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Women’s p21 Mixed p17 Men’s p12 Focus: National Championships
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WHAT’S INSIDE OF F I C I AL M AGA Z I N E OF U S A ULT I M AT E W I N T E R 2014
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VOLU M E X X X V ISSU E FOU R
WINTER ISSUE
P12 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS Denver Johnny Bravo’s first-ever title was one of many highlights at the 2014 National Championships in Frisco, Texas. Photo: Jolie Lang/Ultiphotos
P27 PLAYER PROFILE In addition to his first-ever Nationals appearance, Terrence Mitchell earned medals at both the World Junior Ultimate Championships and the Youth Club Championships in 2014. Photo: Kevin Leclaire/Ultiphotos
P7 #HEFORSHE Increasing female participation in ultimate starts with creating an equal environment for men and women, one in which all voices are valued. The results benefit everyone involved in the sport. Photo: CBMT creative ON THE COVER: One of the men’s division’s rising stars, Denver Johnny Bravo’s Stanley Peterson goes up over Toronto GOAT’s Cam Harris during the semifinals at the 2014 National Championships. Photo: Daniel Thai/Ultiphotos
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
WINTER 2014 3
A Letter to Our Members
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
5 By the Numbers: 35 Years of USA Ultimate & the Ultimate Players Association
7
#HeForShe: Why Everyone Wants More Women in Ultimate
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS COVERAGE 12
MEN’S: An Instant Classic
15
Farricker Award Spotlight: Danny Clark
17
MIXED: Santa Maria’s Maiden Voyage: From Columbus to Frisco
21
WOMEN’S: The Essence of Showdown
25
Pufahl Award Spotlight: Leila Tunnell
27 Player Profile: Terrence Mitchell 32 2014 Coordinators of the Year
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 Rebecca Simeone 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.
34 Above the Competition 36 Nutrition Matters
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.
40 Coaches’ Playbook 42 Local League Spotlight 43 Cleats & Cones
Editor-in-Chief Stacey Waldrup
44 Injury Timeout
Advertising Complete rates and specifications are available online at www.usaultimate.org/ sponsors.
46 The Spirit Circle
Change of Address USA Ultimate is not forwarded by the post office. To update your address, please contact USA Ultimate.
48 What’s the Call
For a complete list of contacts, visit www.usaultimate.org.
50 News & Notes
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’S CEO ON ULTIMATE HAPPENINGS
2014 IN REVIEW
BY
A MESSAGE FROM
IN THE U.S.
DR. TOM CRAWFORD USA Ultimate Chief Executive Officer
We had another very exciting year at USA Ultimate, and as has become my tradition at the end of the year, I thought I’d reflect back on all that we accomplished.
to USA Ultimate, as the Olympic Committee picks up the costs. As a result, we can continually reinvest the returns we achieve into our operating budget as a new source of revenue, helping us keep our costs and fees as low as possible. Our membership also positions us well in light of some of the dramatic changes taking place within the Olympic movement worldwide, including recently improved chances for new sports to be added to the Olympic program.
OFFICIAL MEMBERSHIP IN THE OLYMPIC FAMILY
STRATEGIC MOVE OF USA ULTIMATE HEADQUARTERS TO THE OLYMPIC CITY: COLORADO SPRINGS
This was a big step for us and took two years of painstaking work at the board and staff levels. We had to modernize our by-laws in order to align with other national governing bodies (NGBs) and U.S. Olympic Committee requirements. We also had to officially take on the role of the nationally recognized governing body for the sport of ultimate under the Amateur Sports Act. While we were already carrying out this role, we are now recognized alongside other NGBs such as US Swimming, USA Volleyball and USA Hockey. This recognition has already produced some strong payoffs. Examples include attendance at the Olympic Assembly, where we were “discovered” by many youthserving organizations. Consequently, we now have strong developing partnerships with the Jewish Community Centers, Catholic Youth Organization, Boy Scouts of America and others. We also became eligible to invest in the U.S. Olympic Endowment, which is a great investment option for our reserves that generates excellent annual returns at no cost
As the home of the USOC and more than 20 NGBs, as well as more than 50 other national sports organizations, Colorado Springs is considered the “mecca” of sports cities in the U.S. The impending USA Ultimate relocation was warmly welcomed by the city, the USOC and the other NGBs as we prepare to move into our new headquarters alongside USA Triathlon, governing body of the fastest-growing sport in the nation. We will also be right across the parking lot from USA Cycling, and our staff will be invited to participate in many professional growth opportunities, such as best practices seminars and workshops (not to mention some great trail/road rides and trail runs!). There is also a strong sports community in Colorado Springs where spontaneous and rich discussions occur between sports organizations on how to overcome challenges and grow. continued on next page 3
U S A U LT I M AT E
A LETTER TO OUR MEMBERS cont. LAUNCH OF THE USA ULTIMATE FOUNDATION
BEACH CHAMPIONSHIPS We are launching the inaugural National Beach Championships in 2015 and are sending seven national teams to the World Beach Championships in Dubai this coming March. We are planning to build out a beach program and season as we continue to gather input from our players and regional coordinators, as well as sports commissions and convention and visitors bureaus around the country. There are many moving parts to consider, especially as we coordinate with WFDF and the international competition calendar.
The Internal Revenue Service officially recognized our foundation in October, and we have been working hard and fast on its launch. The goal of the foundation is to raise funds outside of USA Ultimate’s annual operating budget to support programs we cannot adequately fund. In short, the foundation is the philanthropic arm of the sport and will raise and distribute funding to support disadvantaged youth at the local level via our affiliates, as well as elements of the Girls’ Ultimate Movement (GUM). The foundation will also be a source of capital for our affiliates across the U.S. We have an ambitious goal to have partners in every state who become the local delivery system for all of our programs. We plan to seed these organizations to create a community of communities across the U.S., so youth everywhere can experience the joy of playing ultimate right in their own backyards.
SPEAKING OF THE INTERNATIONAL CALENDAR! GET OUT THE BROOMS!
SPEAKING OF YOUTH! An important goal in our strategic plan is growing youth participation. We had a great year in 2014, exemplified by the significant growth of our Youth Club Championships which saw a 40 percent increase in team participation over 2013. We also held more than 25 Learn to Play clinics throughout the year with over 1000 participants across multiple communities around the nation.
U.S. club teams brought home 12 medals from the World Ultimate Club Championships in Lecco, Italy, this summer including sweeps of the men’s, mixed and women’s divisions! Our U-19 National Teams also performed extremely well, earning gold and silver at the World Junior Ultimate Championships.
CONTINUED GROWTH Our membership continues to grow, with doubledigit growth at the youth level which has been a major target for us. We are taking some important steps to catalyze overall growth which has stayed positive, but is not at the level we aspire to for college and club. We believe that long-term, overall growth in the sport will be fed by increased participation at the youth level.
GUM: GIRLS’ ULTIMATE MOVEMENT One of the coolest experiences of the year for me was attending the GUM session held at the U.S. Open in Minnesota. The energy and passion in the room was amazing, and the plans developed by the GUM task force (an impressive and super-smart group) were inspiring, realistic and executable. We have already begun implementing several GUM initiatives, including recruiting national outreach directors and girls’ state youth coordinators across the country. I encourage all who believe in the power and joy sports can bring to women’s lives to get involved!
WINTER 2014
So as we wrap up 2014, I’d like to wish everyone a peaceful and joyous holiday season. Get ready for another big year for ultimate in 2015!
4
35 YEARS
of USA Ultimate & the Ultimate Players Association
LOGO EVOLUTION 1981-2000
DEC 1979
12
2000-2010
NATIONAL/EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS AND CEOS
2010-PRESENT
17
CURRENT STAFF MEMBERS
the Ultimate Players Association is founded in Santa Barbara, Calif.
156
Published issues of the UPA Newsletter/ USA Ultimate Magazine
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700 1980 UPA membership
49,000
Headquarters cities for the UPA and USA Ultimate
2014 USA Ultimate membership membership numbers are rounded
$3.5 MILLON
2015 USA Ultimate Operating Budget
17 Club Championship Locations
23
$10,000
D-I College Championship Locations
96
1980 UPA Operating Budget
11 5
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP EVENTS hosted by the UPA/USAU (youth, college, club, masters) U S A U LT I M AT E
Olympic-level coaching. For every level team. Get the latest practice drills, videos, skills, and more. From the experts at the U.S. Olympic Committee to wherever you are.
WINTER 2014
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#HeForShe
WHY EVERYONE WANTS MORE
IN ULTIMATE By: Jonathan Neeley
The Ohio State Fever program steadily grew and improved over the last several years, helping them earn a national title in 2014. Photo: CBMT Creative
For my friend Jacob, there’s rarely a day too cold and rainy or a start time too early to keep him away from teaching people to play.
You know the type: he seems to be coaching a new team or running another clinic every time I talk to him, and he’s constantly shelling out money to jaunt off to coaches and organizers conferences on this coast or that. He lives and breathes this stuff. So when he told me he didn’t go to the recent Girls’ Ultimate Movement clinic hosted by Backhanded Compliment, the women’s team he coaches, even though it was right down the street from his Washington, D.C. apartment (we’re talking sleep in, walk there, and still-be-early distance), I thought it a bit odd.
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U S A U LT I M AT E
“ Any girl inspired by a woman or man to think they can be a coach one day will help in the future... if we start doing this now, we’ll have more women inclined to coach, more strong female role models for boys and girls.” If you’re paying attention, you know that conversations about women in ultimate are all over Twitter, in the paragraphs of Ultiworld and Skyd, and on r/ultimate. But talking to Jacob got me thinking more specifically: as a man, where do I fit into all of that? A good place to start is with the Girls’ Ultimate Movement, an initiative USA Ultimate launched last March. To sum it up, only 3,000 of the 13,000 youth that currently play organized ultimate in the U.S. are girls, and GUM is working to catch them up by spreading the word about the sport and making it easier to start a program or become a coach. Beyond just youth, consider that more than 30,000 of USA Ultimate’s members are male while just over 13,099 are female, or that 2,283 of its Coaching Development Program participants are men while only 812 are women, and the picture becomes clear: proportionately far fewer females are involved in ultimate than males. That half the population is participating at such a relatively low rate is troubling when you consider all ultimate has to offer: a fitness outlet, a team to belong to, an understanding of goalsetting and perseverance. But more
WINTER 2014
USA Ultimate is working to increase the number of girls playing ultimate across the country with initiatives like the Girls’ Ultimate Movement and the introduction of a U-16 girls’ division at the Youth Club Championships. Photo: CBMT Creative
than just individuals missing out on some fun, or even opportunities that could set them up for professional success (researchers have found that people with athletic backgrounds are far more likely to get hired), an ultimate world that’s skewed more toward one gender than the other is a problem for everyone. Far fewer females than males means ultimate is missing out on some of the opinions, insights and experience that women can bring to the table, and that goes for both the good of the culture and for winning games. If the numbers were the other way around, ultimate would be left just as wanting for what men have to offer. Consider this thought: because more men and boys play ultimate, ultimate is slanted toward males. You can see it everywhere, from how most coaches teach throwing based on male body mechanics to the language we use, which can range from something innocuous like defaulting to calling it “man defense,” to something that
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implies a value judgment like “man up” being synonymous with grit. Do you agree? Disagree? Maybe you think some of it makes sense but some is a stretch, or there might be a point you want to add? Personally, here’s what I’m sure of: it’s a hard claim to prove, but it’s certainly a valid thought, and it has a whole lot to do with whether or not we’re doing enough to tell females about the value they bring to the ultimate community. And isn’t feeling valued what attracts and retains people, regardless of their gender? It’s not that men should always stay home if they find out there are women coaches out there, and it’s not about handing out preferential treatment. It’s being aware that programs like GUM exist for a reason and that the conversations you see online matter to people. It’s considering that women’s reports of being blatantly looked off over and over and over again at pickup have some real merit. And it’s taking that into account when you speak or make decisions. Another friend of mine, Alyssa Weatherford, is a living, breathing example of how the actions of those
Home-state fans showed their support for Texas Showdown at the 2013 and 2014 National Championships. Photo: CBMT Creative
who think about encouraging women and girls to participate make our community better. A product of the youth ultimate juggernaut that is Seattle, Alyssa came up in a club program headed by Miranda Roth and Ben Wiggins, two of ultimate’s most revered players and thinkers. Roth had a profound impact on Alyssa as both a young player and future Riot star, encouraging her to push her own limits and, just by being there, making a strong woman’s coaching voice something normal. She encouraged Alyssa to try out for the Junior Worlds team and Riot, and to eventually run for a position in Riot leadership even in her early days on the team. “Anytime I wanted to do a project or wanted to start something or build a team or try to make Team USA, Miranda was always there to say you can do that and here’s some info about it,” she says. “Just the fact that she was positive about me trying out made me think I could do more. It introduced me to what it took to do those things. Through Miranda being a coach for me, I believed I could be a coach.”
Nowadays, Alyssa is a captain of Seattle Riot, which won Worlds this summer. She coaches multiple teams of various age groups in Seattle, and she frequently runs clinics abroad. Finally, she’s pushing the envelope on how ultimate can turn players into better people, as she focuses heavily on teaching leadership and how to exchange effective feedback rather than just physical skills. To say that the investment Alyssa’s coaches put into her is paying off would be quite the understatement. Could a male have set Alyssa up for such success? Probably, but maybe that bond with Roth is what really hooked her. Did men play a role? Absolutely. Wiggins, who ran the club team, says he prioritized bringing in and deferring to strong female role models. Alyssa also remembers male coaches speaking to her plainly and straightforwardly about Xs and Os more than anything else. While Roth was the role model Alyssa most closely aligned with, she was also surrounded by men she looked up to who outwardly valued their own female peers and expected her to be a quality ultimate player without gender ever being a factor. Talk about empowering.
“Any girl inspired by a woman or man to think they can be a coach one day will help in the future,” she says. “In five or 10 years, if we start doing this now, we’ll have more women inclined to coach, more strong female role models for boys and girls. The biggest thing men can do is to show that women and girls are equal, and if you’ve got girls on your team, inspire them to want to continue to get better and want to be put in leadership roles. Support that way.” I imagine that what Jacob wants for Backhanded is the same thing Roth and Wiggins wanted for Alyssa: an environment where women know they’re adding something, and where they’re inspired to pass the gift of the game along in a way that hooks new players. That he thinks deliberately and intentionally about how to make it happen is probably why I’m not too surprised when Zara Cadoux, a Backhanded co-founder, tells me the team has six players coaching college teams and one coaching high school. One is the new state youth coordinator for Maryland, and two are college captains. Cadoux herself? She’s one of GUM’s co-founders. Coincidence?
U S A U LT I M AT E
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AN
INSTANT CLASSIC
Boos, violations and a comeback cut short an oral account of the most exciting showcase of the 2014 National Championships: Boston Ironside v. Raleigh Ring of Fire.
