USA Ultimate Magazine: 2012 Spring by USA Ultimate

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O FFICIAL MAGA ZIN E O F USA U LTIMATE — SPR IN G 20 1 2

USA

ULTIMATE

WHAT’S INSIDE

US OPEN

2012 open and Women’s COLLEGE PREVIEW

2011 COORDINATORS OF THE YEAR

VOLUME XXXII ISSUE TWO

SPRING ISSUE

6 Open Division Preview

3 US Open Information

Clockwise from top: 1. Isaac Saul of Pitt makes a pass in last year’s college championships in Boulder. PHOTO: KEVIN LECLAIRE/ULTIPHOTOS 2. The Air Force Academy will serve as the inaugural host of the U.S. Open Championships tournament. PHOTO: COURTESY AIR FORCE ACADEMY 3. Is the University of Michigan primed to take home the women’s title in 2012? PHOTO: KEVIN LECLAIRE/ULTIPHOTOS

16 Women’s Division Preview ON THE COVER

MISSION STATEMENT

The women’s division at the 2012 USA Ultimate College Championships promises to be another wide open affair as teams from around the country get set to punch their ticket to Boulder this spring. PHOTO: KEVIN LECLAIRE/ULTIPHOTOS

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

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Table of Contents 3

U.S. Open Ultimate Championships & Convention

A Letter to Our Members

College Championship Open Preview

6 Pitt’s Year? Open Division Preview

9 Regional Preview

13 Callahan Preview 14 Top 5 Questions

15 Predictions

College Championship Women’s Preview 16 Flyin’ High, Women’s Division Preview 20 Regional Preview 23 Callahan Preview 24 Top 5 Questions

25 Predictions

27 C BS Sports Network Coverage of the 2012 USA Ultimate College Championships 28 Coordinators of the Year

USA Ultimate Board of Directors Mike Payne – President Gwen Ambler – Vice President Kathy Hendrickson – Treasurer Sandy Park – Secretary Audrius Barzdukas Mandy Eckhoff Mike Kinsella Matt Farrell Greg Downey John Terry Ben Slade Colin McIntyre USA Ultimate Staff Matthew Bourland – New Media Manager Melanie Byrd – Director of Membership & Sport Development Dr. Tom Crawford – Chief Executive Officer Will Deaver – Managing Director of Competition & Athlete Programs Julia Echterhoff – Administration & Finance Manager Byron Hicks – Athlete & Competition Programs Manager Andy Lee – Director of Marketing & Communications Michael Lovinguth – Education & Youth Programs Manager Richard Dana – Athlete & Competition Programs Manager Baker Pratt – Education & Youth Programs Manager Anna Schott – Membership & Sport Development Manager David Raflo – Events Manager David Mares – Membership Development Manager 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.

35 Club Restructuring

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.

36 News & Notes

Editor-in-Chief Andy Lee

40 Funding a College Program

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

30 Coaches Playbook 33 What’s the Call

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International Ultimate Comes to the U.S. With the inaugural U.S. Open Championships and Convention just a few short months away, details are coming together for the sport’s future showcase event. Currently, 22 teams have been confirmed for the tournament, including some of the world’s best teams from the Open, Women’s and Mixed divisions, while the convention schedule is taking shape and a full slate of entertainment and social activities has been announced. Scheduled for July 4-8, 2012, the first U.S. Open Championships will launch the concept of an annual gathering to celebrate USA Ultimate’s mission of advancing the sport of Ultimate in the U.S. by enhancing and promoting character, community and competition. The two primary aspects – a convention and world-class tournament – will provide the Ultimate community with a structured opportunity to network and learn from some of the industry’s most knowledgeable people and see the sport played at its highest competitive level. The program promises something for everyone – athletes, coaches, teams, league and tournament organizers, administrators, families, fans, and those who fill any other roles within the sport. Convention attendees will enjoy and benefit from presentations and discussions on various topics, including Safe Sport and Ethics, Coaching Development, Strategy and Certification, Maximizing Athletic Potential (hosted by the National Association of Strength & Conditioning), Youth Ultimate, Relationship Building with CVBs, and much, much more! The convention will take place Thursday, Friday and Saturday at the historic Antlers Hilton Hotel in the heart of downtown Colorado Springs. Sessions will occur in the morning before competition takes center stage each afternoon at the Air Force Academy – another world-class venue! In addition to a convention and tournament, the Ultimate community will have the opportunity to experience one of the top vacation destinations in the United States. Participants are encouraged to bring their families and take in all of the sites the region has to offer. Colorado Springs alone is full of attractions: Take the Cog Railway, hike the Barr Trail or drive up Pikes Peak Highway to the 14,110’ summit of the mountain that inspired “America the Beautiful.” Visit the U.S. Olympic Training Center, the Garden of the Gods, Seven Falls, the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, The Manitou Cliff Dwellings, or the Cave of the Winds. Take a stroll through downtown Colorado Springs or the historic communities of Old Colorado City and Manitou Springs. Or, take a short drive to the Royal Gorge, the nearby casino town of Cripple Creek or shoot 60 miles north to Denver for a Rockies game or a night out in the big city. If you’re staying longer, consider rafting down the Arkansas River or heading up to any number of mountain villages such as Breckenridge, Aspen or Vail… the list of things to do is literally endless! Finally, the long holiday weekend will provide an unprecedented opportunity for the sport of Ultimate to be introduced to a much wider audience through integration into a variety of major community celebrations. The U.S. Open and Ultimate will be featured at Fan Fest, a Friday night street fair in downtown Colorado Springs which annually attracts 30,000 people. On the 4th of July, Ultimate is also being plugged into the Air Force Academy’s annual Independence Day celebration, which will in essence serve as the U.S. Open’s Opening Ceremonies, in front of 50,000 people at Falcon Stadium. We hope you’re able to join us in Colorado Springs this Fourth of July to help celebrate Ultimate and be a part of this exciting event! For more information, visit usaultimate.org/usopen.

