making foul/ travel/pick calls

• Develop recommendations regarding potential revisions that would be considered for WJUC/WUCC 2014

• It might assist players if they could ask for advice from a WFDF Official regarding line calls and other on field discussions

• Consider the ramifications of increasing Olympic Movement involvement and overall commercial development of the sport (and the demands that sponsors and broadcast partners may make) versus protecting and highlighting the key aspects of how SOTG can be showcased

• It might help address game management issues if a WFDF Official was empowered to make calls regarding Offside and Time limit penalties • It might help to eliminate any risks of cheating if WFDF Officials had a more direct relationship with the Tournament Rules Group

• Discuss in more detail the work the SOTG Committee are undertaking and make any necessary recommendations

Note: The term “Official” does not necessary equate to the existing WFDF Line Assistant or Time/Score Keeper roles, nor the USAU Observer Role.

• Discuss how and why any proposed changes to the current WFDF Officiating System would be different from the USAU system

As a result of this work, it became clear that WFDF might want to consider some changes to the current Officiating system to enable it to ensure that Ultimate athletes play a fair game that is also viewable, while still maintaining key aspects of Spirit of the Game.

• Determine the specific recommendations regarding any proposed changes to the current WFDF Officiating System

PRELIMINARY TASK FORCE RESPONSE TO THE OBJECTIVES:

• Detail how any proposed changes should be monitored and evaluated to determine its effectiveness and efficiency

Objective 1: At this stage the Task Force intends to endorse the work the SOTG Committee are doing around Spirit, especially in the area of education and feedback through the spirit scoring system

• Set a timeline for when any changes should be implemented and reviewed

• Determine what educational tools and resources can be developed to assist with the implementation of any proposed changes

It is expected that the final Task Force report will be submitted to WFDF by 30 June 2014.

Objective 2: At this stage the Task Force intends to recommend that WFDF make some adjustments to the WFDF officiating 55

U S A U LT I M AT E

USA ULTIMATE’S STANDING RULES COMMITTEE CHAIR RESPONDS TO COMMON RULES

WHAT�S THE CALL

BY

JON BAUMAN, OUTGOING RULES WORKING GROUP CHAIR

QUESTIONS.

WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO GIVE SOMEONE ELSE A SHOT AT THIS RULES CHAIRPERSON THING?

So setting aside the issue of intent, is there a good reason for XV.A to exist? When writing the rules, we want them to be as clear and concise as possible. For the most part, rules are included for one of two reasons: to codify the way the game is typically played or prohibit behavior which would make the game something other than ultimate. The rules that define the stall count are an example of the former, and the rule which prohibits hand-offs (XII.D.2) is an example of the latter. We do our best to not include rules which limit innovation, but that’s a judgment call.

After one last question.

SELF-MACS: WHY NOT? -FREESTYLIN’ IN FREMONT Well Freestylin’, as far as the rules go, it’s pretty obviously because of XV.A:

Would allowing freestyle moves that let a solo player advance the disc ruin the game? It’s hard to say. On one hand, it’s a fairly risky maneuver to gain just a few yards, but if you’re totally unguarded and it makes an otherwise too-short huck a goal, that could be exciting and fun. It definitely gives the offense a new tool, but it’s not without risk since the defender is free to bat the disc away while you’re bobbling it and before you have established possession. On the other hand, brushing and delaying really aren’t typically part of ultimate, and defenders swatting at discs that receivers are “sort of” controlling could introduce unwanted physical play. Discs get batted around, but it’s rarely on purpose in any sort of serious game.

A player may bobble the disc in order to gain control of it, but purposeful bobbling (including tipping, delaying, guiding, brushing or the like) to oneself in order to advance the disc in any direction from where it initially was contacted is considered traveling.

But I assume your question is really, “Why not get rid of XV.A?” Which is a good question and one the committee has discussed in the past. On one hand, it’s not a rule that comes up very often, but it is one of the few in the book that requires a judgment of intent because it’s only illegal if the bobbling was to advance the disc rather than gain control. That may not be 100 percent obvious just by looking, especially if the bobbler in question is skilled at carnival games. I mean, there’s a point at which running 20 yards while doing a nail delay becomes plainly intentional, but the rules are written for a self-officiated game, and one of the basic assumptions you have to make for such a document is that the players are not intentionally violating the rules.