By: Greg Gipson n response to last year’s logistical headache of moving to a second tournament site, USA Ultimate opted to remain at the FC Dallas Complex this year for the semifinal and final rounds, utilizing Dr. Pink Stadium. In contrast to last year’s FISD Memorial Stadium, this was certainly a more intimate venue. The stadium had all the vibes and dense energy of a private theater, where you couldn’t help but be overwhelmed with the excitement of watching the game’s finest. This miniature stadium was a perfect hybrid of where ultimate is going and where it has been.
Ring of Fire’s Shane Sisco (left) battles with Ironside’s Thomas Sayre-McCord during the semifinals at the 2014 National Championships. Photo: Jolie Lang/Ultiphotos
(Danny Clark, Ironside): If I had my way, we would go back to the days when the crowd was practically on top of the field, and you were passing out high fives while walking up and down the sideline.
Ring of Fire’s Jon Nethercutt was injured on a layout D attempt late in the game, a big moment for Ring. Photo: Christina Schmidt/Ultiphotos
(Russell Wallack, Ironside): I loved it. We don’t get that kind of atmosphere too often, so it is something I relish. I played high school football, and this brought back that same kind of crazed adrenaline feeling. The noise factor was actually a really big deal. It was almost impossible to hear sideline talk or really any play calls from throwers. (Mike DeNardis, Ring of Fire coach): I thought it was a fantastic venue in terms of capacity vs. attendance…
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MEN’S | NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS | 2014
As far as the noise factor, the big issue is communication. I’m very hands-on when the game is being played, and not being able to fully communicate with the mark or downfield defenders hinders my usage. It’s something that we were aware was going to happen, but it’s very difficult to mitigate. (Brian Casey, Ring of Fire): It was really fun playing with the fans that close to the action. It was a nice mix of playing on the fields in Sarasota and playing in a stadium. A great deal of the noise can be attributed to many choruses of boos – Ring of Fire’s newfound rallying cry – from what was largely a pro-Ring audience. Leave it to Ring, a team with as much bravado as skill and athleticism, to turn boos into a team cadence. This is a group of men that goes beyond thriving in the doubt and scorn of others. They bask in it.
remained the same. We really focus on making it about us. We were constantly checking in with each other saying “Up, up, up.” That is our cue to keep the energy level rising. (Clark): As an offensive player, the score doesn’t matter – you just do your job for that point and get off the field. (Josh McCarthy, Ironside coach): Team spirits were of course higher than they would have been had the score been reversed…but you know a team like Ring was never going to go down without a fight; they will scrap and claw until the bitter end.
A COMMANDING FIRST HALF
Despite scrappy persistence from Ring of Fire, Ironside was firmly in control at halftime with an 8-4 lead. George Stubbs was running the show alongside the defensive line, collecting break after break. Boston rode their momentum to an 11-6 lead, putting another finals appearance well in sight. But there was still work to be done. Boston focused on finishing strong. Meanwhile, Raleigh wasn’t exactly fazed by the deficit. (Wallack): I think we were definitely feeling good, but our language
It’s a bit cliché, but I try not to worry about the score until the game is over. I knew if we played at the level we were capable of, and I had seen earlier in the tournament at times, we’d be fine. THE COMEBACK & MARATHON FINALE
Just as spectators slowly began to lose some interest in what seemed an impending rout, a forgone conclusion became a game of suspense. Raleigh managed to fight their way to an 11-11 tie. With each break secured, the din grew. At no other point that weekend would the crowd be as raucous. (Mullen): The experience was pretty incredible. Once we got about two breaks into our second-half run, I started to have to scream match ups and what D we were running. Communication on the field became very difficult.
(Taylor Pope, Ring of Fire): Rarely except in Raleigh do we have a proRing crowd. I think people will always root for the underdog, something that defies their expectations. (Casey): I’m proud to say that the booing started as a by-product of Wilmington lawn games (corn hole, polish horseshoes). Mark Evans and Stephen Bender would boo each other when playing to try and distract the other from succeeding. During the Sockeye pool play game there was a questionable call made, and Mark and Bender just started booing in jest. That got some odd looks from the Sockeye guys, so we in turn starting booing ourselves.
to get the team to take a more evenkeeled, business-like approach. Play to your maximum potential and be the best teammate regardless of the score.
The crowd noise definitely fed our legs as we made our defensive stand. The style of D we play is very physical and very taxing on the legs and lungs to do well. The energy of the crowd made it possible for us to sustain it.
Ironside’s Danny Clark ended up with bookends to win the semifinal when he caught the disc in the end zone after it bounced off the hands of a teammate. Photo: Pete Guon/Ultiphotos
(Casey): Going into the second half, we tried to not get lost in big-picture goals. You’ll never win a game like that if you can’t break it down into small attainable goals. We tried to focus on winning the first point out of half. Keeping a narrow lane of vision helps distract from big-picture things like being down by several breaks. (Josh Mullen, Ring of Fire): Personally, I felt strangely comfortable with the hole we were in. Ironside was not playing clean offensively, and I knew we would have many more chances to break in the second half. (DeNardis): Ring has always thrived on emotional energy, but with the highest of highs came the lowest of lows. I tried 13
(Casey): We started playing with house money in the second half, nothing to lose and everything to gain. A team with nothing to lose is a dangerous opponent regardless of the score. (DeNardis): It was a combination of our players getting comfortable with their match ups and applying the correct amount of pressure on defense. (McCarthy): After we got a break out of half to go up 9-4, our spirits remained high. At that point, after calling seven on the line, the defensive players pushed to play a 1-3-3 zone that we had been working on this year and using occasionally during games. I hesitated, as we had not called a zone line, but with time running short and an unwillingness to burn a timeout early in the half, we quickly assigned positions. I should have made the decision to play zone immediately to give us time to set the line, or I should have overruled the decision and stayed U S A U LT I M AT E
Boston Ironside’s John Stubbs reels in a throw from his brother George for a goal during the semifinals at the 2014 National Championships. Photo: Christina Schmidt/Ultiphotos
with our man defense (which had played quite well to that point).
to be made. However, two plays stand out to me.
(Wallack): I give a lot of credit to them for that comeback. They really embraced specific team energy and stuck with it throughout the game. Even when they were down. Props to them for having that resilience.
First, Alex Kapinos electing not go to the observer on the foul call by the Ring receiver on the huck fairly early in the point. From my perspective, it seemed like Alex made a clean play, yet in the moment, he did not want to risk an adverse observer ruling. And second, the Jon Nethercutt bid (on which he hurt his face), on which Brandon Malecek called foul. It seemed a very close play, and while Jon was obviously dealing with his injury, it was nonetheless a strong display of sportsmanship to not appeal to the observer in what was a pivotal moment of the game.
(Clark): They stepped up their defensive pressure, we made a couple of unforced errors and they got hyped up, and we tightened up and played nervous. With the time cap on and the point cap set at 13, the finals berth was to be decided on a 12-12 doublegame point. Even then, 22 minutes of season-saving plays, devastating injuries and a bevy of calls remained. (McCarthy): I do not recall any calls, by either side, that were especially egregious and left a sour taste in my mouth; ultimately, the observers are on hand to help mitigate that factor in a game with these stakes. There was a lot of physical play, and on doublegame point, all of those calls are going WINTER 2014
(DeNardis): The biggest moment was the Nethercutt injury. Clearly we had our chances, but I was confident he made the D. To lose him at a pivotal moment, and have the call go against us, was hard to stomach. Additionally, he’s probably one of the closer player relationships I’ve had, so watching him in pain was difficult to handle. 14
(Mullen): [Nethercutt’s] face hit his opponent’s cleats when he laid out on a low throw to his man. The skin under his eyebrow and above his eyelid tore open, and his whole eye swelled up immediately. I remember there being a lot of blood, and the medic at the time was concerned that he fractured his orbital. Despite a taxing point, Boston managed to end the game in rather swift fashion on their final possession. After Ring dropped the disc in their own red zone, Ironside saw daylight and quickly transitioned to offense. Brandon Malecek forced the final throw through traffic to George Stubbs, who couldn’t reel it in, but Danny Clark was just behind him to secure the goal and the win. (McCarthy): I could not believe that Muffin [Malecek] threw it through that much traffic into the middle of the end zone. Though, at that point, I had no expectation for us to run any semblance of our end-zone offense, and at least we took a shot into the
Farricker Spotlight: end zone. My heart seized for a moment, and when Danny’s hands clenched the disc, I finally heaved a huge sigh of relief. (Clark): As the throw went up to George, I knew it was a tight window that Muffin was throwing through. My only thought was just wishing that it made it through unscathed. When it did, I had a moment of elation until it bounced off of George. At that point, there was no thought – just instinct kicking in to catch the disc. And thus concluded what was arguably the best show of the tournament. There are those who look at the game’s final point and see only the many calls and stoppages, but those who were actually on the field of play offer a different perspective. (Mullen): As a player, the whole point was amazing (except for Nutt looking like he lost his eyeball). From Shane’s run-by block on Will Neff to Cretella and Kapinos colliding in the end zone to save the game for Ironside to Danny Clark catching the disc inches from the turf after it struck off another player to win the game. (McCarthy): From my perspective, I would have preferred to see fewer calls and a much cleaner last point (albeit with the same number of incredible plays). But the stakes were high, and at that point in the game, given all of the physical play that had taken place to that point, I think the observers wisely let the players play without intervening too much with potentially game-changing conduct fouls. So, while I know that both teams aspire to playing a cleaner brand of ultimate, I would say the drama and the stakes of that last point, coupled with the number of athletic plays, more than made up for any black mark caused by the number of stoppages that took place.
Danny Clark By: Greg Gipson Boston Ironside has been a national powerhouse since first stepping onto the scene in 2008, and co-captain Danny Clark has been with them every step of the way. After stints with Pike, Mad Men and Twisted Metal, Clark has found quite the home with Ironside, helping lead his team to multiple National Championship finals and semifinals. Though the championship has remained elusive for the time being, suffice it to say Clark’s tenure with Ironside has been beneficial for all parties. From his cutting ability to his vertical skills and crafty throws, he has been hailed for his on-field abilities at the club level since his early days with Pike in 2004. These days, his teammates and opponents alike justly regard him as “one of the most feared receivers in the game.” His skills were well on display during this year’s National Championships, where he led his team in goals scored. But just as his team has evolved since its inception, so has he. Having now completed his seventh year with Ironside, and his first in a captaining role, Clark is now looked to as an all-around veteran, charged with far more responsibility than simply playing exceptional ultimate. Clark has become an ambassador for the sport itself and for a team that holds great prestige, despite its relatively short history. Clark is a part of the very foundation, the crucial core, of one of the finest ultimate programs in the world and one of only two remaining original Ironside members. He is the standard and a guiding voice for his team, both on and off the field. He even leads
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Boston Ironside captain Danny Clark (right) was named the 2014 Peter Farricker Spirit Award winner at the National Championships. Photo: Jolie Lang/Ultiphotos
when it has no direct benefits to himself; he spearheaded the plans for Ironside’s trip to the 2014 World Ultimate Club Championships in Lecco, Italy, a tournament he himself could ultimately not attend. Danny is an ideal model of Spirit of the Game, a player universally respected by teammates and opponents alike. According to his team, he plays ultimate “for the reason it should be played – healthy and spirited competition combined with strong and supporting community.” Which goes to show that he is far more than simply a great ultimate player. Most importantly, he’s a great man. Embodying Spirit of the Game is not celebrated simply because we want to praise good sportsmanship; the Farricker Award is meant to celebrate the type of people that make our game such a blessing to play, the type of people who make the ultimate community so great to be a part of. This year, Danny Clark became Ironside’s third winner of the Peter Farricker Spirit Award, joining the ranks of his teammates, Josh McCarthy and Matt Rebholz, who have been previously recognized for their embodiment of Spirit of the Game and their commitment to the sport.
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MEN’S | NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS | 2014
MEN’S RESULTS 1. JOHNNY BRAVO 2. IRONSIDE 3T. GOAT 3T. RING OF FIRE 5. REVOLVER 6. RHINO 7T. TRUCK STOP 7T. CHAIN LIGHTNING
9T. SOCKEYE 9T. DOUBLEWIDE 11. PONY 12. TEMPER 13. FURIOUS GEORGE 14. MACHINE 15. PRAIRIE FIRE 16. SUB ZERO
TEAM SPIRIT SCORES* SUB ZERO
18.29
REVOLVER
17.13
TEMPER
16.64
RHINO
16.14
PRAIRIE FIRE
15.86
CHAIN LIGHTNING
15.00
TRUCK STOP
14.86
MACHINE
14.50
FURIOUS GEORGE
14.29
DOUBLEWIDE
14.14
JOHNNY BRAVO
14.00
IRONSIDE
13.29
SOCKEYE
13.14
RING OF FIRE
12.67
GOAT
12.00
PONY
11.29
*WFDF Spirit Rankings were used for the 2014 National Championships. More information can be found at www.wfdf.org.
INDIVIDUAL SPIRIT AWARD WINNERS
This Justin Allen goal was one of two for him during Raleigh Ring of Fire’s comeback in their semifinal against Boston Ironside. Photo: Christina Schmidt/Ultiphotos
CHAIN LIGHTNING
BLAKE HANNAH
DOUBLEWIDE
JAKE ANDERSON
FURIOUS GEORGE
KEVIN UNDERHILL
(DeNardis): I understand the stoppages make the game ugly at times, but you can’t fault the players for their opinions, you can only try to make the game move more quickly and enforce more strict penalties for calls in the future.
GOAT
MARK LLOYD
IRONSIDE
DANNY CLARK
What I observed were 14 players, working through all their faults, and putting in maximum effort to win that point. It was a sloppy game for the most part, so how can the sloppiest point of all be the black mark. I feel like it was an exclamation point on a crazy experience.
PRAIRIE FIRE
ABE COFFIN
REVOLVER
ASHLIN JOYE
JOHNNY BRAVO MACHINE PONY
RHINO RING OF FIRE
JACK MARSH
TIMMY PERSTON BEN DIETER DANNY KARLINSKY
SUB ZERO
PATRICK JENSEN
TRUCK STOP
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GREG SLOVER
SOCKEYE TEMPER
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ANDREW MANGAN
MIKE REEVES JOHN AGAN
ABOVE: Pagie Soper was one of several Ohio State Fever stars to play with Santa Maria this year, bringing big-game experience to the Columbus squad. Photo: Pete Guion/ Ultiphotos RIGHT: Santa Maria’s Cassie Swafford, this year’s Callahan Award winner, helped lead the team to a berth in the 2015 Triple Crown Tour Pro Flight. Photo: Pete Guion/Ultiphotos
SANTA MARIA’S MAIDEN VOYAGE:
FROM COLUMBUS
TO FRISCO By: Brittany Winner
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t’s early Saturday afternoon, and Santa Maria is commemorating their last game of their first trip to Nationals – not like all the other teams, with the standard girls-in-front, guys-in-back, big-smiles team picture, but with a full photo shoot, complete with multiple cameras and angles, Charlie’s Angels poses, and for good measure, a gorilla mask. While this may have made it a little more difficult for me to get a post-game interview, it was a pretty fitting visual representation of the kind of team Santa Maria is. Never taking themselves too seriously, they celebrate the “ups” and recover quickly from the “downs”; they believe in themselves and their teammates and never get caught up in what anyone else thinks of them. And that’s exactly how they became the first mixed team from the Great Lakes Region to earn a spot in the Triple Crown Tour’s Pro Flight.