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A LETTER TO OUR MEMBERS By: Dr. Tom Crawford, USA Ultimate Chief Executive Officer

The Future is Bright The board, staff and entire USA Ultimate community have been hard at work crafting our next strategic plan. First, please accept our thanks to all of you who have taken the time to participate in this very important work. We sincerely appreciate your help! Our efforts have been guided by one of the best in the business, Ms. Kae Rader of Rader Consulting. Over the past two decades, Kae has facilitated and guided the strategic planning of almost all of the U.S. based National Governing Bodies as well as the U.S. Olympic Committee and U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. Kae has graciously agreed to continue working with us this year while simultaneously accepting a very high profile appointment from the Governor of Colorado to lead a state-wide strategic planning effort. Thanks Kae! I’d like to share some highlights as well as a few thoughts on our future direction and challenges. It is clear that we want to grow this great sport of Ultimate, both in size and reputation. Granted, there are a few in the community who do not share this goal, as they like Ultimate just the way it was. While we will always celebrate and respect the unique history of the sport, it is abundantly clear that the vast majority of our members and athletes crave legitimacy in the sports community, and growth for the sport at all levels, especially youth. The keys to growth are greater visibility and exposure for our sport, and access to developmentally appropriate programs once introduced to Ultimate. We also have to be sure that when we achieve this visibility, we are perceived by the greater sports community as both a kidfriendly environment, and as a mature sports community. This is where our image is a challenge. As part of our data gathering, we conducted a focus group with some of the most successful youth leaders in the Ultimate community, and asked them what they thought were the greatest challenges we faced in growing youth Ultimate. By far the most consistent answer was Ultimate’s image as a “party sport”, not a serious sport, and some of the behavior associated with this image. I can confirm that I have had at least a couple of high school athletic directors confirm this image and reputation and note “with all due respect”, that they’d “have to be nuts to welcome Ultimate onto their sports curriculum”, as they’d “just be asking for trouble.” With all of the sports options available to parents and families (lacrosse, rugby, soccer, tennis, basketball, swimming, football, baseball, hockey, etc.) we have to be competitive in how we are perceived, or our growth will be significantly limited.

Access to well-designed programs is the second greatest challenge. We will be partnering with our leagues and associations to help and empower them to deliver the developmentally appropriate programs noted above at the local level. To achieve the kind of growth and longterm potential to which we aspire, programs for youth have to be readily available in every state and community. Growing youth participation will actually be the key economic driver for Ultimate over the next decade. These families will become the fan base we don’t have today for our top club and college programs, and will provide the economic resources for local leagues to thrive and grow. Greater visibility and growth are two of our top priorities in the next six years. Let’s all work together to achieve these goals, and help thousands of new players experience the coolest sport on the planet!

Growing Youth Ultimate is a major goal in USA Ultimate’s 20132018 Strategic Plan. PHOTO: KEVIN LECLAIRE/ULTIPHOTOS

After reaching the quarterfinals in the last three national championship tournaments, the talk from early in the season is whether or not Pittsburgh can break through. By: Bryan Jones

Ethan Beardsley and the University of Pittsburgh is looking to make the jump from perennial quarterfinalist to national champion. PHOTO: SCOTT ROEDER

2012 COLLEGE SERIES

Pittâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Year? OPEN DIVISION PREVIEW

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Pittsburgh is led by stud returners Tyler Degirolamo and Alex Thorne. Degirolamo, also a captain, was tied for the lead in goals last Memorial Day weekend in Boulder, and is a 6’3’’ receiver that is one of the premier deep threats in the nation. Thorne had a paltry nine turnovers during nationals a year ago, and is best known for his inside out high release breaks. Other upperclassmen include center handler and distributor Isaac Saul, captains Zack Kauffman and Colin Conner, and premier defender Julian Hausman.

tournament, we were competing in the 5th-place bracket of Sectionals. There is still an undercurrent of needing to prove ourselves that I don’t think will ever go away.”

One of the biggest contributors to Pittsburgh’s consistent success was the formation of the club team Oakland Haiders. From that squad, 14 current Pittsburgh players were able to experience the elite game by reaching nationals last fall. In 2012 it’s not just enough to have a plethora of 5th-year seniors, having that added club experience is valuable when it comes to competing against the top teams.

This team features five freshman starters – Max Thorne, Trent Dillon, Joe Bender, Pat Earles, and Christian Pitts. With the exception of Pitts, the other four have all had some sort of high school experience with the majority of them coming from Pittsburgh’s YCC Impulse team. Max Thorne, the younger brother to Alex Thorne, has become an integral piece of the offense. Bender and Earles are leading the defense, with Earles showing off some of the more consistent pulls in the nation. Trent Dillon has played a little bit on both lines, but brings an athletic presence to everywhere they go.

The club experience didn’t just help in terms of on-the-field experience, but brought in a new perspective, according to head coach Nick Kaczmarek. “I think the creation of Oakland was in recognition of needing to approach things in a new way. That is not to say that we are ignoring or throwing out what we’ve done before. Pitt is still, at its heart, a team with a chip on its shoulder. The year before we qualified for our first national

“Oakland was the beginning of a commitment from the current Pitt team to do everything in their power to be the best team. I think that there was a really bitter taste left last year – a feeling that, as a team, everything was not done to achieve our goals. Everything will be done this year, we have no doubt.”

With a combination of youth and experience, Pittsburgh may just have the right mix to bring home a championship in 2012.

Top Left: Senior Tyler Degirolamo is a Callahan hopeful and captain of a young Pitt squad that features five freshman starters. PHOTO: KEVIN LECLAIRE/ULTIPHOTOS // Right: Degirolamo led all 2011 national championship tournament participants in goals scored. PHOTO: BRIAN CANNIFF/ULTIPHOTOS // Bottom: Beardsley makes a catch at last year’s championship tournament in Boulder. PHOTO: BRIAN CANNIFF/ULTIPHOTOS

The question is certainly NOT one of talent.

BREAKDOWN

REGION X REGION Top: After Harvard graduated several players from its quarterfinalist team from 2011, Tufts may be the team to beat in the New England Region. PHOTO: KEVIN LECLAIRE/ULTIPHOTOS // Bottom: Can Cornell make it four straight Metro East titles? Connecticut may crash the party. PHOTO: KEVIN LECLAIRE/ULTIPHOTOS

THE METRO EAST / THE NEW ENGLAND REGION / THE OHIO VALLEY / THE ATLANTIC COAST / THE SOUTHEAST / THE SOUTH CENTRAL / THE SOUTHWEST / THE NORTHWEST

THE METRO EAST Connecticut looks to be the favorite in the spring to stop Cornell’s three year streak of Metro East titles. They are an athletic squad that features big playmakers in the backfield and tall receivers deep. Ben Weyers, Brian Varis, and Matt Turiano are all 6’3’’+ with an ability to make grabs deep. Kamil Skwarek and Matt Baum will be launching hucks throughout

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the season to those targets while RJ Macfadden will patrol the underneath cutting lanes. Skwarek is the most trusted thrower with the ability to put it deep from both sides, go over the top with hammers, and break the mark with his around backhand. However, don’t slouch too much on Cornell, who as a program is often playing their best Ultimate in May.