SPRING 2014

Currently, the prohibition is only on bobbling the disc to oneself, so in theory, two very skilled freestylers could intercept a pass and, instead of catching it, mac it back and forth all the way down the field toward the goal they’re attacking. The most interesting thing about that strategy is that, should they mess up at some point and drop the 56

disc, they would get to pick it up at that spot since they technically never established possession. That’s a bit of a fantastical scenario, but it goes to show that there are potentially advantageous strategies that aren’t necessarily illegal that most people wouldn’t consider ultimate.

Some people have advocated for the elimination of this rule because they doubt it would result in much change in the way the game is played, with perhaps a few more exciting plays offset by a few more boneheaded mistakes.

Either way, though, I really like questions that force us to think more deeply about the way we write the rules and why.

AUTHOR’S NOTE: I’ve been the chair of the USA Ultimate Rules Working Group for over three years, and it’s been great fun. Colin McIntyre, long-time rules working group member, will be taking over chair responsibilities, including this column. Thank you for all the great questions over the years.

Best wishes!

The joy of catching a bobbled disc.

Only this receiver knows if he did or not. Photos: William Brotman

57

U S A U LT I M AT E

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

NEWS & NOTES 2014 U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS & CONVENTION

and retention goals. He will engage with current members and encourage the recruitment and growth of the USA Ultimate membership while maintaining responsibility for many other duties in support of the organization.

Planning for the 2014 U.S. Open Championships & Convention is well underway. The third-annual event will be held July 3-6 in Minnesota’s Twin Cities.

Murphy has a strong background at all levels of ultimate, as a player, coach and organizer. He began playing at Samford University, where he earned degrees in computer science and mathematics. After moving to Raleigh, N.C., he served on the board of directors for the Triangle Flying Disc Association and was later the association’s interim executive director.

Murphy worked for over 10 years as a software developer and has spent time volunteering in Japan and Haiti.

Some of the best teams from across the world will arrive in Minnesota to face off against America’s top squads at the National Sports Center in Blaine.

Once again, the convention portion of the event will welcome participants from all corners of the ultimate community, from players to coaches to organizers and entrepreneurs. The convention is a place for ultimate’s best and brightest to exchange ideas and learn more about topics ranging from coaching to how to prevent injury to the business of sports.

As Manager of Finance & Administration, TaylorPierce will be responsible for managing the office administrative duties, overseeing accounts receivable and tracking bills and incoming payments while working to help diversity the organization’s revenue base. He will serve as the central administrative connection for the headquarters office.

The Embassy Suites in Brooklyn Center, Minn., will be the host hotel for this year’s U.S. Open. Room registration for athletes and participants is open now.

THREE NEW TEAM MEMBERS JOIN USA ULTIMATE STAFF

Taylor-Pierce is a Maine native and was a resident of Arundel before relocating to Boulder. Since graduating from the University of Southern Maine with a degree in general management and a minor in accounting, he has worked as a staff accountant in Kennebunk, Maine. He began playing ultimate in middle school as part of Maine’s fast-growing youth program before joining local men’s club team Red Tide.

Josh Murphy was recently hired as USA Ultimate’s new Manager of Membership & Sport Development while Ethan Taylor-Pierce and Ernest Toney just joined the staff as the new Manager of Finance & Administration and Manager of Competition and Athlete Programs – Club, respectively.

Toney will oversee USA Ultimate’s club and masters divisions programs, as well as other programs throughout the year. He will assist in the management of events, including event direction/management, registration and processing, event communication and support of personnel and relevant committees.

Murphy will work to support the membership and sport development department and achieve the organization’s membership recruitment, engagement

Toney joins the headquarters team with a strong background both in ultimate and in sport management. He spent several years working for the YMCA of Southern Arizona as a sports coordinator

Stay tuned to usaultimate.org/usopen and @TripleCrownTour on Twitter for the latest information on competing teams, conference session topics and speakers.