U S A U LT I M AT E
Their history-making run at Nationals didn’t start at sectionals, though, or even at the beginning of the season. To really see how Santa Maria got to be the seventh-best team in the nation, we have to go back a few years.
Santa Maria’s Chris Ratcliff extends for the disc during pool play at the 2014 National Championships. Photo: Pete Guion/Ultiphotos
In 2012, USA Ultimate redrew the regional map, splitting the Central Region into (primarily) the Great Lakes and North Central Regions. With perennial powers Drag’n Thrust and CLX now out of the picture, one bid was available for any Great Lakes team to claim. Ann Arbor’s Overhaul was the obvious favorite, but still, a sliver of light was shining through the now-open door to Nationals in a way it hadn’t in the past. Of course, no team got close to touching Overhaul at 2012 Regionals – they were just more experienced, more talented and more accustomed to playing at a higher level – but teams in the region got a better sense of what it would take to get there. Then Overhaul announced after Nationals that they would be disbanding, and mixed teams around the region saw their opportunity become even more real. In 2013, Santa Maria looked ready to make a run for the Great Lakes’ sole bid to Nationals. They had a strong regular season, turning in solid performances at several area tournaments, including a championship at Motown Throwdown and a third-place finish at Chesapeake Open. But in keeping with their tradition of staying local, the team declined their invitation to the Elite-Select Challenge at the Emerald City Classic in Seattle. The invite instead went to in-state rivals Steamboat. And while it’s easy for me to speculate here, that decision to stay local may have come back to haunt them at regionals. Fast-forward to September, and the bid to Nationals was there for the taking. After pulling off an upset over the heavily-favored one seed Interrobang! in the semifinals, it WINTER 2014
seemed to be in Santa Maria’s reach. Steamboat won their semi against Underhaul, the remnants of the previous year’s Overhaul, and the Ohio teams both had their sights set on a first-ever trip to Nationals. The final was a closely contested game, but Santa Maria was unable to convert any break opportunities against the more seasoned Steamboat offensive line, and the Cincinnati team claimed the lone bid to Frisco, sending Santa Maria back to the drawing board in the off-season. To the untrained eye, the Santa Maria squad that lined up for their first game 18
at 2014 Great Lakes Regionals looked to be a lot like previous versions, throwing frustrating, junky zones on defense and using a combination of athletic playmakers and veteran patience on offense. But changes could be seen in the direction the leadership took in planning their season and the collective maturing the team had done in the year since that loss to Steamboat. On the guys’ side, Santa Maria added some talent from local men’s team Madcow who had played at Nationals the year before. Additionally, some of their more veteran players took a midseason trip to Florida to compete at
MIXED | NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS | 2014
Minneapolis Drag’n Thrust took home a second national championship and the mixed division spirit award from Frisco, Texas. Photo: Jolie Lang/Ultiphotos
the Masters Championships with the aptly-named OhiOld. On the ladies’ side, Santa Maria benefited from the experience gained by the half-dozen or so women on their roster who spent the college season playing for Ohio State Fever. Led by U-23 Worlds teammates and co-captains Paige Soper and Cassie Swafford, Fever won the College Championships in May, the day after Swafford was announced as the 2014 Callahan Award winner. The value of players who have weathered that type of high-level competition became an idea Santa Maria embraced. Where in years past the team had stuck primarily to regional tournaments, 2014 saw the team commit to traveling to New York and Colorado for both the Pro-Elite and Elite-Select Challenges as part of the Triple Crown Tour. The team had mixed results at the two tournaments, but the experience gained competing against high-caliber teams paid off. This time in September, Santa Maria sailed through a windy regional, their only close game coming in a semifinal rematch against Interrobang!. They faced off with Steamboat again in the finals, but this time, the outcome favored the Columbus squad.
Still, no one was paying much attention to the Great Lakes Region leading up to Nationals, and who could blame them? With five solid teams coming out of the Southwest and repeat Nationals qualifiers like Drag’n Thrust, CLX, Wild Card and Slow White in the field, it was easy for most (including this writer) to dismiss the first-timers. The Great Lakes’ track record at Nationals probably didn’t help either; the previous two representatives had lackluster finishes of 13th and 16th, so when Santa Maria came in as the overall 14 seed, no one really expected them to make waves. But staying true to form, Santa Maria didn’t really care what anyone else thought they should do. They started out their weekend by making a big wave in pool play, catching Slow White off-guard early on. Taking advantage of the windy conditions, Santa won their first-ever Nationals game by six. The positive start was followed by losses to Drag’n Thrust and D’oh! Abides, but the pool came down to point differential between three teams with 1-2 records. Thanks to that six-point win, Santa Maria ended up as the number two team in their pool, surprising everyone 19
in Frisco but themselves. The two spot drew them a pre-quarter match up against Cosa Nostra on Friday morning; Santa Maria utilized the play of their women to move on to the quarterfinals against Seattle Mixed. In a game that was back-and-forth throughout, Santa Maria received the disc on double-game point and had a chance to win it with a short backhand to the open side, but the throw was low and hit the ground just short of the intended receiver. Seattle wasted no time; four throws straight up the sideline and the game was theirs. Seattle Mixed went on to beat Wild Card in the semifinals before facing Drag’n Thrust in the finals, but Santa Maria was their closest win of the weekend. (Seattle had two losses at Nationals – their first-round game against a streaky Polar Bears team and an uninspired finals performance against Drag’n.) Now in the fifth-place bracket, Santa Maria kept things close early on against Blackbird but ran out of energy in the second half. They left the fields Friday evening knowing they had one last opportunity to make a name for themselves and, in a small way, the Great Lakes Region. A victory U S A U LT I M AT E
MIXED | NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS | 2014
on Saturday morning would claim one of the final spots in the Pro Flight, something Overhaul and Steamboat were unable to achieve in previous years. But if Vegas had a betting line for ultimate games, smart money would have been on Philadelphia’s AMP, a team made up of seasoned Nationals veterans coming off of two solid wins on Friday against D’oh! Abides and Polar Bears. The Philly squad came out strong on Saturday morning, taking the metaphorical wind out of Santa Maria’s sails with an effective zone. Columbus made some poor decisions, and AMP quickly converted on them. Taking a comfortable 8-3 lead into half, AMP seemed to have the game – and another year of Pro Flight status – in the bag. Spectators lost interest and ambled over to the fifth-place match up between Blackbird and Mischief a few fields away, and why not? This midwest team no one knew anything about had a good run, but the game was over, right? Well, in a word, no. Santa Maria huddled up and decided they didn’t want to do what everyone else expected them to do. This was the last half of their last game at their last tournament as the 2014 edition of Santa Maria, and they knew they were better than the team that had played in the first half. They believed in themselves and their teammates, and in the second half, they took the field to play for their team and for each other. Santa Maria strung together four straight breaks as part of a tremendous run that led to another double-game point. This time, they were ready. The throw to the end zone was nowhere near touching the ground, and the affectionately-nicknamed “Old Greg” Eckhart went up over his defender and came down with the game-winning score.
MIXED RESULTS 1. DRAG’N THRUST 2. SEATTLE MIXED 3T. THE CHAD LARSON EXPERIENCE 3T. WILD CARD 5. MISCHIEF 6. BLACKBIRD 7T. BUCKET 7T. SANTA MARIA TEAM SPIRIT SCORES* DRAG'N THRUST
15.14
THE CHAD LARSON EXPERIENCE
15.00
THE ADMINISTRATORS
15.00
SLOW WHITE
14.29
SEATTLE MIXED
14.00
BUCKET
14.00
MISCHIEF
13.71
POLAR BEARS
13.17
SANTA MARIA
12.25
BLACKBIRD
12.14
WILD CARD
12.14
D’OH! ABIDES
12.14
AMP
12.00
COSA NOSTRA
11.14
7 FIGURES
10.83
AMERICAN BBQ
10.50
*WFDF Spirit Rankings were used for the 2014 National Championships. More information can be found at www.wfdf.org.
INDIVIDUAL SPIRIT AWARD WINNERS
That’s one version of the events that led to Santa Maria celebrating a seventh-place finish at Nationals and taking group photos with a gorilla mask, but they probably have their own. Every team defines itself, but rarely do they so staunchly refuse to fit expectations the way Santa Maria does. So what will Pro Flight status and the 2015 season have in store for Columbus? It’s anybody’s guess, but it’s probably safe to say they’ll do it their own way, never taking things too seriously and knowing no one outside their own teammates can decide where the wind will take Santa Maria next.
7 FIGURES
ALISHA STOUN
THE ADMINISTRATORS
CARMEN ELLIS
AMERICAN BBQ AMP BLACKBIRD
DAVID HOEL TIM BRADY
THE CHAD LARSON EXPERIENCE
MAGON LIU
COSA NOSTRA
PAUL HANNA
D’OH ABIDES!
KIMBERLY MORGAN
DRAG’N THRUST
BRIAN SCHOENROCK
POLAR BEARS SANTA MARIA SEATTLE MIXED SLOW WHITE WILD CARD
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N/A MELANIE BERLIN
BUCKET
MISCHIEF
WINTER 2014
9T. AMP 9T. SLOW WHITE 11. POLAR BEARS 12. 7 FIGURES 13. AMERICAN BBQ 14. THE ADMINISTRATORS 15. COSA NOSTRA 16. D’OH! ABIDES
ANDREW BERRY TOM WATSON KEVIN KULA JOEL BARKER GEOA GEER EVA PETZINGER
Maggie Ruden lays out for the disc to maintain possession for Fury in the National Championship finals. Photo: Daniel Thai/Ultiphotos
THE ESSENCE OFSHOWDOWN By: Leah Brown exas Showdown has continually shown that they know how to bring the heat when it really counts, most recently in Frisco, Texas. Coming into the 2014 National Championships, the Texans were seeded 10th and placed in a pool with Fury, who would eventually play for this year’s title. Despite a difficult showing during pool play – the team finished the day with only one W – Showdown managed to hold on to their initial seeding and put themselves in a good position for the rest of the weekend. For the remainder of the weekend, Showdown lived up to their name and provided some of the most exciting games of the tournament. During the first day of bracket play, Showdown got off to a quick start against Heist, completing a 15-10 win. In the quarterfinals, the Texas team gave overall one seed Boston Brute Squad a huge rattle and nearly came away with an upset.
It was clear from the beginning of the match that Showdown wasn’t going to fall to Brute without a fight. Their determination and apparent team chemistry led them to an early lead that they managed to hold until the final points of the game. Brute Squad barely squeaked by, forcing their way to a 16-14 win that knocked Showdown out of the championship bracket. Their loss to the Bostonians set up Showdown for what turned into a trouncing of Denver Molly Brown that solidified their Pro Flight status for next season and gave them the chance to play for fifth place. Though they couldn’t end their weekend with a win, using the same drive and chemistry that brought them within a point of the semifinal round, the Texans finished their run at Nationals in sixth place – four places higher than their original seeding. This isn’t the first time Showdown has put on a great showing for the most important tournament of the year.
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WOMEN’S | NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS | 2014
Octavia “Opi” Payne’s layout D for Scandal in the finals was one of the weekend’s most talked-about plays. Photo: Pete Guion/Ultiphotos
a team that structures itself around our top performing players,” she said. “We make it a point to take a deep roster with players that excel in many different ways, which makes our team very dynamic. “So losing players, while it does leave a gap initially, is not a huge dilemma because we have new players that can fill those holes and contribute their own style of play and dynamism to the team.”
They have exceeded expectations at Nationals for years according to team members. But to the women of Showdown, that outcome is no more surprising than it is unexpected. Showdown player Jess Huynh said those outcomes are just normal for the team. “It (successful execution and winning games) always seems to come together at Nationals and not any time sooner,” she said. “It has happened every single season for me...We bring it when our backs are against the wall.” But to say that Showdown operates as a conventional club team would be misleading. As a team that somewhat regularly experiences large turnover rates and has fewer full-team events, practices and bonding experiences – not to mention some brutally hot playing conditions – it seems it would be difficult to continually make a strong showing against teams that don’t experience the same setbacks. Huynh, who has been on Showdown’s roster for the past four seasons, said historically Showdown has done
WINTER 2014
well in player retention. But after last season, they lost about a third of their most experienced members. Among those that left the team, either after the 2013 National Championships or after Worlds this summer, were Cara Crouch, Sarah Blyth, Holly Greunke, Shelby Kuni, Sheila Ogden, Frances Tsukano, Rachel Massey, Anna Schott, Enessa Janes, Hannah Giles, Austine Lin and Lisa Etchinson. Huynh described the high turnover rate as out of the ordinary. “Typically, we don’t have to relearn playing styles or habits, and we build on chemistry we established the year before that,” she said. “But this year was a whole ‘notha animal. We had to redefine our playing style, be patient and be open to playing different roles.” Shereen Rabie, a leader on the 2014 incarnation of Showdown, said their most recent style of play focused on a flexible offense and defense that could be tailored on the fly but utilized the multiple strengths of each team member. “Showdown is not
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So how does that deep team play together? They keep complicated strategy to a minimum but practice anything that seems like it might pay off in the long run. According to Rabie, “If we find some new play or defense that’s exciting to us, we practice it and hone it, even if it’s unsuccessful at times. We talk with each other all the time and give our teammates constant feedback. We listen to our teammates’ concerns constantly and are always making adjustments.” Huynh agreed. “I would describe our style as fast-paced, constantly changing and strategically flexible,” she said. “We have alternative plans at all times. We also make our money on being extremely athletic. Our main goal is to always move the ball whether or not we use long or short throws.” Although the strategies are easy to learn, the time in which to learn them is at a premium for Showdown. Each year, Showdown fields a roster that reflects the entire state of Texas. Longtime team member Katey Forth knows that each club team covers a large area but feels Texas poses a particular problem. “You can drive all day and not
get out of Texas,” she said. So driving to practices takes large chunks of time, and flying – even in state – is expensive. Both are huge commodities and require a great amount of commitment from every player. Not only are team members geographically far from each other, the team is far from other club teams and tournaments. Opportunities to test their own progress and craft strategies to combat the most effective parts of other teams’ games don’t come on a regular basis. Because the level of commitment that requires players to throw money and time at a cause with no real gauge of its progress can be hard to come by, and precious little time is spent together, success can be slow going. “We preach patience, which is often a tough pill to swallow and can be a bit discouraging at times,” Rabie said. “But that’s what Showdown is. We take our time in implementing our strategies.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Annie Ortiz looks upfield to Kayla Ramirez during pool play against Fury. Photo: Tino Tran Photography; Janel Venzant watches the disc into her hands during the pre-quarterfinal round in Frisco. Photo: Alex Fraser/Ultiphotos; Bex Forth celebrates a Showdown goal against Madison Heist during the pre-quarterfinals. Photo: Alex Fraser/Ultiphotos; Mariel Hammond was one of several out-of-state players who committed to Showdown in 2014. Photo: Christina Schmidt/Ultiphotos
“It was especially hard this year because we brought in a lot of players from outside of the program that weren’t used to the gradual improvement that Showdown experiences over the season. So when we had big losses or frustrating games, we had to keep encouraging each other and telling each other that we were going to get there.” But that difficulty, although it seems at first like Showdown’s biggest disadvantage, could actually be the source of their greatest strength. “Everyone is heavily invested,” Forth said, “whether it’s from the distance traveled, financial outlay [or] having to nurture the talent because there are few alternatives.” Because of their investment level, Showdown members play to their highest potential at all times. “We make the most of it, and everyone
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WOMEN’S | NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS | 2014
does their part,” Forth added. “We have no other choice but to work hard in Texas, and that hard work is what pays off come Nationals. There’s no other shortcut.” Rabie agreed. “Our coach introduced a word to us this year: Relentless,” she said. “We try to be relentless in our improvement, relentless in our commitment to our teammates and relentless in our style of play.” It seems that no matter the odds, Showdown has found a way to foster mentally-strong players that put forth the effort needed to perform above expectations year after year. The Texans prove that quality, not quantity, of time spent is what determines your fate in ultimate – and that a team’s attitude, often more than anything else, effects how they will fair throughout the season. There are plenty of things to say about Showdown, but Forth and Rabie sum up their team better than anyone. “We are geographically far from other elite teams, and it takes a lot of money and time to travel,” Forth said. “But we do it. We even have to travel long distances to be together. But we do it. It is hot in Texas. And hot for a long time. Our practices are a master class in heat survival skills and perseverance. But we do it. We have high turnover because it’s hard. We start each season with the next round of fast, athletic Texas women, and it’s exciting. “That is the essence of Showdown.” Rabie adds, “As for how we keep players coming back – well, we’re really fun! SHOWLOVE!”