THE new EnGLAND REGION With Harvard losing a large portion of its quarterfinals nationals squad, Tufts is looking to begin a new reign. Adrian Banerji and Jack Hatchett gained more club experience with Ironside, as well as Sam Kittross-Schnell playing for Sockeye, Tufts is ripe with club experience. Hatchett was faced with the daunting task of covering George Stubbs in 2011, and will continue to take on the opponent’s best player. Alex Cooper is a smooth pure handler who guides the offense with around and inside breaks, while Eric Wilburn, Eric Shaw, and Will Wong round out the rest of the backfield crew. Piers Macnoughton has played a big role cutting downfield, and Carter Thallon is a freshman of the year candidate. Don’t forget about Dartmouth though, who has been doing well without the presence of several players, including Spencer Diamond, studying abroad in Barcelona. In the meantime, Ian Engler, Ian Adelstein and Lee Farnsworth are making noise, giving them a strong possibility of a second bid out of the New England. 9

THE OHIO VALLEY Besides the aforementioned Pittsburgh, Ohio looks to be vying once again for a second bid. Mitch Cihon leads an experienced and up and coming crew. Connor Haley, Nick Wetzel and others are looking to break through to Boulder. After a solid early season start, they may be in position to receive a second bid for the region. This will be vital with the way that Pittsburgh is playing. Ohio State and Penn State are still giving chase and will be peaking in May for a chance to steal away the strength bid should Ohio continue their success.

THE ATLANTIC COAST

The battle of Carolinas is taking place as South Carolina, North Carolina Wilmington, and North Carolina battle it out for supremacy. Tommy Lamar leads Wilmington, who has been one of the region’s strongest teams over the last several years, while North Carolina has appeared to return to its former strength with top players in Thomas Sayre-McCord and Christian Johnson. South Carolina has a giant senior class that features Chris Van Thiel, Robert Locke, Woody Pascoe, and more. With the potential for one or two bids, there are many other teams looking to go on a run on Sunday play at Regionals. Expect the Atlantic Coast to shift throughout the season and be one of the most exciting tournaments leading up to nationals.

THE SOUTHEAST Dogs of War Central Florida is the surprise team of 2012, and one of the biggest reasons is 6’8’’ cutter Mischa Fraystaetter. Fraystaetter is a match-up nightmare for any college defense, and is often on the receiving ends of hucks from Kyle Bettis, and Matt Nations. Michael Hickson might be the best all-around player, but is usually guarding opponents’ top receivers. After a finals appearance at Warm-Up and wins over Carleton and Wisconsin, Central Florida might be able to book a trip to nationals for the first time in the team’s history. The Southeast has four teams in total that may be competing for a spot to Nationals, with Florida, Georgia and Georgia Tech battling with Central Florida. Florida features big playmakers Travis Catron and Alan Baird. After years of concentrating their playmaking talent to within a few players, Florida has adapted to spreading the disc on offense. The defense is still dominant with Jason Silverman and possible Freshman of the Year Bobby Ley is playing major points. Georgia Tech features 10

Callahan Candidate Nick Lance, who is one of the few throwers with the ability to hit a man from almost any location. Georgia is a powerhouse program looking to get back to nationals with Charlie Herrig, Max Leonard and Elliot Erickson.

THE SOUTH CENTRAL Mamabird still flying high in the sky? Colorado still has a position in the national landscape, but has lost a lot of pieces from its 2011 semi-final run. Jimmy Mickle is the biggest piece of the current puzzle, with huge blade pulls, big hucks, and the ability to guard just about anyone in the game. Jackson Kloor is looking to stretch the field deep, while Tim Morrissy will run the offense as a handler. The squad as a whole is still athletic, but their national ceiling may not be as high. They still have a strangle hold on the region, while Texas, with Will Driscoll, and others are chomping at the bit for a second bid. Look out for Texas A&M, Kansas, and 2011 nationals qualifier Colorado College.

Top: Florida features several big playmakers, but the Southeast is packed with strong teams along with Georgia, Georgia Tech and Central Florida. PHOTO: SCOTT ROEDER // Bottom: Colorado is perhaps the strongest team in the South Central Region and is looking to play in another championship tournament in its own backyard in 2012. PHOTO: SCOTT ROEDER

The Battle of the Carolinas

2012 COLLEGE SERIES

OPEN DIVISION PREVIEW Stanford still has play makers Jordan Jefferies and Ben Funk, but will be looking to develop throughout the season. California-Santa Barbara has returned nine starters with club experience on the local Condors squad. Cal Poly SLO features handler Tim Raines and Johnny Bravo player Jake Juzsak. Another region with big potential for multiple bids will impact who ends up qualifying for nationals.

THE NORTHWEST THE SOUTHWEST

Top: Stanford will have to deal with Cal, UC-Santa Barbara and Cal Poly SLO in the Southwest on its path to nationals. PHOTO: KEVIN LECLAIRE/ULTIPHOTOS Bottom: Despite losing Cody Bjorkland (pictured), Oregon could be the team to beat in the Northwest. PHOTO: SCOTT ROEDER

Californiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s region to lose California missed out on a trip to the championship tournament in 2011 after losing by one to eventual qualifier Stanford. This year appears to be a different story as theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve picked up some signature wins early in the season. James Pollard is the big impact player that can do damage with his height and his throws. Carson Shultz and Andrew Hagen lead the defense, but both sides of the disc employ a methodical philosophy of working the disc down the field, dump swing, and looking for breaks.