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MERCHANDISE PARTNERS NAMED FOR 2014

and membership and marketing director before taking a position as an account executive with the Arizona Diamondbacks. For the last few years, he owned his own Denver-based consulting business that helped sport, recreation and fitness businesses build their brands and increase sales. He holds a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology and a master’s degree in sport and recreation management from James Madison University and, after starting to play ultimate in college, has competed with club teams based in both Arizona and Colorado in the mixed and men’s divisions

Merchandise contracts have been awarded for each of USA Ultimate’s 2014 championship events, as well as the National Team that will travel to the World Junior Ultimate Championships in Italy this summer. This year’s partners will provide official championship merchandise, so participants, families and fans will have an opportunity to commemorate their experiences with high-quality event apparel and souvenirs.

TOP-RATED CLUB REGULAR SEASON EVENTS Congratulations to the following events and organizers for being rated as the best USA Ultimate sanctioned events in their respective categories for 2013!

___________________________________________________________ High School Central Championships U.S. Open Championships Masters Championships National Championships

Club Regular Season Tournaments • Old Line Classic – Parkton, Md. • Huckfest – Decatur, Ala. Recreational Tournaments • Nocturnal Decisions – Waldwick, N.J.

___________________________________________________________

• Mercer Midnight Madness – Mercerville, N.J.

Division III College Championships Division I College Championships U.S. National Team – World Junior Ultimate Championships

Leagues • Jacksonville Ultimate League Winter League – Jacksonville, Fla. • Westchester Ultimate Disc, Inc. Winter League – Westchester, N.Y. Ratings were determined by post-event survey results.

2014 YOUTH CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS

___________________________________________________________

For the first time, this year’s Youth Club Championships will include a U-16 girls’ division, in addition to the U-19 boys’, U-19 girls’, U-19 mixed and U-16 boys’ divisions!

In order to help foster growth in U-16 girls’ ultimate, the YCC division will be a unique combo camp and competition that is open to both team registrants and individual registrants.

High School Southern Championships Youth Club Championships

___________________________________________________________ High School Northeastern Championships

The Phase 1 application window has closed. Phase 2 applications are due May 9.

Check out the USA Ultimate website at usaultimate. org for details on applications and more about this year’s event.

___________________________________________________________ High School Western Championships

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U S A U LT I M AT E

NEWS & NOTES UPCOMING EVENTS Northeastern Championships May 10-11, Portland, Maine

Southern Championships May 10-11, Greenville County, S.C.

Central Championships

THE ULTIMATE NATION IS BACK!

May 17-18, Ames, Iowa

After a hiatus, the show is back as a Google+ hangouton-air. Guests from all corners of the ultimate community join us live to answer your questions and discuss topics from across the world of ultimate.

Questions are submitted via Twitter at #ultimatenation or through Google’s Q&A app in the hangouts.

D-III College Championships May 17-18, Westerville, Ohio

D-I College Championships May 23-26, Mason, Ohio

Western Championships

So far this year, Kyle Weisbrod Michelle Ng, DeAnna Ball and Mike DeNardis have already donated their time to get the show rolling again and share their thoughts and opinions on all things ultimate. Check out their shows on YouTube or read through the conversation transcripts posted on the USA Ultimate website. And stay tuned for announcements about upcoming guests!

May 31-June 1, Corvallis, Ore.

U.S. Open Championships & Convention July 3-6, Twin Cities, Minn.

Pro-Elite Challenge July 12-13 M, W: Loudoun County, Va. X: Middletown, N.Y.

Masters Championships

BEACH ULTIMATE CHAMPIONSHIPS 2015

July 18-20, Sarasota, Fla.

USA Ultimate is accepting bids to host the firstever Beach Ultimate Championships! The event will be held in late April or early May 2015 and will see competition in five divisions: men’s, women’s, mixed, masters and mixed masters. Each of these divisions will also be contested at the World Championships of Beach Ultimate next year.

World Junior Ultimate Championships July 20-26, Lecco, Italy

World Ultimate Club Championships August 2-9, Lecco, Italy

Elite-Select Challenge

Bids will be accepted through May 31, 2014. For more information on the bid process, visit usaultimate.org.

August 2-3, Aurora, Colo.

Youth Club Championships August 10-11, Blaine, Minn.

Pro Flight Finale August 30-31, Santa Cruz, Calif.

National Championships October 16-19, Frisco, Texas

SPRING 2014

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