WOMEN’S RESULTS 1. SCANDAL 2. FURY 3T. BRUTE SQUAD 3T. RIOT 5. OZONE 6. SHOWDOWN 7T. TRAFFIC 7T. NIGHTLOCK
9T. MOLLY BROWN 9T. SCHWA 11. HEIST 12. UNDERGROUND 13. NEMESIS 14. CAPITALS 15. GREEN MEANS GO 16. TABBY ROSA
TEAM SPIRIT SCORES* TABBY ROSA
15.29
HEIST
14.71
RIOT
14.17
SCHWA
14.07
MOLLY BROWN
13.71
NIGHTLOCK
13.71
GREEN MEANS GO
13.43
FURY
13.43
BRUTE SQUAD
13.40
CAPITALS
13.17
SCANDAL
12.71
UNDERGROUND
12.71
TRAFFIC
12.14
NEMESIS
11.71
SHOWDOWN
11.17
OZONE
10.86
*WFDF Spirit Rankings were used for the 2014 National Championships. More information can be found at www.wfdf.org.
INDIVIDUAL SPIRIT AWARD WINNERS BRUTE SQUAD
LEILA TUNNELL
CAPITALS
SARAH BOBAK
FURY GREEN MEANS GO HEIST MOLLY BROWN NEMESIS NIGHTLOCK
Maggie Ruden lays out for the disc to maintain possession for Fury in the National Championship finals. Photo: Daniel Thai/Ultiphotos
KERI DORKO LAUREL SCHMIDT LAUREN BOYLE KATIE DOLARA OLSEN ABBY VANMUIJEN
OZONE
HALEY REESE
RIOT
KATE KINGERY
SCANDAL
ALLISON MADDUX
SCHWA
AMANDA KOSTIC
SHOWDOWN
TINA WOODINGS
TABBY ROSA TRAFFIC UNDERGROUND
WINTER 2014
MAGGIE RUDEN
MEGAN REEVES TERRI WHITEHEAD NIKKI BRUCE
Pufahl Spotlight:
Leila Tunnell By: Leah Brown Leila Tunnell has made an impression. Tunnell continually serves for the betterment of ultimate and embodies the Spirit of the Game (SOTG) at the highest level of competition and is this year’s Kathy Pufahl Spirit Award winner. She became the 11th winner of the prestigious award at the National Championships this October.
Boston Brute Squad’s Leila Tunnell was named the 2014 recipient of the Kathy Pufahl Spirit Award. Photo: Jolie Lang/Ulitphotos
and works the most physically demanding job that I have ever witnessed,” Spitz said. “I would literally pick her up for our drive to practice, and she would come running to the car from the fields in her work boots, grab her stuff, and off we were.”
Anyone who has played with her, against her or even coached her has good things to say about the way she exemplifies the pillars of the award.
Not only did Tunnell show up at practice after her long days at work, she showed the type of mental focus and intensity needed to anchor an offensive line, according to Spitz.
Lindsey Hack, one of Tunnell’s major influences and her former coach at the University of North Carolina, said, “I knew she was going to be a perfect fit for [UNC] – not only the way she conducted herself on the field, but off the field as well.
All the qualities and characteristics Tunnell’s teammates describe earned her the Pufahl Award, but Tunnell feels there is still more she can contribute to the sport.
“She never ever let anything happen that would jeopardize the joy of the game. She’s just an incredible diplomat.”
“I have gotten so much out of being involved in ultimate and the ultimate community over the course of my career,” Tunnell said. “I certainly hope to continue to give back to this sport.
But SOTG isn’t the only thing needed to deserve the Pufahl award; service to the sport is also important. According to Hack, who also previously co-captained North Carolina’s elite women’s team Phoenix with this year’s Pufahl winner, Tunnell has selflessly given back to the sport for a number of years. Her contributions are too many to list, but among them is coaching multiple youth teams and learning clinics.
“Who knows how long I’ll keep trying to play at a high level, but I fully intend to start investing even more time into coaching and supporting women’s ultimate. Youth and women’s development seem like the most important ways I can contribute to the sport at this point, and I certainly hope I can continue to set a good example for how to be a respectful and spirited competitor.”
“She has provided so much service to the community,” Hack said. “It’s never a question of if she has time. It wasn’t whether or not she had the time or the finances to coach league, it was when she was going to leave and what credit card she was going to pay with.
While she feels she can continue to contribute, that doesn’t negate the importance of winning the Pufahl Award now. “I think it speaks volumes about the sport that the only individual awards given at the highest level of competition are primarily in recognition of personal responsibility and integrity, rather than skill and athleticism alone,” said Tunnell. “In this way, the Pufahl Award feels very important and unique in a way that many other awards that recognize individual achievement are not.”
“Her time is not a sacrifice, she just wants to pay it forward.” Tunnell’s Brute Squad captain and teammate Blake Gehrig Spitz has experienced her commitment to the sport first-hand as well. Like Tunnell, Spitz lives in Amherst, Mass., and spent the season making the weekly four-hour round trip drive to practice in Boston with her. “She is a farmer
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U S A U LT I M AT E
T E M E
P L AY E R
P R O F I L E
TERR ENCE MITCH ELL
Terrence Mitchell helped lead Triangle Triforce to their first U-19 boys’ championship at the 2014 Youth Club Championships. Photo: CBMT Creative
BY: JONATHAN NEELEY
IT WAS A BIG YEAR
for Terrence Mitchell: a silver medal at the World Junior Ultimate Championships followed by a gold medal at the Youth Club Championships a couple weeks later and finished up with a semifinals berth in his first-ever National Championships appearance. And this is just the beginning for him. 27
U S A U LT I M AT E
HE’S WITHOUT QUESTION
ONE OF THE MOST COMPETITIVE PEOPLE I KNOW. “Ummm.” Terrence Mitchell pauses. “Nice catch.” He laughs a bit before he comments on the play, but when he actually speaks, it sounds like he’s shrugging and tipping his cap to Darren Wu. After all, the Canadian player skied him to win Junior Worlds in Italy this past summer. “He made a nice play. I bit harder on the under than I should have, and he just took me deep. And I was supposed to be playing behind him too. He made a nice catch.” There’s reverence in his voice, like he’s okay giving credit where it’s due. But after another moment to think, you realize that initial brush off was quick for a reason. The play is still with him. “Yeah, he got one. I’d say he got one.” It sounds like Mitchell is kicking his feet up on a desk, simultaneously reconciling his past and reminiscing on the good old days. “It wouldn’t happen twice, though.” You know that kid you and your friends used to talk about when youth ultimate was something you heard other cities had but you hadn’t seen much of yourself? He was more of a concept than a specific person, embodying the terror that would take to the line once serious athletic ability – speed, hops, power – started learning about ho stacks and field spacing before they hit puberty. If you and your buddies could get decent after starting in college, how good were youngsters going to get if they started in middle school?
WINTER 2014
Quite good. As in, not just skying-you-at-summer-league good. We’re talking logging-minutes-in-the-semis-of-ClubNationals good. Terrence Mitchell good. Mitchell first started playing when a neighbor invited him and some friends to throw in the street when he was 13. He progressed from everyday pickup games to league play to the Youth Club Championships and a spot on Cash Crop, a perennial Sunday-at-Regionals team out of North Carolina. He made the U.S. Junior National Team last spring, and after that, he made Ring of Fire, who in October came one point from beating Ironside for a spot in the national final. Mitchell speaks with clarity about setting his sights on Ring after attending one of the team’s youth clinics in his early playing days. “I was like, ‘Man, I wanna be on the team with those guys.’ They were good. They were completing all their throws, throwing full field, and this was before I knew how to throw flicks. So it was a big goal for me.” Mitchell’s path may seem remarkable to you or me, but when you talk to him, you don’t get the sense that he’s weighing a whole lot of variables. He just picks a route and takes it. He speaks in a matter-of-fact, past tense way about his “adjustment to club,” and when it comes to holes in his game, he keeps the conversation short. His biggest issue at the Nationals level, says Ring coach Mike DeNardis, wasn’t wilting under pressure but rather that at the beginning of the season, he wasn’t afraid to throw what had worked in high school. I ask Mitchell if anything really gets to him. “Nervous? Not really. I’d say I just go into it with the mindset that either I’m prepared or I’m not. I don’t get too nervous about anything. I already have decisions about 28
LEFT: Mitchell marks up on his Austrian opponent during pool play at the 2014 World Junior Ultimate Championships. Photo: Brandon Wu/Ultiphotos; RIGHT: Mitchell runs through the disc during pool play at the World Junior Ultimate Championships in Lecco, Italy. Photo: Kevin Leclaire/Ultiphotos
GoogleDoc to track team workouts this season, Mitchell’s continued failure to fill it out got to the point that DeNardis threatened sprints at practice. “I did the workouts,” Mitchell says. “I don’t have an excuse for why I didn’t fill it out. I guess I was just being lazy.”
what I’m gonna do in my head, so I just do it. And how it turns out is how it turns out.” “He’s without question one of the most competitive people I know,” says Jonathan Nethercutt, a Ring teammate. “He’s subtle about it, but when you listen for that, it’s very apparent.”
But the same teammates who agree Mitchell could be tighter on his man say he’s got one of the fastest first steps on the team and that they remember just how young he is – and how much room he has to grow – when he’s running them ragged on the field. Many praise his ability to get open when the team goes into its end-zone offense, and DeNardis, who moved Mitchell onto the offensive line midway through the season, says his trust in Mitchell grew as Ring went deeper into Nationals. Given that at least one of Ring’s starting cutters has moved away from North Carolina and another may be eyeing retirement soon, Mitchell’s in a pretty good place going forward.
What keeps Mitchell from coming off as cocky is his carefree and laid-back vibe. His speech has a bubbliness to it; he enunciates all his words but still maintains a smooth, Southern flow. He stresses syllables on a different beat than most. The dude just seems relaxed. “I’m a pretty cool guy, man,” he laughs. At once an intense athlete and, as DeNardis describes him, “a cool customer,” Mitchell embodies a phrase you’ll remember from history class: Walk softly and carry a big stick. Nethercutt, who got to know Mitchell even better while coaching the Triangle Area’s YCC team this summer, sums Mitchell up well. “Him being carefree isn’t the same as him not caring, if that makes sense.”
To hear him tell it, this year’s Ring campaign was just another season of ultimate. It was real fun, in the same understated way that Italy was awesome; all just another stride to take.
And it does. It’s how you are when you’re young. Mitchell’s tone is still brash, like he’s in his own world, but his quick recall of Wu’s name or his naming of the Pittsburgh players who performed well at the U-23 National Team tryouts he recently attended tell you he’s paying attention.
“I wouldn’t say I’m a lazy guy, but I like playing offense, so I didn’t mind that part,” he says of the shift. “It was definitely fun playing with Ring. I learned new forces, new marks, new ways of playing, really. New ways to get open, new throws, a whole new experience. I definitely did step my game up, especially when I went to offense. A lot of D guys were workhorses, so I had to run hard and cut hard and do everything at a certain speed, or I just won’t get open. It was def fun, improving my game as the season went on. It was fun doing that.”
He’s certainly got growing up to do. Defense, for example, isn’t his strong suit – he himself points out that Wu beat Terrence Mitchell and his U-19 National Team teammates create a tunnel for him deep because he was the U.S. and Colombian girls’ teams improperly positioned – and after their semifinal match up in Lecco. Photo: Kevin Leclaire/Ultiphotos when Ring started keeping a
QUITE GOOD. AS IN, NOT JUST SKYING-YOU-ATSUMMER-LEAGUE GOOD. WE’RE TALKING LOGGINGMINUTES-IN-THE-SEMIS-OF-CLUB-NATIONALS GOOD. TERRENCE MITCHELL GOOD. 29
U S A U LT I M AT E
Pressed for more, he cedes that he could step up his defensive game. “In high school, I wouldn’t have to play as hard on in cuts because I was faster. But in club, even a little space is like giving up a free pass.” Mitchell was in elementary school the last time he recalls getting a haircut. He started getting braids after that, and sometime during his sophomore or junior year, he started the dreadlocks that now fall well past his shoulders.