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Oregon says not so fast Despite the loss of Cody Bjorkland, Oregon Ego has returned a blend of youth and experience in an attempt to not just qualify to nationals, but advance past the quarterfinals and contend for a national championship. John Bloch is the senior leader, and Dylan Freechild is one of the best players despite only being a sophomore. On top of that, Ian Campbell is another potent sophomore and Aaron Hahn might be a Freshman of the Year candidate. Whitman is another squad returning a large amount of players, most notably Jeremy Norden who was third in assists at last

THE NORTH CENTRAL Who Else? After having at least one team in the finals for six straight seasons, the North Central is primed to do it again. This time, by returning a large amount of experience and continuity at coaching, Wisconsin is the early season favorite to take the region. Alex Simmons is the center piece of the offense, distributing the disc to play makers Colin Camp and Zach Alter. Defending national champion Carleton is no slouch either. Carleton returns stud playmakers Julian Childs-Walker, Simon Montague, and Justin Norden. We won’t know till the end of the season how both teams are going to turn out, but that’s also half of the fun. The North Central is still incredibly deep from last year, with Minnesota, Iowa, and Luther battling for additional strength bids. Minnesota features Greg Arenson, while Iowa is rebuilding after last year’s semifinal run and still looking as strong as ever. Luther has Callahan candidate Eric Johnson who gives them a chance in just about any game, and may even have the possibility of getting an unprecedented fifth strength bid for the region.

GREAT LAKES GREAT TIMES Illinois has dominated regionals for the last three years running, and things don’t look like they’re changing anytime soon. Ryan Smith is the returning defensive line stud that will help make this squad tick. Combined with returning a large amount of experience, Illinois is the odds on favorite to take the region. However, Michigan and Michigan State were the highest ranked Great Lakes teams going into the series, and are going to be looking to take back the region. Michigan is comprised of a blend of youth and experience, with Jeff Pape and Spencer Jolly hanging around. Michigan State has playmaker Dave Hochhalter, and will most likely be in semis or finals once again.

D-III With the teams always in flux of choosing between a path to the College Nationals and D-III Championships , we won’t know quite where everyone is going. Regardless, defending champion Claremont is still looking strong. Finalist St. John’s lost several seniors, but has gained a good recruiting class. Other teams in the mix, are Harding, Puget Sound, and Kenyon college.

Left: Illinois is the odds-on favorite to win the Great Lakes Region, but don’t count out Michigan and Michigan State. PHOTO: KEVIN LECLAIRE/ULTIPHOTOS // Right: The North Central Region is the deepest with Luther College, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota and defending champs Carleton College in the mix. PHOTO: SCOTT ROEDER

season’s tournament, and another impact player in Jacob Janin. Washington may do well enough for a third bid, with David Benkeser, Michael Capleto, and short but explosive Duncan Linn running the show. A big pick up for Washington was Jesse Macadangdang, a grad student coming from Virginia. The Northwest may be the second most powerful region, only behind the North Central.

2012

Eric Johnson (Luther) Eric Johnson led Luther to nationals last year and blew up on day one to bring his team to quarterfinals. After that dazzling performance, he made an impact on NexGen with athletic defense, deep hucks, and big grabs. His biggest asset is his athleticism, which is no surprise as he has also played for Luther’s soccer team. Johnson also led Sub Zero to a surprise club regional title in the Central region, and he continued to pick up experience from club nationals.

Jeremy Norden (Whitman)

Nick Lance (Georgia Tech) Nick Lance is the main reason why Georgia Tech is in contention for nationals this year. After being a big part of Chain’s semifinal appearance in Sarasota last October, Lance has returned for a final college season. Like Johnson and many others, he played with NexGen’s squad, and is well known for his ability to put the disc from anywhere on the field. Whether it’s the backhand or flick bomb, he’s got it. Add in the ability to hammer straight into a cross wind and you might just have the most dynamic thrower in the nation. While the focus can be on his throws, Lance’s athletic ability is not to be forgotten. With the ability to take on the other team’s best player while playing a majority of points, Lance is definitely Callahan caliber.

After coming in third at nationals in assists last year, Jeremy Norden definitely deserves to be in the conversation. A big reason why Whitman has ascended from DIII status is because of his ability to run the offense. One of the purest handlers in the game, with club experience on Team Fisher Price, Norden will be a big reason why Whitman gets back to Nationals this year.

The other Candidates…

Tyler Degirolamo (Pittsburgh) After sharing the lead for goals from at last year’s championships, it should be no surprise that Tyler Degirolamo is on this list. At 6’3’’, Degirolamo is an incredible deep threat. With an additional year of experience, he’s improved his throws to become more dynamic and an all around better player. Regardless, he’s still renowned for his cutting ability which has been refined by playing on the Oakland Haiders, giving him nationals club experience last fall.

having the throws of a handler, Thorne has the speed of an under cutter to get it underneath and jack it deep. His bread and butter throw is the high release inside out flick, that is deadly anywhere near the goal line. With that ability to break, marking him is an incredibly difficult task that few have been able to prove successful at. Despite his ability to destroy defenses with his underneath cutting ability, Thorne isn’t afraid to take his defender deep to keep the defense honest.

The glaring part of the Callahan process is that it doesn’t necessarily nominate the best players, but involves multiple factors. Simon Montague would be a popular candidate this year as he is on par with any candidate in terms of throwing and athleticism. However, Carleton does not nominate players and thus it would be up to the regional director to nominate him. Jimmy Mickle of Colorado may have been the odds on favorite to take home the trophy, but it’s likely the nomination will go to a senior rather than Mickle. Dylan Freechild could be the best player in the nation, with incredible stats on NexGen to prove it. However, as a sophomore, Oregon like Colorado, could choose to nominate a senior star rather than Freechild. Any of these three players would be excellent choices in the Callahan race, and would be in contention for the top five. Callahan Favorites (Top to Bottom) Eric Johnson (Luther), Tyler Degirolamo (Pitt), Alex Thorne (Pitt), Jeremy Norden (Whitman) and Nick Lance (Georgia Tech). PHOTOS:

ALex Thorne (Pittsburgh)

BRIAN CANNIFF, KEVIN LECLAIRE (2), CANNIFF, CHRISTINA SCHMIDT/ULTIPHOTOS

Two candidates from the same team? Yes. Alex Thorne, like fellow candidate, Tyler Degirolamo, is one of Pittsburgh biggest playmakers. Despite 5

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5 TOP

?’s

Will the North Central continue its monopoly on the finals, or will a newcomer break through?

For the last six years we’ve only seen four different teams make the final, Wisconsin, Carleton, Florida and Colorado. Wisconsin and Carleton appear to be at their usual strength, but is there room for a newcomer? Enter Pittsburgh and Oregon into the equation. Both of these squads have hovered around the top of the rankings for the last three years, but have not broken past appearances in quarters and semis respectively. While I’m predicting Wisconsin to take it all, I do believe this is the year we see one of these teams advance to the finals. Both Oregon and Pittsburgh possess the talent to do so, but it will be about how they put it together. There’s a good chance that at least one of these programs have learned the lessons of defeat and will have a shot at a national championship on Memorial Day.