“IN HIGH SCHOOL, I WOULDN’T HAVE TO PLAY AS HARD ON IN CUTS BECAUSE I WAS FASTER. BUT IN CLUB, EVEN A LITTLE SPACE IS LIKE GIVING UP A FREE PASS.” “I’m tender-headed,” he says. “It hurt when I got the braids, and this is better than getting my hair done once a week. I like the dreads. I probably won’t cut ‘em. I’ll keep ‘em around.” That a kid who has no problem laying out at shoulder height or breaking his body down in a spring workout wears such a confidence-demanding hairstyle,
Mitchell goes up between two Swiss defenders and comes down with the disc during pool play in Lecco. Photo: Brandon Wu/Ultiphotos
“ I’M TENDERHEADED.” not because it’s stylish but because he doesn’t want to deal with getting his scalp pulled on, tells you that Mitchell knows what matters to him and what doesn’t. Thing is, he’s only just beginning. While he might have played on stages many players twice his age retire still having only dreamed of, Mitchell is only 19, and who of us was a complete person at that age? The last time we talk on the phone, Mitchell is a day away from Thanksgiving break at North Carolina Central, waiting to head home to his grandma’s house in Durham for the holiday. When the spring season comes up, he’s full of his usual blissful ignorance of anything that could get in his way. He hopes to play the season with Duke or North Carolina, since his school doesn’t have much of a team. He can’t, I tell him, and he laughs, like he’s accepted that reality but isn’t exactly affected by it. I’ve come to recognize his half-chuckle, where he brushes it off and stays hopeful, like nothing’s actually going to stop him. “I’ve been thinking about appealing it or something.”
Despite being a young Ring of Fire rookie, Terrence Mitchell earned quality playing time in his first trip to the National Championships. Photo: William Brotman/Ultiphotos
WINTER 2014
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The highest level of competitive ultimate in North America will return. check it out. Everyone is invited. usaultimate.org/triplecrowntour
2014
COORDINATORS OF THE YEAR
YOUTH DIVISION Girls’ State Youth Coordinator Patrice Kurnath, Utah
Men’s D-I Conference Coordinator Jacob Nuxoll, Atlantic Coast
Patrice Kurnath is my nomination for State Youth Coordinator of the Year. She was communicative and adaptable, working tirelessly to put on a great state championship event in Utah. Her emailed recap sent immediately after the event had all spirit award information and an awesome photo of all players at states! Her energy goes beyond an event and has been crucial to the growing girls’ scene in Utah; we’re so lucky to have her as one of our pilot GSYCs! - Heather Ann Brauer, West Regional Youth Director
Not only did Jacob ensure his Conference Championship events went well, but his communication with teams throughout the regular season, rostering process and into the Championship Series remained consistent. Jacob’s ability to provide quality guidance to players, captains and even parents on occasion, show just how dedicated he is to those he serves in the D-I Atlantic Coast Conferences.
State Youth Coordinator Michelle Walters, Texas Michelle consistently went above and beyond as a coordinator to make sure the teams were well educated on the new rostering and scheduling systems. As teams had to be removed from the state tournament a day before the event, Michelle ensured that the new schedule stayed as convenient as possible for teams traveling from out of town while maintaining fairness during the competition. She did this by communicating regularly and often with all of the teams’ coaches and organizers. - Jinny Eun, South Regional Youth Director
COLLEGE DIVISION Men’s Regional Director John Rhodes Martin, Southeast John’s preparedness came through this season, most of all during Regionals when the Southeast encountered significant weather issues. His willingness to work closely with the teams, in addition to the seamless working relationships he has with the other coordinators in the region, have combined to make his leadership worthy of recognition. Thanks to John for a great 2014, and we look forward to more of the same in the upcoming season!
Honorable Mention: Andrew Francis, Southeast
Men’s D-III Conference Coordinator Justin Aragosa, Metro East Justin not only did an incredible job organizing D-III competition in the Metro East Region, but also stepped into the Metro East Regional Director role late in the season. He was key in ensuring the Metro East continued to run smoothly, despite several challenges. Not only did Justin prove successful in his coordinator role, he was similarly successful in the Regional Director role. The D-III Metro East Conferences are lucky to have him once again leading them in 2015! Honorable Mention: Charlie Hoppes, Ohio Valley
Women’s Regional Director Erika Wagner, Great Lakes Erika’s commitment to her home region has been integral to the success of the college series in the Great Lakes over the last four years. She was always available to her coordinators and teams and successfully collaborated with the Great Lakes Men’s Regional Director to cohost regionals. We thank Erika for her contributions to the region! Honorable Mention: Zara Cadoux, Atlantic Coast
Honorable Mention: Dave Branick, Atlantic Coast
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Women’s D-I Conference Coordinator Abbey Geib, Ohio Valley
thoughtful responsibility and excellent judgment, and he put in many extra volunteer hours on short notice during a hectic time to make things work as smoothly as possible. Thank you Sully! -Dave Klink, National Mixed Director
Abbey was a huge lifesaver for the Ohio Valley. She successfully stepped into the role at the busiest time of the year and ensured the teams met deadlines and tournaments ran smoothly. Her positive attitude, attention to detail and availability to her teams are just a few of the many qualities she brought to this position, and we are happy to have her on board for 2015. Congratulations!
Mixed Sectional Coordinator Erin Peden, Rocky Mountain Erin Peden from Rocky Mountain did a fantastic job in coordinating everything with little assistance, getting my approval when needed and letting me rest easy knowing that the section was taken care of. For the past few years, I think Erin has gone unrecognized because he is so quiet behind the scenes and does such a great job on his role! He needs to know he is greatly appreciated and that he is doing a fantastic job! I couldn’t be successful without him and how reliable he continues to be. -Bryan McCallum, South Central Regional Coordinator
Honorable Mention: Katie Fox, Southeast
Women’s D-III Conference Coordinator Dimitry Briskin, Atlantic Coast The amount of preparation and organization Dimitry has exhibited in his position, along with his open and frequent communication with the teams he works with have led to marked success and growth in Division III women’s teams in the Atlantic Coast Region. We’re excited to have him back for 2015 and look forward to the continued success he will bring!
Women’s Regional Coordinator Charlie Mercer, Northwest Charlie was in her first year as an RC, and she crushed it! Between balancing a huge region with four Nationals qualifying teams, running ECC (to near perfection by the way, especially given the last-minute relocation of the tournament up to Seattle), and playing lights-out ultimate with World Champion Riot, Charlie was responsive, helpful, friendly and patient. Oh, and she teaches during the day. Talk about an all-star.
Honorable Mention: Jess Waugam, Metro East
CLUB DIVISION Men’s Regional Coordinator Alton Gaines, Southeast
On behalf of USA Ultimate, I’d like to thank Charlie for her dedication to the sport and for the passion and spirit with which she represents the women’s division. -Remy Schor, National Women’s Director
“Done.” That’s Alton - if it needs to be done, it likely already has been done. With a year under his belt, Alton knew how to get stuff done and just did it, often before it needed to be done. On top of this, he demonstrated strong, well-timed communication and strong support for his region. Great job, Alton. - Adam Goff, National Men’s Director
Women’s Sectional Coordinator Jeannine Opie, Metro New York Jeannine Opie of Metro New York was fantastic. She was very communicative, had a great handle on the guideline specifics and managed to pull in a few new teams seemingly out of thin air. -Jes Heil, Northeast Women’s Regional Coordinator
Men’s Sectional Coordinator Jia Xie, SoCal Jia is awesome, perfect level of communication with me, giving me what I needed to know and nothing more. He has built a great community within the SoCal men’s teams. -Meredith Tosta, Southwest Men’s Regional Coordinator
MASTERS DIVISION Masters Regional Coordinator Brian Gane, Southeast
Mixed Regional Coordinator Steve Sullivan, Northeast
While all the coordinators did a wonderful job this year dealing with the change in regional boundaries, special commendations go to Brian Gane for his job in the Southeast. His well-organized qualifying event was able to draw a diverse group of squads from all across the region, where a great number qualified for Nationals and performed past expectations. -Kyle Christoph, National Masters Director
Steve ‘Sully’ Sullivan works very hard to ensure that the teams in his region have a great regionals experience. He is a wonderful communicator, and he goes above and beyond to solicit input and engage extensively with teams regarding round times, format, seeding and more. I always rest assured that he’s on top of things. This year, some field space issues and last-minute surprises made his job especially difficult, but he handled it with his usual 33
U S A U LT I M AT E
ADVANCED SPEED, STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING TRAINING TIPS
ABOVE THE COMPETITION
Training for Ultimate: A Holistic Approach
BY
TIM MORRILL, M.A. CSCS, CFSC OWNER AT MP ALEX JACOSKI, CFSC, COACH & ATHLETE AT MP GRAPHICS BY: TIM VOTHANG
Looking back over the past few years of Above the Competition, we have covered a lot! We started the column in 2010 by introducing barbell movements for strength and power. After a short break, we came back in 2013 to go in-depth about linear speed and IFP – OFP agility progressions. This year, we took on kettlebell training for strength and power. In the spring, we learned about the standard KB swing, summer the KB snatch progression, and this fall we discussed the KB goblet squat progression. In our final column of 2014, we will zoom out, look at training from a bird’s eye view and connect many of these concepts. This will give you a universal understanding of training and empower you to recognize what pieces may be missing in your training.
Figure 1
As we have learned from the study of multiple sport disciplines, training for peak potential in any sport requires the long-term development of two distinct categories: Sport Skill Training (SST) and Functional Performance Training (FPT). On the one side, you have Sport Skill Training (SST) where you systematically develop tactical sportspecific skills such as throwing, catching, offense and defense. Some resources on SST are “Rise Up” online video tutorials and the book “Essential Ultimate” by Michael Baccarini and Tiina Booth. WINTER 2014
The other, and equally important side of the spectrum, is Functional Performance Training (FPT): improving human performance by developing efficient fundamental movement patterns and adding strength, power and conditioning on top of those patterns. FPT not only improves performance but also decreases the risk of injury. Many of the most common sport injuries such those to ACLs and hamstrings can be drastically reduced with the addition of Functional Performance Training.
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Sport Skill Training should be prioritized during the pre-season, in-season and peak. Functional Performance Training should be prioritized in the off-season and continually used throughout the preseason, in-season and peak. As you consistently work to master both of these areas, SST and FPT, you are on the path toward reaching your potential as an ultimate athlete. Let’s take a closer look at what we specialize in at Morrill Performance and Above the Competition, Functional Performance Training.
The Eight Pillars Approach to FPT At Morrill Performance, all of our workouts and programs are based on what we call the Eight Pillars of Functional Performance Training. Each pillar is equally important in designing programs aimed to creating a holistic ultimate athlete: supple, flexible, mobile, fast, strong and powerful with great endurance capacity and a high resistance to injury.
Figure 2
1. Self-Myofascial Release: Self-massage, decreasing tissue density with tools such as foam rollers and lacrosse balls.
The winter, for most players, represents the offseason. The off-season is the time to take a step away from SST and focus on FPT. Take a look at the pie chart. Do you currently have a practice and a plan to improve in each of these eight categories? A mistake many ultimate players make is to only seek improvement in a few of the categories. Optimizing your progress in FPT requires consistent improvement in each of the eight pillars.
2. Static Stretching: Increasing tissue range of motion to get your body get into better positions. 3. Mobility: Joint mobility drills, muscle activation and corrective exercises to be used pre-workout. 4. Active Warm Up: Cone-to-cone sequences designed to improve the common movements you will see on the field and get you primed for your workout or game. 5. Speed: Improving sagittal plane speed mechanics, acceleration and top-end speed. 6. Agility: Mastering fundamental lateral movement and change of direction patterns via the IFP and OFP agility model.
To celebrate another great year at Above the Competition, we would like to offer you a special readers-only discount on our brand new Morrill Performance Functional Performance Training video resource system.
7. Strength and Power: Developing the ability to generate force (strength) and then expressing that force quickly (power).
Visit www.morrillperformance.com/fpt and enter the discount code “abovethecompetition” for 10 percent off all packages. Cheers to a great off-season for all readers!
8. Conditioning: Enhancing the capacity to do high amounts of work and decreasing the time it takes to recover. 35
U S A U LT I M AT E
ATHLETE-SPECIFIC NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION TO HELP YOU PERFORM YOUR BEST
NUTRITION MATTERS
Ultimate Meal Planning Guidelines Before, During and After Competition
BY
KATY HARRIS MSPH, CSCS, Owner, WellLife Consulting, LLC
With Nationals behind us, those of us lucky enough to have made it are reflecting on what we did well and could do to perform better next year. Those of us who didn’t make it this time are probably already training for another chance to prove ourselves next season. Either way, starting now to improve your nutrition and eating habits will give you an edge on the competition. If you know you are doing everything you can to make your body strong and perform well, then you will likely be strong and perform well. The most common form of competition in ultimate is the two-day tournament. Recent changes in the Nationals format in favor of fewer games each day alters recommendations slightly, but regardless, most teams earn their bids to Nationals over several grueling, two-day tournaments. Following the guidelines below (see Table 1 for a summary) will help put you in the best possible position to feel good through Saturday but, most importantly, to be ready to perform well on Sunday and earn your bid or to get to that next level.
Week Prior to Competition Ultimate competitions are highly demanding on the central nervous, muscular and cardiovascular systems. The most important factors going into competition are 1) how you have trained and fueled for recovery, 2) what you eat on a regular basis, and 3) your overall health. Consuming calories within 30 minutes to two hours of completing workouts replenishes muscles fully, and following normal, healthy eating patterns for athletes and consuming balanced meals every two to four hours is ideal. Your overall health will depend on stress, rest and hydration. WINTER 2014
GENERAL GUIDELINES: When preparing for competition, do not exercise heavily for the three to four days prior, but continue to ingest calories as if you’re still training to provide a full ‘tank’ for the liver and muscles going into competition. Meals can be consumed every two to four hours, as in recovery, rather than every three to six hours on normal days and should begin with breakfast within one hour of waking up. With the lack of strenuous exercise but continued caloric intake, the muscles and liver will both be at maximum capacity on game day. Eat healthy, complete protein sources (meat, fish, eggs, game, poultry), carbohydrates (fruits, veggies, bread, pasta) and good fats (nuts, olives and olive oils, high-fat dairy) with each meal, including approximately two handfuls of protein, two to six servings of carbohydrates, and one to three tablespoons of good fat. When it will be longer than three or four hours between meals, drink liquid calories with electrolytes and carbohydrate solutions (e.g., coconut water, juice) and/or snack on carbohydrates and small amounts of digestible protein before, during and immediately after workouts. Avoid excessive sugar, fatty foods and carbohydrates, as well as dyes and chemicals when possible, but also keep in mind that it is important to meet calorie needs to support training, stress and recovery (see Table 2 for quality sources of each nutrient group). Athletes at their goal weight are more likely to burn off toxins, hormones and foreign substances, but regularly ingesting and processing these substances can potentially lead to additional inflammation and free radical production, detracting from training goals and health. 36
Morning of Competition
During Competition
Eating a balanced meal the morning of competition is the most sustainable, healthy habit for ultimate athletes. Due to the particularly demanding nature of our sport, this habit will lead to optimal health and performance. If it is not possible to consume a normal, complete meal, follow the guidelines below regarding the type and timing of ingested calories.