What are the chances Carleton makes a fourth straight final? Can’t rule out Carleton until the end of the season, especially when they’ve proven to replace starters year after year through this run. This year may prove too difficult, with many other teams returning top talent. Chances are CUT runs out of steam on Sunday, coming up just short of a 4th straight finals appearance.

Who is the dark horse team of 2012?

Tufts. After a tenth-place finish in 2011, the Emen have returned the majority of their starters and are one of the few teams with built-in chemistry. With players at every position, tough defense, and experienced play makers, Tufts will have an impact on bracket play.

Bottom left: A North Central representative has appeared in the last six finals. Will the conference double up again like it did in 2011 with Carleton and Wisconsin? PHOTO: ANDREW DAVIS // Top Right: Will Carleton appear in a fourth-straight championship game? PHOTO: ANDREW DAVIS // Bottom Right: Despite being arguably the strongest team in its region, Tufts could be a sleeper to win it all. PHOTO: ANDREW DAVIS

Which team will qualify for the championships that missed out in 2011, and who will miss out this year that competed in Boulder last season?

2012 COLLEGE SERIES

OPEN DIVISION PREVIEW

Predictions

Dartmouth will be the team that makes the big show in Boulder this year while Colorado College will be the one to miss out. Dartmouth will be invigorated with the return of several starters, specifically Spencer Diamond, snagging the second bid from the New England region. Colorado College still has some major talent, but their losses of Nicky Spiva and others will be too tough to overcome.

Who are the top Freshman to watch?

Amos Adams (Colorado College) Trent Dillion (Pittsburgh) Max Thorne (Pittsburgh) Aaron Hahn (Oregon) Bobby Ley (Florida)

The author tabs the Wisconsin Hodags as this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s champion, but theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have to defeat a deep and talented list of teams. PHOTO: KEVIN LECLAIRE/ULTIPHOTOS

Field of 20 NW: Oregon, Whitman, Washington NC: Wisconsin, Carleton, Minnesota, Iowa, Luther OV: Pittsburgh, Ohio ME: UConn NE: Tufts, Dartmouth AC: North Carolina Wilmington SE: Florida, Georgia SW: California, California Santa Barbara GL: Illinois SC: Colorado

Quarter Finals Tufts, Carleton, Pittsburgh, Wisconsin, Oregon, Whitman, Colorado, Minnesota

Semi Finals Wisconsin, Pittsburgh, Oregon, Tufts

Finals Wisconsin, Pittsburgh

Top: Will Colorado College make a return trip to nationals? PHOTO: SCOTT ROEDER Bottom: Amos Adams is one of several players who has his eye on Freshman of the Year honors.

Winner Wisconsin

PHOTO: KEVIN LECLAIRE/ULTIPHOTOS

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Despite the loss of Becky Malinowski (pictured), Michigan Flywheel is a solid contender for a title in 2012. PHOTO: SCOTT ROEDER

FLYIN’ HIGH

2012 COLLEGE SERIES

WOMEN’S DIVISION PREVIEW

Michigan’s appearance in last year’s championship game shocked women’s Ultimate fans around the country, many of whom considered Flywheel to be a quarterfinals contender at best. By: Michelle Ng

While many people feel like Michigan came out of nowhere to meet UC-Santa Barbara in the finals last season, insiders will tell you that Flywheel began building toward that success over the course of the last several years. When asked for her take on the team’s path to the promised land, former captain Sarah Griffith remembered “The Michigan women have always had a powerful sense of team, and the belief that no man is greater than the team – a mindset espoused by legendary Wolverines football coach Bo Schembechler”. Several years ago, Griffith penned the words “Always value character over talent” in a Flywheel captain’s guide – a 18

phrase which describes how the team values what each player brings to the table, and speaks to the type of teammate and person Flywheel recruits and cultivates. Flywheel’s focus on commitment to the team above all else, along with its belief that a team cannot develop chemistry or build a program around just one superstar, enabled them to enjoy the process of competing together instead of being overly focused on just the end result. Despite that notion, last year’s Flywheel outfit was not without its standout players. Becky Malinowski was third on the leaderboard in Boulder with 23 goals, while teammate Paula Seville led all players in the tournament with 48 assists. While those players were certainly integral to Flywheel’s under-the-radar run, lesser known players such as Vicky Chang, Kim Cuplan, Latie Poulos and Annie Fisher proved valuable to Flywheel down the stretch. Former coach Naomi Warren (who now coaches Washington University) remarked “We simply had a special mix of players last year – from those with lots of experience to ones with a ton of athletic talent. Different groups of players brought different and important pieces of the puzzle.” As the team’s current captain, Seville credits much of last season’s success to a focus on building team chemistry and a schedule that exposed Flywheel to championship-level competition early in the season.

Paula Seville looks to lead Flywheel back to the finals in Boulder. PHOTO: KEVIN LECLAIRE/ULTIPHOTOS

The team was coming off an 11th-place finish at the 2010 College Championships – an impressive result considering the team competed with only 10 healthy players. Flash back to a year ago: In the early spring of 2011 the team finished a lackluster 9th at President’s Day and 6th at College Easterns (with only one victory over a team that qualified for nationals in Madison the previous year). Things got more interesting when the team finished 5th at Centex, with its only loss coming on universe point to Iowa. It seemed that Flywheel was ready to peak at the right time and rolled through a relatively weak conference and region. Despite these late season successes, not many people in the college Ultimate community imagined that Michigan would be one of two college women’s squads playing on Memorial Day in 2011.