During a full day of competition, performance will depend mostly on drinking enough fluids and eating enough carbohydrates to support activity. The total number of calories eaten on a tournament day may be similar to what you consume on a daily basis but will be from mostly fluids and carbohydrate sources.
GENERAL GUIDELINES: If possible, consume a complete meal with limited fat two to four hours prior to the start of warm-ups. If calories are consumed within two hours of the start of the warm-up, choose mainly carbohydrates (two to four handfuls) and protein (approximately one handful). If calories must be consumed within one hour of competition (better than none at all), choose mostly carbohydrates (one to two handfuls), so they will be digested and available as energy for the warm-up. Important: Do not consume a full meal within 30 minutes to two hours before a workout, as both insulin and exercise hormones are released that can lead to low blood sugar, with no carbohydrates in the bloodstream to fuel the exercise. If you have not eaten by 30 minutes before the warm-up, be prepared with liquid calories (e.g., watered-down Gatorade or vitamin water, powdered supplements – ideally without dyes – added to fluids, etc.) and carbohydrate-rich, sugarfree snacks as soon as warm-up is over. Eating more often throughout the day will be important in this situation, as liver glycogen stores will be used more quickly.
GENERAL GUIDELINES: Begin drinking carbohydrates and/or electrolyte solutions in fluids during warm-up and continue throughout games and breaks. Continue ingesting fluids, approximately eight to 16 ounces every 15-30 minutes during competition, depending on the heat and how much you sweat. One cup (eight ounces) is absorbed most quickly and is roughly 15 sips. During short breaks or between points, continue consuming sugar-free, carbohydrate-rich foods – about one handful per hour – and fluids with small amounts of carbohydrates as needed. Although it is important that drinks taste good, drinks like Powerade and Gatorade have too many carbohydrates for during competition and could lead to low blood sugar. You may need protein during the day, but give yourself at least 30 minutes to an hour to digest it (although it is absorbed quickly following intense competition!). Failing to ingest the required fluids and nutrients to fuel the activity could leave you feeling jittery, dizzy, irritable, less able to follow directions, more emotional and more likely to be injured. 37
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NUTRITION MATTERS cont. Table 1: Foods to Eat Before, During and After Competition Goal
Foods
Frequency
Examples
Week Before
Hydration; full liver and muscle stores
Variety of carbohydrates, protein and good fat
~3-6 meals per day spaced every ~3-4 hours
Breakfast: eggs, bacon, fruit, English muffin, jelly, juice, celery and carrots
2-4 Hours Before
Hydration; fuel first game
Variety of carbohydrates, protein and good fat
One meal only
Oatmeal, fruit, bagel and peanut or almond butter, egg(s), juice, Gatorade
30 Minutes – 2 Hours Before
Fuel for first 1-2 hours
Protein for ~1 hour, no fat
~1 handful of carbohydrates per hour until game, liquid calories
1 handful fruit, plain bagel, or eggs; juice, Gatorade
30 Minutes Before
Fuel for the first half of the first game
~1 handful of carbohydrates only, liquid calories
Continue solid foods, carbs, protein and liquid calories throughout the day
Fruit, juice, 1 egg if needed, Gatorade
During
Hydration, replace energy for next point, game
Carbohydrates, protein and liquid calories as tolerated
~1-2 handfuls carbohydrates per hour, liquid calories
Watered down Gatorade, coconut water, juice
After
Re-hydration, replace Balanced meals, liquid muscle and liver energy calories
Every 2-3 hours
Avoid dyes, preservatives when possible
After Competition After a hard day of ultimate (or any speed or power workout or practice), the first priority is replenishing the energy used in the muscles. The sooner calories are ingested after the last point played, the better your future performance and recovery will be.
is consumed, continue with full, balanced meals every two to three hours until muscle and liver glycogen stores are full. Continue drinking liquid calories and avoid alcohol to maintain a normal blood sugar response. Protein shakes can be good for recovery if you cannot eat solid food, but under normal circumstances, calorie needs may be met by continuing to drink caloric liquids and eating proper amounts of carbohydrates and/or meals within one to two hours of competition, if possible.
GENERAL GUIDELINES: Muscles are particularly absorbent for carbohydrates in the 30 minutes to two hours following exercise, so continue eating one to two handfuls of carbohydrates per hour, as well as some protein, if possible, until a full meal is available. After the muscle carbohydrates have been replaced, the energy in the liver must then be replaced. As soon as a meal
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Table 2: Quality of Foods by Nutrient Group High-Nutrient Sources
Adequate Sources
Low-Quality Sources
Avoid
Healthy Carbs
Lettuce and greens; zucchini, squash, onion; all other vegetables, excluding beans; berries
Starchy veggies (e.g., sweet potato, peas, carrots, green beans); fruit; full-fat yogurt; full-fat milk
White potatoes; corn
Avoid products with sugar in the first three ingredients
Additional Digestible Carbs
Whole grain bread; granola with nuts; hummus; Greek yogurt
Dense bread; bran cereal; corn processed as a grain; chickpeas; beans; lentils
Soy; hard and soft cheeses; 1% or lowfat dairy products; ice cream
Avoid products with sugar in the first three ingredients
Protein
Organic grass-fed beef, cage-free chicken, pork or game; organic, hormone-free, cagefree eggs;wild-caught fish, shellfish and seafood
Lean beef, chicken, pork, or game; cagefree eggs; organic dairy
Corn-fed beef; chicken raised with antibiotics, hormones, cages and an unnatural diet; conventionally raised eggs; legumes; nonorganic dairy
Fast food on a regular basis, due to hormones and low nutrient content
Good Fat
Coconut flakes or oil; olives, olive oil and dressings made with olive oil and balsamic; nuts and nut oils; avocado; clarified butter (ghee); organic heavy cream, cottage cheese, sour cream
Nut butters; butter; saturated animal fat from naturally raised sources; 2% fat dairy products
Vegetable or canola oils; conventional salad dressings; foods fried in coconut or more stable oils
Dressings with added sugar in first three ingredients; foods with partially hydrogenated oils; foods fried in vegetable or olive oil
Fluids
Coconut water 2-4 oz.; Gatorade with no dyes; seltzer water; coffee (1-3 cups/ day); caffeinated tea (unsweetened)
100% juice; ginger ale; lemonade or tea; formulated sports and energy drinks
Watered-down Gatorade; non-diet sodas; decaf tea and coffee; natural energy drinks
Juices with added sugar; diet sodas; energy drinks with additives
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U S A U LT I M AT E
COACHES’ PLAYBOOK
x x
INSIGHT AND TIPS FROM COACHES, FOR COACHES
A Coach’s Role
BY
CHRISTIE LAWRY Executive Director, Pittsburgh Ultimate
Every time I hear the phrase “Hey Coach…?” I smile, before I even know who is asking.
If I’m choosing, number two trumps all and could probably even stand alone. “Being a positive role model” should be the foundation for EVERY coach at every level for every sport. Though ensuring safety tends to come instinctually, especially at the youth level, sometimes there are other people within your program who can do that for you. Teaching the game is a typical go-to definition of a coach, but there are plenty of good coaches who don’t know that much about the game. Note that “being a good player” did not make the cut.
The first part of that smile is because I coach high school boys, and I assume that friendly-buthesitant voice belongs to a player who simply cannot remember my name. After I tell him it’s okay that he leaves early for band practice, however, the smile continues; he has given me a short moment to reflect on just how great it feels to be the coach of an awesome group of developing athletes. Even though the title of “Coach” is occasionally accompanied by something that feels like a 30-pound weight pulling on my neck or a bee sting sitting directly above my right eyebrow, hearing it said aloud lifts a few of those ounces from time to time.
Beyond number two, the rest of the list is a blank canvas. It’s up to you to figure out what your role as a coach should be and how you can more permanently lighten your load as a team leader.
Think you already know what kind of coach you are?
So what does the “coach” title mean, exactly? Well, nothing explicit. Everyone associates the word with something different – anything from flashbacks of an evil soccer coach from elementary school to memories of your dad teaching you how to do a lay-up in the driveway.
It can’t hurt to take a step back every now and then and re-evaluate. Remember, you have a completely different team each year. There are no rules saying you can’t change your role, even mid-season. While you need to be a confident leader, you need to remember that you’re not good at everything. Nobody is. So here’s your first question in finding your role on a team:
You’re reminded that you don’t just want to be a coach; you want to be a good coach. What are the most important responsibilities of a good coach? During coach training for high school coaches in Pittsburgh, we ask the group to brainstorm some answers to that question. After multiple sessions, the results remain pretty consistent and are generally prioritized in this order:
1) ensuring safety;
2) being a positive role model; and
3) teaching the game.
What are you good at? What are you bad at? Be honest. Are you actually good at strategy? Or do you really just like playing in a cup on zone D? Are you passionate about injury prevention, or have you just done a bunch of workouts that you liked? Do you think you’re good at writing emails, or are you truly a clear communicator? Go ahead, make a list of your skills. Don’t feel weird about it; be confident – you’re supposed to be good at some stuff. Now see what’s missing from your list, and figure out how to fill those holes with something better.
The list is short, and you’re probably already naming the items we forgot. WINTER 2014
Presented by:
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What resources are available?
Team. That doesn’t mean you can afford to make your pile any bigger. You can’t forget that it took a team of people to get you to those heights.
DON’T BE STUBBORN. This is important, and it can be difficult. It’s easy to think you have the most expertise in most categories. Heck, you’re the coach. You could be the best at calling subs and running warm-ups, but you might not be. Take a minute to think.
Even if you decide that you’re not going to be the one calling lines this season, it is your job to go through the steps above and make the big judgment calls. You’re responsible for being aware of yourself, your personnel and the resources around you and making the best-informed decisions to help your team reach its goals. Someone gave you the title; now it’s up to you to define it.
Who is around you? What are they good at? Go to your team captains. Not as good at strategy as you are? Okay, fine. Dig deeper. Is one of your players majoring in a related field and knows a lot about fitness? Sign her up to be your Workout Leader. Is one of your students a rules nerd? Make him your Rules Guru.
Christie Lawry is a current club player and is in her fifth year of coaching the Hampton High School boys’ ultimate team in Pittsburgh, Pa. Christie is the Executive Director of Pittsburgh Ultimate and has been running leagues and tournaments since 2006. She has also coached high school and youth club girls’ teams and captained for multiple years at both the college and club levels. Christie hopes to assist and inspire both new and veteran coaches to better themselves as leaders, competitors and mentors.
Think beyond your players. Is there an active parent who is really good at coordinating people or events? Put him in charge of running your next team fundraiser. An alumni who was always really good at website stuff? Give her a call. Do you have a local coordinating group? Check them out first. They may already have done some of the hard work for you. Always keep your eyes open. Maybe there is a club captain who has a great stat sheet already created or a college team with a whole season’s worth of film broken down. Did you see an opponent running a really great drill at your last tournament? Do you have a friend who is really good at dump defense?
The Nitty Gritty Delegating jobs to others can be tough. Even if you’re not good at designing jerseys, you might have fun stumbling through it. That’s okay. Pick a couple things you really enjoy and keep them for yourself. You’ve earned the right to have some personal growth from this experience. Be aware that some pieces of the job are naturally going to fall into your hands, especially if you’re coaching youth. You’re going to need parent permissions and background checks; you’re going to need to work with other adults. Respect that, even if those items aren’t as fun as running hucking drills. Realize that you should probably take advantage of who’s interested now, as they might not always be around. Even if you really like to update the team Twitter account, let that excited senior take it over for the season – that job could easily drop back into your lap next year. Maybe you could even learn a trick or two from him in the meantime.
All coaches are different, but good coaches teach the game while also ensuring safety and acting as positive role models for their players. Photo: CBMT Creative
When a new responsibility appears mid-season, don’t just add it to your own list. You may be feeling great after seeing one of your freshman high-fiving one of your seniors in the parking lot or a new kid finally stopping the around break throw. You might feel awesome when one of your kids makes the all-region squad or U.S. National
Something you want to see next time? Shoot us an email: letters_to_editor@usaultimate.org.
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U S A U LT I M AT E
LOCAL LEAGUE SPOTLIGHT
A LOOK AT LOCAL LEAGUES AROUND THE COUNTRY
ALBANY ULTIMATE DISC ASSOCIATION BY: NICK YETTO AND PETER AMOROSA
Ultimate has had an organized presence in Albany, N.Y., since the 1980s. In the early years, a tight-knit group of sub-culture athletes roved from field to field, calling games wherever space was available. They found a home in the 1990s at Collins Circle on the State University of New York (SUNY) Albany campus. Then to now, it has been the pivotpoint of ultimate in the region.
Most importantly, the board and subsequent leadership worked to provide a range of ultimate options to players, spreading the playing opportunities throughout the calendar year and encouraging involvement of new adult and youth players. The largest driver of success has been splitting summer league into two separate offerings: competitive league for the stronger, established ultimate players and social league, a home for new players and veterans seeking a more recreational ultimate experience. With a leaguewide focus on developing Spirit of the Game and providing strong teaching, the league has grown exponentially and now features 10 teams.
Locally known as “The Circle,” the SUNY Albany location became host to the rowdy and talented SUNY SCAM, the university’s men’s team, as well as USA Ultimate Sectional and Regional events. The Circle became the hub of ultimate. With space for multiple fields, both pickup and summer league games flourished at the campus. Local players seeking greater playing opportunities during both the summer and long winter months started to organize a yearly summer league at The Circle and, on occasion, put up their own funds to purchase indoor field time during the winter.
In 2014, Albany Ultimate took a huge step forward in operating a spring league, three summer leagues, two fall leagues and a winter league, as well as hosting a USA Ultimate Coaching Clinic, the New York State High School Championship, Grand Masters Regionals and a sanctioned tournament.
Strong leadership has proven instrumental to the growth of Albany Ultimate. Long-time players, including Del Robinson and Ercan Hocalar, took the reins during the early 2000s and moved the sport forward, growing the summer league and developing contacts amongst the business community.
Year to year growth is attributed to greater community contacts and presence. As our community has grown in the past several years, more players have stepped forward to express interest in coaching youth teams, organizing leagues and providing volunteer time and leadership.
With success came the familiar challenges of field space, jersey orders, accounting and legal liabilities. It was clear that more hands on deck were needed, and in 2008, the leadership of Albany Ultimate was changed to a committee structure with an elected board of directors. The first board smartly incorporated Albany Ultimate and quickly moved forward in seeking 501(c)(3) status. WINTER 2014
Great things lie ahead for our community, and we can look back to the early players at The Circle for guidance. They’re still out there on the same field 30 years later, playing with the growing community they hoped would flourish.