Left: Jacqueline Jarik comes down with the disc in Michigan’s semifinal victory over Oregon in Boulder last year. PHOTO: KEVIN LECLAIRE/ULTIPHOTOS // Top Right: After a 2-2 record in pool play at last year’s tourney, Michigan got hot when it mattered and narrowly lost to UCSB in the final. PHOTO: ANDREW DAVIS // Bottom Right: At press time, Michigan is 19-3 and ranked second in the nation behind Washington. PHOTO: SCOTT ROEDER

So, what’s the prognosis for 2012? This year, Flywheel returned to President’s Day to post a third-place finish behind Oregon and UC-Santa Barbara and will compete in major tournaments Centex and Music City Mash-Up. Last year’s captain and current co-coach Anna Maria Paruk re-emphasized Michigan’s focus on its team building process, saying “It’s about the fun we have along the way. We will be able to have fun regardless of the outcome. We did very well last year and it was a result of all the hard work we put in both on and off the field. I would like to improve our skill set, and if that gets us back into the finals at Nationals, then so be it. If it doesn’t, it might hurt initially, but as long as we are improving and constantly playing our best we’ll consider our season a success.” “As we told our team at the first meeting, we’re forgetting about last year”, added Captain Kelsey Delave. “What we accomplished was amazing, but our success doesn’t entitle us to anything. We don’t deserve anything this season for which we’re not willing to put in the work. And I think Flywheel really buys into this idea of starting fresh. We’re a new team.” And as the team’s composition may be different compared to a year ago, the challenges up ahead are also unlike those the team faced in 2011. “Our ability to play for each other and stick to the Flywheel game plan, regardless of who our opponent is, is what earned us a trip to the finals last year,” continued Delave. “And no matter how the team has changed in other ways, that core element remains the same.”

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BREAKDOWN

REGION X REGION NORTHWEST British Columbia, Oregon and Washington sit atop the Northwest, and if they can earn the region a couple of strength bids, the only question will be the order in which they qualify. Bailey Zahniser’s return to Fugue later this season will be an enormous boost and may be the difference maker in Oregon’s ability to win the region. Last year, the Northwest did not send a representative to DIII Nationals on the women’s side. With the event moving to the Midwest this year, Whitman and/or Pacific Lutheran could make quite a splash if they decide to go the DIII route.

SOUTHWEST Maggie Ruden and Sonoma State have been the talk of the early season, and for good reason. Their early season performance has been years in the making. They will be hard pressed to match the extensive big game experience of UCSB, California and Stanford down the stretch, but strength bid allocations and seeding going into regionals could play a big part in who qualifies. The big three are led by a number of household names such as Marie Madaras (UCSB), Claire Desmond (California), Abby VanMuijen (California), Fannie Watkinson (Stanford), and Michela Meister (Stanford), but look for less familiar players like Andrea Bowring (Stanford), formerly of Cornell, to set these teams apart. After finishing fifth at least year’s Southwest Regionals, UCLA has kicked off this season with a second-place finish at Santa Barbara Invite and will be in the running for a bid to nationals. In DIII, Claremont is the clear frontrunner. Erica Baken is one of the best players at the DIII level, and her leadership and skills should enable Claremont to both qualify and make another strong run at nationals.

NORTH CENTRAL Without a clear frontrunner, the biggest question is how many bids this region will get. Two of the most dominant and wellknown players in the region (and in the country, for that matter), Robyn Fennig and Jasmine Draper, have now completed their eligibility, and new stars are on the rise. Pop teammates Rebecca Enders, Brit Gartner, and Elise Rasmussen lead Wisconsin, Wisconsin-Eau Claire, and Carleton respectively, and all three of those teams should be in the hunt for bids to Nationals. Emelie McKain returns from being abroad in the fall and should bolster Wisconsin’s handling core considerably. Rachael Westgate, Sara Scott, and Sydney Dobkin will also be crucial to Bella Donna’s success, and the addition of Alex Snyder as a coach doesn’t hurt either. Iowa will be a different team without Fennig and cutter extraordinaire Katie Johnson, but the team returns a number of consistent players and their success will be dependent on these players stepping into bigger roles this season. Iowa State is in a similar position without Draper, but both Iowa and Iowa State will very much be in the hunt to qualify as two established, well-respected programs. Having DIII Nationals in Wisconsin will make the region considerably more competitive as the tournament will be well within driving distance of more teams. Luther College has experienced significant losses from last year’s roster and could

Left: Iowa will be a different team without last year’s standout, Robyn Fennig, which opens up the North Central region. PHOTO: KEVIN LECLAIRE/ULTIPHOTOS Right: Stanford and UCSB, along with Cal, are considered the big three in the Southwest Region. PHOTO: SCOTT ROEDER

THE METRO EAST / THE NEW ENGLAND REGION / THE OHIO VALLEY / THE ATLANTIC COAST / THE SOUTHEAST / THE SOUTH CENTRAL / THE SOUTHWEST / THE NORTHWEST

Left: Northwestern is the most logical candidate to challenge Michigan in the Northwest region. PHOTO: SCOTT ROEDER // Top Right: Ohio State will face challenges from Pitt, Penn State, and possibly Swarthmore in the Ohio Valley region. PHOTO: KEVIN LECLAIRE/ULTIPHOTOS // Bottom Right: Claudia Tajima returns to Tufts as captain and is hoping to be back in the hunt in the New England region this year. PHOTO: ANDREW DAVIS

make things interesting by going DIII this year. Carleton-B and Grinnell have their sights set on nationals again, and Drake continues to build, led by Jennifer Perry.

SOUTH CENTRAL

2012 COLLEGE SERIES

WOMEN’S DIVISION PREVIEW In Division III, Valparaiso – a semifinalist at last year’s championships in Buffalo – should again challenge in a very small region. North Park will also contend.

Disappointing losses in the regional finals and backdoor game-to-go last year left Rice to wonder what could have been. Austine Lin has graduated, but Edith Teng, Catherine Chen, and Emily Wheeler return to again challenge for a bid to Nationals and now have a year of club experience with Inferno under their belt. They will have to overcome longtime contender Texas, whose roster is bolstered by four Showdown players and a number of others who bettered themselves by playing club in the off-season. Janel Venzant returns for a fifth year and the team has a nice addition in grad student Sarah Levinn, formerly of Richmond. Washington University, who has now qualified for nationals three years in a row, will rely heavily on Kami Groom to punch their ticket to Boulder again this year. Colorado is led by the core of Amanda Good, Whitney Fose, and Christina Mickle, all tremendous players. The team’s depth may be an issue, but new coach, Bravo captain and Colorado alum Jack McShane, will have the team in fine form come April and May. Colorado College, last year’s Cinderella story will also challenge again, but this time without superstars Sophie Herscu and Hannah Sohl. With Rice and Colorado College almost certainly pursuing a ticket to Boulder, Truman State is the frontrunner in DIII. Gone are all of the players from the 2007 team that qualified for college nationals, but this year’s team, led by Betsey York, Jennifer May, and Sarah Warner, is ready to make a serious run at the DIII crown.

OHIO VALLEY Ohio State has one of the best young players in the country in Cassie Swafford, but will have to hold off a well-balanced Pittsburgh team led by Bailey Moorhead, Robin Eng, Katelyn Loughery, and Jeanne Sullivan. Penn State, led by Steph Stewart, Katie Erikson, and Dana Salada, should also be on the list of relevant teams, and Swarthmore could be the dark horse of the region, though their showing at QCTU against higher level competition did not go as well as they would have liked. With Swarthmore’s sights set on Boulder, DIII is relatively wide open. Oberlin is traveling to several higher-level tournaments this year and three players even flew to a captaining clinic in January. Their commitment to developing their team and program is commendable, and should pay off in the long run. Others like Gettysburg and Haverford will also be looking to qualify.

NEW ENGLAND Tufts will benefit from the return of captains Claudia Tajima and Hailey Alm from their semesters abroad. Dartmouth, led by Emma Frankel, will be in the mix, and Northeastern is hoping to be back in the hunt this year as they rebuild from their backto-back appearances at nationals in 2008 and 2009.

GREAT LAKES Michigan and Northwestern sit atop the Great Lakes again. Paula Seville and Lien Hoffman are among the best players in the nation, and their ability to control their teams’ offenses will dictate how well their teams do. A one bid region would make things much more interesting, but if a second bid can be secured, all challengers will find themselves on the outside looking in.

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METRO EAST This is Ottawa’s first year competing in USA Ultimate’s Series without the original core of players who took the team to nationals (Anne Mercier, Danielle Fortin, and Alex Benedict).

the Pleiades this year. However, North Carolina-Wilmington is much improved from the fall and will be led by Claire Chastain, Anne Marie Wilson, and Michelle Guadagno. Virginia continues to improve each year and returns their own trifecta of Devon Ericksen, Shannon McVey, and Maggie John. The value of adding Manu Argilli as a coach cannot be overstated. This region would be a lot more interesting with only two bids, but with these three teams placing in the top four at QCTU, they have put themselves in a good position to earn at least two strength bids. In the Atlantic Coast, a number of teams will compete for a bid to DIII Nationals. Mary Washington narrowly won the region last year and fellow qualifier St. Mary’s has lost leader Brooke Austin. Neither team fared well at nationals, but both will be looking to return again this year. Elon has showed some early season promise, and if Richmond chooses to go DIII, they will compete for ticket to Appleton.

SOUTHEAST

The team is in the very capable hands of Kathryn Pohran, but should she make Team Canada, she may not be competing with the team during the Series. Cornell was hit hard with some big losses including Jackie Booth and a dozen others, but has gained grad students Lola Longe and Michaela Dudley, formerly of Texas and North Carolina respectively. They will give the team some much-needed depth. The very underrated Claire Valdivia has returned to Maryland for grad school (interesting storyline is that her little sister whom she captained is now her captain), and Delaware’s strong showing at QCTU means that anything could happen come regionals. In DIII, College of New Jersey is led by outstanding athlete Katie Ryan. Their main rival will be Princeton, led by Kelly Weeks.

ATLANTIC COAST North Carolina is the early frontrunner in the region with Lindsay Lang, Shellie Cohen, and Lisa Couper leading the charge for 22

Central Florida has made quite a splash this year, making semis at Classic City Classic, winning Florida Winter Classic, and making semis at QCTU in only their third year as a team. Ashley Schermerhorn is a talented player and capable leader, and the team is challenging themselves with a tough schedule, which will hopefully pay off down the line when pressure mounts. The region appears to be theirs to lose, but a second bid, or a team on a hot streak at regionals could make things interesting. Georgia also has a challenging season schedule, and the return of Lane Siedor for the series will be an interesting twist, and could give Emily Lloyd and the rest of Dawgma the firepower they need to compete with Central Florida. Florida, last year’s Southeast qualifier, cannot be overlooked either. Lili Morris, formerly of Colorado, and Jackie Fane bring experience in big games to the table. Florida State and Megan Reeves could also play spoiler in the Southeast. An extra bid to Nationals for the Southeast would make this an incredibly fun regionals to watch. The Southeast did not have a representative at the DIII College Championships last year, and the event moving to the Midwest may not increase the chances of there being a Southeast representative this year. With so few DIII teams in the Southeast, merely meeting the 10-game minimum may be enough to qualify.

Left: Ottawa could add some Canadian flavor to nationals again with a bid from the Metro East region. PHOTO: KEVIN LECLAIRE/ULTIPHOTOS Right: Anne Marie Wilson looks to lead UNC-Wilmington to nationals in a tough Atlantic Coast region that also features frontrunner and rival North Carolina. PHOTO: ANDREW DAVIS

In one of the stronger DIII regions, Williams, Smith, and Brandeis lead the pack of teams. Rachel Kessler, Amy Darling, and Claire Baecher lead the charge for Williams and the existence of a B-team puts them in a good position. Amber Sinicrope (Smith) and Vicky Negus (Brandeis) are two other noteworthy players, both playing elite club with Brute Squad this past season. Smith’s program has exploded, with 40+ players regularly attending practices. This bodes well for the continued growth and development of their team. Wellesley, who attended DIII Nationals last year, has been hit hard by graduation but good coaching and an established B-team put them in a good position as well.

2012

Amber Sinicrope (Smith)

presence on the field is undeniable. I couldn’t ask for a better friend and teammate.” – Vicky Chang, Michigan Flywheel

Amherst alum Amber Sinicrope is a 7-year veteran of Boston’s Brute Squad club division team, a two-time Team USA participant in the junior world championships, a college championships quarterfinalist, a DIII nationals semifinalist, and was voted All-Region in two different regions. “Amber has been one of the most influential players I have ever been on a team with. Not only does she have tremendous spirit on and off the field, but she has a wonderful ability to bring out the physical best in the players around her. Her commitment to women’s Ultimate and her technical knowledge of the game has been instrumental in introducing me to the wider Ultimate community.” – Clare Horan, teammate “Amber is the best player I have ever had the pleasure of watching play the game of Ultimate. She finds ways in practice and in games to help her team build its confidence, perform at a higher level that they expect to, and share the joy of playing Ultimate…and possesses no ego about being able to do so.” – Casey “Dale” Krone, coach

Kami Groom

(Washington University) I had the privilege of watching Kami Groom play at her first tournament, South Regionals, in 2009. Her performance, the only tournament she attended prior to Nationals, earned her Freshman of the Year honors. 1