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CLEATS & CONES
HANDLER DEFENSE
ULTIMATE DRILLS AND SKILLS BY ULTICOACH Handler Defense
Effective handler defense is a great area to focus on for any team looking to improve their team defense as a whole. Typically, handlers touch the disc frequently during an average point, so any disruption to the game plan of the handlers can often lead directly to turnovers. It can also lead to turnovers indirectly, by forcing other players less confident with the disc to be more involved in the play.
Key Concepts for Handler Defense Whether you are covering a handler or marking someone attempting to throw to a handler, there are several keys that can be used to help you be successful both individually and as part of your team defense. Be smart! A handler defender has to have acute awareness of where the disc is and what the approximate stall count is. It is very difficult to take away all options for a handler, so choosing one thing to take away is often effective. If the handler you are defending likes to take the up-line cut, focus on taking that away and forcing them backwards. If you are covering a ‘stay at home’ handler who excels at the dump and swing, force them to cut up-field.
Focus For Each Development Level BEGINNER
INTERMEDIATE
ADVANCED
Focus on being aware of where the disc is and what the stall count is. This will help you anticipate when and where the handler you’re covering is going to cut. Work on your footwork! Maintain your balance, stay on your toes and try to stay within an arm’s reach of your check.
Develop an individual goal when covering handlers. Dictating where you want your check to go is a key element of handler defense at this level; use your body positioning and footwork to achieve this. Staying within arms’ reach at all times to actively take away an easy and uncontested pass should also be a main focus.
The handler defender and the marker can start to work in tandem to augment handler defense. Communicate with the marker during the stall count to adjust the mark based on the handler’s movements. This adds an extra element to handler defense that can greatly benefit team defense as a whole.
ABOUT THE BEGINNER DRILL
ABOUT THE INTERMEDIATE DRILL
ABOUT THE ADVANCED DRILL
As with any skill, learning the basics and practicing strong fundamentals will provide you with the tools to succeed. This simple drill simulates covering a handler. Work on being able to change direction quickly without sacrificing balance. Be aware of where you and your check are, and be sure to adjust your positioning appropriately to cover open space within the box.
Take away the up-line cut! This is the cut most handlers want as it often leads to easier hucks with your momentum going up-field. The defenders and cutters should understand the general pattern of the cut and work within those guidelines to best simulate defending a high-level handler cut.
In this drill, experiment with different positioning combinations that are numbered and correspond to the numbers on the field. Option 1: Force up-field with the mark and backfield on the cutter to really make the dump pass difficult. Option 2: Force the cutter up-field and away from the disc, while making an up-field pass difficult with the mark.
1
Defensive Box
3 - 10
Sideline Handler Defense 1 Field Direction
1 2-4
A
Sideline Handler Defense 2 Field Direction
1 2-4
A 2
1
2
B
20Yds
10 Yds USEFUL FOR: ● Guarding cutters, cutting METHOD: ● Cones are spaced 10 yards apart. ● Cutter starts on edge of box or in middle. Cutter has 10 seconds to get open, defender’s goal is to force turn. ● Thrower should focus on completing one good pass. DEFENSIVE PERFORMANCE TIPS: ● Keep balanced and on your toes at all times. ● Experiment with positioning on the cutter. Be aware of the cutters’ positioning in the box and adjust accordingly. CHALLENGE: ● Have 3 discs ready to throw & expand the time to 20 seconds. ● After each disc is caught or turned over, continue without stopping until the 20 seconds is over.
USEFUL FOR: ● Handler defense, handler cutting METHOD: ● Two options to receive the disc, thrower makes decision: A) Receive the disc up-line B) Cut back, beat your check for a wide swing pass ● 5 reps each then rotate. DEFENSIVE PERFORMANCE TIPS: ● Focus on denying the up-line pass, while also making the dump as difficult as possible. ● Watch the cutter’s hips, not his/her head, to help figure out when they will change direction.
B
1
20Yds USEFUL FOR: ● Handler defense, in-game adjustments METHOD: ● Two options to receive the disc, thrower makes decision: A) Receive the disc up-line B) Cut back, beat your check for a wide swing pass ● 5 reps each then rotate. DEFENSIVE PERFORMANCE TIPS: ● Make sure you communicate at all times where the defender/force will be. ● Although defensive positioning has changed, intensity and tight coverage should remain primary focus. CHALLENGE: Start cutting from different positions on the field and use different patterns to get open.
Images & Text © UltiCoach 2014. All Rights Reserved.
ulticoach.com
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U S A U LT I M AT E
INJURY PREVENTION TO KEEP YOU PLAYING, REHAB TO GET YOU BACK
INJURY TIMEOUT Shoulder Pain
BY
JUSTINE M. CROWLEY, DO
OUR SHOULDERS ARE PRETTY IMPORTANT TO US IN THIS SPORT OF THROWING AND CATCHING A PLASTIC DISC. AND THEY’RE PRETTY EASY TO INJURE. THE SHOULDER IS ONE OF THE MORE MOBILE JOINTS OF THE BODY WHICH ALLOWS US TO MAKE THOSE SPECTACULAR GRABS AND DS. IT IS ALSO FREQUENTLY INJURED. IN THIS INSTALLMENT OF INJURY TIMEOUT, I AM GOING TO DESCRIBE SOME OF THE INJURIES THAT CAN OCCUR ABOUT THE SHOULDER. SHOULDER SEPARATION
ROTATOR CUFF INJURY
A shoulder separation does not actually occur in the shoulder joint (glenohumeral or ball and socket joint). It occurs at the joint between the collar bone and the acromion (a part of the scapula or shoulder blade). Landing directly on the side of the shoulder is one of the ways this can happen. It is the result of a sprain or tearing of the ligaments holding the clavicle in place. Sometimes there is just a bit of swelling, and sometimes the clavicle pops up. If there is any deformity over the joint, it is best to have it evaluated by an orthopedic surgeon, but the majority can be treated without surgery.
The rotator cuff is the group of four muscles (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor and subscapularis) and their tendons that surround and stabilize the shoulder joint. Their baseline activity keeps the humeral head (ball) balanced on the socket (glenoid). When you abduct your arm, externally rotate your arm or reach behind you to scratch your back, that’s primarily using your rotator cuff. As you can imagine, there is a whole spectrum of injuries that can occur to the rotator cuff, from simple strains and overuse to complete tears of one or more of the tendons. The pain from a rotator cuff injury is often along the top/side of the arm (just inferior to the acromion) or at the anterolateral corner of the acromion. Overuse injuries (think throwing only forehands for hours a day several days a week) can be treated with stretching, physical therapy and often an antiinflammatory. Partial tears are sometimes treated without surgery and sometimes with surgery, all depending on the amount of “partial” tearing. Full thickness tears are repaired with surgery followed by a period of immobilization (NO ULTIMATE) followed by extensive rehabilitation with physical therapy.
SHOULDER DISLOCATION A shoulder dislocation is when the ball comes all the way out of the socket which generally requires a reduction, meaning the arm is pulled back into place. After the initial emergency treatment of having the shoulder reduced, a consultation with an orthopedic surgeon is needed. The shoulder is then generally evaluated with an MRI to determine the course of treatment. Some shoulder dislocations can be treated with physical therapy, but many need surgical reconstruction. A subluxation is when the shoulder comes part of the way out, but slides back in on its own. These instances are usually treated with physical therapy.
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LABRAL TEARS The labrum is a structure inside the shoulder that helps keep the shoulder in place. When explaining it to my patients, I describe the labrum as a gasket – the rotator
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and avoid both smoking and anti-inflammatories as they can both cause the break to not heal (non-union).
SUMMARY I have tried to describe some of the injuries that can occur about the shoulder. Getting proper evaluation is the key to finding out the problem, so it can be treated. I have mentioned orthopedic surgeons a lot in this article because it is often an orthopedic surgeon who does the definitive treatment of some of these injuries. Evaluation of any of these problems can be done by a sports medicine physician or a family practitioner who is well trained, but many family medicine doctors who are fantastic at managing chronic medical problems are not as comfortable treating musculoskeletal complaints. The best way to find out whether your doctor (or mid-level provider) is comfortable with treating shoulder problems is to ask him or her. A note about physical therapy – I have no financial motive for referring patients to physical therapy. It just works. A well-planned home exercise program can also work IF the patient/athlete is disciplined about doing the home exercises. If the list of exercises stays taped to the fridge and never comes off, it won’t work. Physical therapy is just another part of training to be on the field. The more dedicated you are to the course of physical therapy, whether at a physical therapist’s office or at your home, the better the results. You get out what you put in.
Shoulders are one of the body’s more mobile joints and are also pretty easy to injure, especially in a sport like ours that requires a lot from them. Photo: CBMT Creative
cuff keeps the ball on the socket, and the labrum adds to the stability of the joint. Patients describe the pain from a labral tear as deep inside the shoulder (as opposed to the side of the arm). Some labral tears can be treated with physical therapy, anti-inflammatories and possibly a corticosteroid injection. Other labral tears, including those associated with instability of the shoulder, are treated operatively with a period of immobilization and extensive physical therapy.
Remember, this column is meant to educate, not replace a thorough medical evaluation. See you on the fields.
BICEPS TENDONITIS This is pain along the biceps tendon in the front of the shoulder that can radiate down to the front of the elbow, along the course of the muscle. Sometimes the biceps tendon itself can be torn, partially or completely, and sometimes it gets strained trying to do the job of other structures in the shoulder (rotator cuff or labrum). As a result, sometimes biceps tendonitis is a signal that something else is wrong with your shoulder.
This 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.
BREAKS AND FRACTURES The collarbone (clavicle) is the bone about the shoulder I’ve seen broken the most by ultimate players. It is another thing that is sometimes treated with surgery and sometimes not. The important thing is to see an orthopedic surgeon 45
U S A U LT I M AT E
REFLECTIONS ON SPIRIT FROM MEMBERS OF THE ULTIMATE COMMUNITY
THE SPIRIT CIRCLE Spirit and Self-Reflection
BY
MEREDITH TOSTA
I’VE BEEN LEADING THE USA ULTIMATE LEVEL I COACHING CLINIC FOR GOING ON EIGHT YEARS, AND MY FAVORITE SECTION OF THE EIGHT-HOUR COURSE IS THE DISCUSSION ON SPIRIT. REGARDLESS OF LOCATION OR AGE, MANY COACHES STRUGGLE WITH SIMILAR HURDLES RELATED TO THIS SECTION. IT’S NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO DEFINE UNIVERSALLY, BUT WE ALL KNOW GOOD SPIRIT WHEN SEE IT, AND WE CAN FEEL IT WHEN IT IS FAILING. I OFFER A FEW COMMON SPIRITRELATED SCENARIOS BELOW, A HEARTY HELPING OF MY OWN PERSONAL OPINIONS AND SOME THOUGHTS ON HOW TO APPROACH THE GAME IN WAYS THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BRING MORE SUCCESS FOR TEAMS ON AND OFF THE FIELD. Situation 1: “The other team is a bunch of cheaters.” We’ve all had games we weren’t looking forward to because our opponent’s reputation preceded them. Coaches often
preach that players should focus on “controllables” and not let opponents get the mental edge. But if you enter the game expecting to be cheated or prepping for lots of bad calls, it’ll likely be the case. This may be difficult, but try looking at this situation from the other team’s perspective: they might have the same dread and distrust with your team, or perhaps they are totally oblivious. Fear not, there is a way out of this negative space. I’d suggest finding an opportunity to talk to your opponent’s leadership before the game starts, to phrase the conversation in a positive tone and begin from a place of respect. By clearing the air, both teams have a chance to discuss any concerns prior to the heat of battle such that the entire experience can move towards being a fair and spirited one. If during the game, the coaches or captains need to speak again because things have gotten out of control, a basic level of listening and trust has already been established. If we start each game assuming that our opponent is also going to play fairly and by the rules, we all win. If we assume that our opponent is going to cheat, we may as
Minneapolis Drag’n Thrust and Colombia’s One to One gather for a post-game spirit circle at the 2014 U.S. Open Championships. Photo: CBMT Creative
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well pack up our self-officiating model and the community that comes with it.
It’s natural to feel dismissive and defensive when faced with the feedback of low spirit scores, but it’s also an important opportunity for growth. If your team decides to make changes, acknowledge that while it is incredibly easy to lose the trust of your opponents, it takes authenticity, consistency and time to see the return of higher spirit scores.
Situation 2: “Our team generally has good spirit, except for one hot-head who is also one of our best players.” Hopefully you started the season with a meeting to talk about team goals and discussed what kind of team you and your teammates wanted to be a part of. If you aren’t talking about spirit, attitude and how your team wants to represent itself at the beginning of the season, please put that on the top of your to-do list.
Situation 4: “Spirit circles are lame and a waste of time.” As ultimate players, bureaucracy, “the man” and any discussion in which we don’t get equal say naturally turns us off, so the recent encouragement from USA Ultimate for teams to take part in spirit circles may result in some push back. A spirit circle, for those who are not familiar is, in the simplest form, when two teams get together after the customary end of game high-fives in one big circle, with players from both teams intermingled. Each team then has the opportunity to speak. This post-game team ritual takes on a variety of forms and is more common in international play. Some countries are wondering if it’s a tradition worth sticking with at the same time that the U.S. is making a push to embrace the ritual. At present, spirit circles are encouraged by “the man,” but ultimately are only as successful as the participating players choose to make them.
If you’ve now found yourself in a situation where there are a couple of hot heads that can push a game into the land of retaliation calls and stoppages, this is a problem that needs to be addressed. It’s possible these aren’t your benchwarmers, so sitting them could realistically have an impact on your team’s performance. Here’s why that early season team meeting is critical: if your team has agreed on expectations that include playing your best at all times and respecting the rules, your opponents and the game (hint, hint), then sitting a player who is not meeting those expectations is a straightforward matter of upholding that contract. A player who is abusing the self-officiated system or cheating to win is hurting your team’s chances of sustained success, even if they provide short-term rewards such as retention of the disc on a controversial call.
Here’s my personal plea for giving spirit circles a chance: given spirit’s differing definitions, how do we even begin to embrace good and discourage bad spirit, if not through conversation? If you scrunched your nose at my earlier suggestion of approaching an opponent before a game, like that was the worst idea ever next to a new disc on concrete, then a post-game spirit circle may be just what you need.
Situation 3: “We’ve had low spirit scores in the past; we really worked on our attitude and still have low scores, so why bother?”
Spirit circles are about community, but above all else, they are about honesty. If your game was chippy and miserable, say so! If your opponent really brought their A game and had some spectacular blocks but also took forever in between points, and that was really frustrating, find a way to bring it up. If your game was fine and clean and you just want to say, “Thanks for the game, good luck in the next round,” that’s an option too. The point isn’t that two teams come together and coddle each other, regardless of how the game went. The point is to have the opportunity for a brief platform to say at the very least “Hey, we are really lucky that we get to come out here and play this sport.” Plus anything else the situation warrants.
Spirit scores are a mechanism for feedback, but fair play for the sake of good scores may be largely missing the point. The University of Colorado men’s team is an example of a team that incorporated attitude-related goals into their plan for success. Colorado had previously gotten caught up in big emotional reactions to calls and long, heated discussions – actions that can result in low spirit scores and are also generally distracting. Recognizing that few, if any, teams play their best when distracted, Colorado switched gears and directed their energy towards treating others with the highest level of respect and encouraging their opponents to do the same. Over time, the result was an intensity of focus and a quality of play that had previously eluded the squad. Whether or not Colorado has achieved a higher level of “spirit” is a question for their peers, but undeniably, an internal focus on respect had an impact on the team’s success and this spring’s win at the College Championships.
As a group, we are incredibly skilled at discussion on the field. Let’s take a moment to reflect and bring some difficult conversations offline. It could just be the next evolution in ultimate, providing for cleaner games, high-level play with few stoppages and a fantastic showcase of a beautiful sport.
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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
COLIN MCINTYRE , CHAIR, STANDING RULES COMMITTEE
QUESTIONS.
This month’s What’s the Call column shifts away from answering a few common specific rules questions in favor of providing guidance on a broader topic: how to be a good (self)official. Ultimate is most enjoyable for both players and spectators when the players are good officials; there are fewer stoppages for calls, and when calls are made, play resumes quickly after brief, respectful discussions. In addition, our responsibility as players to uphold Spirit of the Game includes being good officials.
THE WORLD FLYING DISC FEDERATION (WFDF), THE INTERNATIONAL GOVERNING BODY FOR DISC SPORTS, PROVIDES A WONDERFULLY INFORMATIVE SECTION ON SELF-OFFICIATING AND SPIRIT OF THE GAME IN ITS ULTIMATE RULE BOOK. THE CONCEPT OF SPIRIT OF THE GAME AND SELF-OFFICIATING DESCRIBED IN THE INTERNATIONAL RULES IS EXACTLY THE SAME AS IN USA ULTIMATE’S 11TH EDITION RULES. IN THIS WAY, THE WFDF PROVISIONS CAN PROVIDE ADDITIONAL VALUABLE GUIDANCE FOR PLAYERS USING THE 11TH EDITION. THE INTERNATIONAL RULES STATE:
1.3.7. m ake calls in a consistent manner throughout the game; 1.3.8. o nly make a call where a breach is significant enough to make a difference to the outcome of the action. WFDF Rule 1.5 also provides, as examples of good spirit, “informing a team-mate if they have a wrong or unnecessary call” and “retracting a call when you no longer believe the call was necessary.” These WFDF rules create an excellent blueprint for good officiating and proper interactions in discussing calls, and they are worthy of careful review. In this particular article, however, I want to highlight the concept in WFDF Rule 1.3.8, of selectively calling infractions and exercising discretion, rather than calling every infraction one observes.
1.3. Players should be mindful of the fact that they are acting as referees in any arbitration between teams. Players must:
According to WFDF Rules 1.3.8 and 1.5, the appropriateness of a call is not based strictly on right versus wrong, it is also based on necessary versus unnecessary, where a player should “only make a call where a breach is significant enough to make a difference to the outcome of the action.” Although WFDF Rules 1.3.8 and 1.5 do not affect the definition of an infraction or whether a call may be made (or contested), they provide valuable guidance in terms of proper officiating. Similarly, in the 11th edition, the rules define what constitutes an infraction and whether a call may be made, while Spirit of the Game and a good
1.3.1. know the rules; 1.3.2. be fair-minded and objective; 1.3.3. be truthful; 1.3.4. explain their viewpoint clearly and briefly; 1.3.5. allow opponents a reasonable chance to speak; 1.3.6. resolve disputes as quickly as possible, using respectful language; WINTER 2014
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understanding of the rule set guide us to limit our calls to infractions that have an impact on play. In my experience, the best self-officials take that same approach whether playing under the 11th Edition or under the WFDF rules, and the language of the 11th Edition supports that approach.
by taking seriously the authority to choose to forgo making a call and to play on without interruption, we as officials can create a more enjoyable game with better flow. In contrast, an example of bad officiating would include making calls with a goal of imposing penalties on opponents, which is an abuse of the rules and runs contrary to their design. Noticing that an opponent’s mechanics result in a minor or inconsequential travel on every throw and calling “travel” on every throw by that opponent would be another example of bad officiating.
Under the 11th Edition, we as officials are tasked with implementing a system that is designed with a few critical assumptions in mind, described in the preface:
IT IS ASSUMED THAT NO PLAYER WILL INTENTIONALLY VIOLATE THE RULES; THUS THERE ARE NO HARSH PENALTIES FOR INADVERTENT INFRACTIONS, BUT RATHER A METHOD FOR RESUMING PLAY IN A MANNER THAT SIMULATES WHAT MOST LIKELY WOULD HAVE OCCURRED ABSENT THE INFRACTION.
For players struggling to determine whether an infraction is inconsequential or not, my guidance is: when in doubt, don’t call it. You will know if something clearly affected play, and if it is minor enough that you think it may be inconsequential, then there is little harm in playing on without a call. At the same time, if you know you committed an infraction and an opponent calls it, minor or not, the response should be a quick “no contest” without belaboring the significance or insignificance of the infraction. Again, the idea of good officiating does not change how the rules define an infraction, nor does it change the basis for contesting a call. Without delving into myriad hypothetical situations, I hope that one clear example will help illustrate the kind of discretion in making calls that constitutes good officiating. Consider a player who catches a disc outside the end zone, comes to a stop and throws a short pass to a teammate for an easy score, before any defenders are close. You, the nearest defender, notice that the thrower’s pivot foot shifted an inch before she released the pass – she committed a travel. This is the type of situation where it is appropriate not to make a call. Instead, after the point you can tell the thrower, “Hey, watch your pivot – it is sliding when you throw.” This simultaneously informs the opponent of the issue while establishing that your style of officiating does not include making unnecessary calls in an attempt to bring back completed passes.
Understanding these assumptions and this design of the rule set naturally guides our implementation of the rules as officials. Most notably, it is critical to understand that, unlike in many familiar sports, an infraction is not a trigger that causes a penalty to be assessed against an opponent. Thus, our goal in making calls is to address infractions that impact play, not to impose penalties on our opponents. If an infraction had no impact on play, then we have already seen what most likely would have occurred absent the infraction – there is no need to interrupt play, and then attempt to simulate it. Of course, certain rules have provisions that could be considered penalties: awarding possession, adjusting the stall count, returning the disc to the thrower, etc. But these rules are designed to make a reasonable attempt at resuming play in a manner that simulates what most likely would have occurred absent an infraction; they are not designed to penalize. How much does a marking foul affect play, and how can we simulate what would have happened? Hard to say, but we can reset the stall and give the thrower another chance. How much does a travel affect play? Not at all in some cases, but in other cases, we can require a redo. Combined with good self-officiating, these rules work quite well.
In closing, I want to reiterate how very well section 1.3 of the WFDF rules captures the concept of Spirit of the Game and good self-officiating. The USA Ultimate rules are based on those same concepts, and the system relies on players embracing the responsibility of good officiating. In an environment where we talk increasingly about wishing for a more watchable game and a faster pace of play, with or without observers, it is important to recognize this aspect of player control that can have such a positive impact. Know the rules. Explain your viewpoint clearly and briefly. Resolve disputes as quickly as possible. Only make a call where an infraction is significant enough to make a difference to the outcome of the action.
Understanding the design of the rules and the absence of traditional penalties, a good official will make and contest calls with that design in mind. When an infraction occurs that affects play, players are empowered to call the infraction and apply the rules to help account for the infraction (with a redo, new stall, award of possession, etc.). When an infraction occurs that has no effect on play, players are empowered to play on without interruption. Thus, the proper internal inquiry may begin with “can I call X?” but it continues with “and if I can, should I call X?” And 49
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NEWS AND UPDATES FROM USA ULTIMATE HEADQUARTERS IN BOULDER, COLO.
NEWS & NOTES organizations as well as helping to continue the expansion of the youth volunteer structure by identifying and recruiting individuals to serve as state youth outreach coordinators. She will also contribute to the development of guidance on best practices for outreach for individuals, leagues and partnerships and providing resources and assistance on outreach programs to state youth outreach coordinators. USA Ultimate is also working to add girls’ state youth coordinators in every state that hosts a boys’ state championship event. In all, dozens of new volunteers are being recruited to help in the continuing efforts to increase the reach of ultimate and develop additional playing opportunities for youth and girls around the country. For more information and to get involved, visit usaultimate. org/about/usaultimate/get_involved.aspx.
YOUTH OUTREACH
YOUTH CLUB TASK FORCE RECOMMENDATIONS
As part of ongoing work to increase youth and girls’ outreach efforts, USA Ultimate is expanding its youth volunteer structure.
After six months of work, the Youth Club Task Force, a group convened to determine best practices for developing non-school-based play, announced their findings and recommendations for implementation in early November.
In September, after the great success of the Girls’ Ultimate Movement, the task force was solidified as a more permanent part of the USA Ultimate volunteer structure that will serve as part of USA Ultimate’s new Education and Outreach Working Group. The new group will be chaired by GUM co-founder Zara Cadoux.
The Youth Club Task Force identified six key recommendations to help create and sustain successful youth sports organizations, three for local leagues and organizations and three for USA Ultimate.
GUM’s other co-founder Heather Ann Brauer was appointed to the new National Girls Outreach Director position, where she will help USA Ultimate continue efforts to increase the number of girls participating in the sport around the country. She will focus on increasing outreach programs across the U.S. and developing best practices for girls’ competition.
Local Disc Organizations: 1. Create year-round playing opportunities for members. 2. Create sustainable financial structures and business models for the organization. 3. Participate in a national infrastructure for competition, education and administration.
Additionally, in October, Claire Chastain was named USA Ultimate’s new National Youth Outreach Director. In her position, Chastain will serve as a member of USA Ultimate’s Youth Working Group and will work alongside USA Ultimate staff to create new partnerships with local youth-serving 50
USA Ultimate:
as a trusted advisor to both public and private boards, senior management teams, entrepreneur owners and financial sponsors. Eck was also a scholarship athlete at the University of Virginia; he started at quarterback and also played defensive back and received All Academic ACC honors. He holds a masters degree in management from Northwestern University and recently completed his high school coaching certification from SUNY Cortland to coach in the public high school system in the state of New York.
1. Utilize strong coach education and training. 2. C reate distinct seasons for school-based and non-school-based play. 3. I n order to facilitate the above, USA Ultimate must create a youth club road map for developing youth club playing opportunities locally. Because many of the recommendations will take many steps and years to implement, the task force also decided on a few specific action items for immediate implementation.
USA ULTIMATE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
In addition to the appointed position, eligible USA Ultimate members elected Ness Fajardo as the elite athlete representative. Fajardo is the current captain of San Francisco Fury. She has been a member of Fury since 2009, winning four national titles, a World Ultimate Club Championship (WUCC) and silver medals at the 2012 World Ultimate & Guts Championship and the 2014 WUCC.
The board appointed Michael Eck as the independent member. Eck recently retired from Morgan Stanley where he most recently served as global head of the consumer and retail and banking practice since 2008. Prior to his position at Morgan Stanley, Eck created and led the global consumer and retail investment banking practice at Citigroup. He brings 27 years of experience
Two at-large seats went to Kevin Minderhout and Josh Seamon. Minderhout owned and managed the NexGen Ultimate Tour from 2011-2013 and the NexGen Network. In addition to his experience as a business owner, Minderhout brings knowledge and expertise as an elite player with Portland Rhino, a coach and a local league board member.
More information and the recommended action items can be found at usaultimate.org.
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Seamon previously sat on the USA Ultimate Board of Directors from 2008-2010 and currently serves as the national governing body’s Northeast Regional Youth Director and a Level I coaching instructor. Professionally, Seamon is the Mathematics Chair at Williston Northampton School in Massachusetts. The newly elected board members will serve threeyear terms commencing Jan. 1, 2015, and lasting through Dec. 31, 2017.
2015 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS OF BEACH ULTIMATE
U-23 NATIONAL TEAMS USA Ultimate recently announced the final rosters for the teams that will represent the U.S. at next year’s World Under-23 Ultimate Championships, hosted by the World Flying Disc Federation in London, U.K, July 12-18, 2015. USA Ultimate will send a team to compete in each of the Championships’ three divisions: mixed, open and women’s. More than 500 athletes applied to be considered for the 2015 U-23 National Teams. One hundred men and 104 women were invited to attend one of two tryout camps in November, where the teams’ coaching staffs and selection assistants culled the list to the final rosters that were announced in mid-December.
Next March, the beaches of Dubai, UAE, will be covered with ultimate players during the 2015 World Championships of Beach Ultimate. The World Flying Disc Federationsponsored event will host more than 1,000 athletes from more than 30 countries across seven divisions: mixed, open, women’s, mixed masters, open masters, women’s masters and grandmasters. The United States will field teams in each of the seven divisions, accounting for more than 100 American athletes.
PLAY IT FORWARD In November, USA Ultimate announced the Play It Forward program, an initiative that helps cover the costs of membership and event participation for youth ultimate players with demonstrated financial need. The program will officially launch in 2015, helping youth players cover next year’s membership costs. For more information and to donate to Play It Forward, visit usaultimate.org/membership/play_it_forward.aspx.
UPCOMING EVENTS World Championships of Beach Ultimate
March 8-13, 2015
Dubai, UAE
USA Ultimate Beach Championships
May 2-3, 2015
Virginia Beach, Va.
High School Southern Championships
May 9-10, 2015
Winston-Salem, N.C.
Division III College Championships
May 16-17, 2015
Rockford, Ill.
High School Northeastern Championships
May 16-17, 2015
South Portland, Maine
High School Central Championships
May 16-17, 2015
Ames, Iowa
Division I College Championships
May 22-25, 2015
Milwaukee, Wis.
High School Western Championships
May 30-31, 2015
Corvallis, Ore.
World Under-23 Ultimate Championships
July 12-18, 2015
London, U.K.
Editor’s Note: In an earlier story, USA Ultimate mischaracterized Michael Baccarini’s use of ultimate as part of his physical education curriculum. On page 35 of the fall issue of USA Ultimate, the third to last sentence should read, “Long-time ultimate coach Michael Baccarini is one of many teachers in the Atlanta area who includes ultimate as a part of the elementary and middle school physical education curriculum.” We apologize for the error. WINTER 2014
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