Marie Madaras

(UC-Santa Barbara) Marie Madaras is considered by many to be the most dominant player in women’s college Ultimate, and for good reason. Her athleticism and ability to carry her team on her shoulders are virtually unmatched. She finished atop the leaderboard for goals scored at last year’s nationals and finished just shy of the top 10 in goals scored at Club Nationals (Mixed division). Madaras also helped Team USA to a world title at the WFDF World Championships of Beach Ultimate in August, 2011. Despite taking the winter quarter off, she is capable of piecing together an impressive spring season and a top5 finish in the Callahan voting is almost a given. “Marie will layout bigger and outwork anyone else on the field, while catching every disc thrown in her general proximity. Marie is a strong leader on and off the field, showing dedication to the improvement of her teammates and fierce loyalty as a friend.” – Carolyn Finney, former teammate and UCSB Burning Skirts Captain

Paideia alum Paula Seville led the women’s field at college nationals last year with an astounding 48 goals thrown. Her performance undoubtedly contributed tremendously to Flywheel’s silver medal performance in Boulder.

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Kami’s quiet demeanor and humble attitude have made her easy to overlook in the past, but her skills and athleticism are so jaw-dropping that college women’s Ultimate is now being forced to take note. – M.N.

Maggie Ruden (Sonoma State)

Paula Seville (Michigan)

“As a friend, Paula is very honest, loyal and always fun to be around. As a captain, I look up to her and trust her on and off the field. After losing a bunch of our handlers our Junior year, Paula really stepped it up and settled into the role really well. She’s quick, has throws that are precise and hard to stop, and her

Since then, she’s been quietly lighting up the South Region and causing out-of-region opponents to ask, “Who is that girl?” Kami’s gutsy performance at Club Nationals against Ozone earned her some well-deserved national attention, and she is now a captain of three-time nationals qualifier Wash U, a team she has helped lead on the field for three years.

Maggie holds the distinction of being the only player in my Callahan Top 5 who has not qualified for College Nationals. While I do believe that the performance of a Callahan nominee’s team should be taken into account, the case for Ruden is not in what her team has accomplished on the national stage, but in how far her team has come over the past five years. In the team’s first year, Sonoma State finished in the bottom pack of teams at regionals. They have been on the rise since with an 11th-place finish in 2009, a sixth-place finish in 2010, and a fourth-place finish and an appearance in a game-to-go last year. While the regional redraw makes it difficult to measure how far Sonoma State has truly come, their early season win at Santa Barbara Invite shows just how much potential the team has. Just two short years ago at President’s Day, another early season tournament, Sonoma State lost every single game. If Sonoma State qualifies for nationals this year, Ruden should be an easy consideration for a top-finish in the Callahan voting. And if they don’t , she still warrants serious consideration. – M.N. Callahan Favorites (Top to Bottom) Amber Sinicrope (Smith), Marie Madaras (UCSB), Paula Seville (Michigan), Kami Groom (Washington University), Maggie Ruden (Sonoma State).

PHOTOS: KEVIN LECLAIRE/ULTIPHOTOS, SCOTT ROEDER, LECLAIRE, ROEDER, KYLE MCBARD

5 TOP

?’s

Michelle Ng ponders some of the questions on the minds of college Ultimate fans in 2012, and gives us her answers.

Will the UC-Santa Barbara Burning Skirts Repeat?

Last year, I said no, and Carolyn Finney and Marie Madaras proved me wrong. I’ll go with no again – Madaras being gone for the winter will hurt the team, and there is no obvious replacement for Finney. However, they’re a great group of girls with a proven ability to win year after year. Anything short of an appearance in the semifinals would be a disappointment.

Will the UCSB Burning Skirts defend their title? PHOTO: SCOTT ROEDER

As one of the top-5 young players in the country, Shellie Cohen tries to help UNC break the West Coast streak. PHOTO: KEVIN LECLAIRE/ULTIPHOTOS

Who is this season’s Dark Horse?

Who are the top five young players to keep an eye on?

Central Florida. Strong early season performances make them a little bit less of a dark horse, but this team caught my eye at Classic City Classic, and I would not be at all surprised to see them break into the top 12 at nationals this year.

While playing a range of different roles on the field, all of these players are characterized by three things that will make them exciting players to watch in 2012 and beyond – athleticism, skill and humility:

2012 COLLEGE SERIES

Cassie Swafford (Ohio State)

WOMEN’S DIVISION PREVIEW

Emily Lloyd (Georgia) Diana Charrier (Texas) Sophie Darch (Oregon) Shellie Cohen (UNC)

Predictions

Sophie Darch looks to keep the West Coast streak alive for Oregon. PHOTO: KEVIN LECLAIRE/ULTIPHOTOS

Will a non-West Coast team win Nationals in 2012?

Without having had the opportunity to see the West Coast teams at all this year yet, this is a tough question to answer. It’s been 10 years since a team not near the Pacific Ocean won the championship (University of Georgia in 2001), so I’m going to go with no on this one. Other regions such as the North Central and Atlantic Coast have grown much stronger in recent years, and I think teams like Michigan, North Carolina, and Wisconsin could all end teams’ seasons. However, I think the chances of Washington, Oregon, UCSB, or another West Coast team winning are too great to bet against.

Who are the best seven players in college ultimate?

My starting seven would be: Claire Chastain (UNCW)

Paula Seville (Michigan)

Amber Sinicrope (Smith)

Claire Desmond (California)

Marie Madaras (UCSB)

Kami Groom (Wash U)

Maggie Ruden (Sonoma State) Injured reserve: Bailey Zahniser (Oregon)

Projecting The Nationals’ Field

British Columbia California UC-Santa Barbara Carleton Central Florida Iowa Michigan North Carolina North Carolina-Wilmington Northwestern Ohio State Oregon Ottawa Rice Sonoma State Stanford Texas Washington Wisconsin Virginia

Quarterfinalists California UC-Santa Barbara Central Florida Michigan North Carolina Oregon Stanford Washington A couple of Claires: Chastain (UNCW) and Desmond (Cal) are two of the top players in the country looking for success in Boulder. PHOTO: BRIAN CANNIFF/ULTIPHOTOS

Semifinalists UCSB Michigan North Carolina Washington

Championship Game

Michigan vs. Washington

Winner Washington

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coordinators of the year 2

USA ULTIMATE CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS SERIES MIXED DIVISION Sectional Coordinator of the Year Jody Ayers – Gulf Coast Jody helped revitalize the Gulf Coast Section this year after many years of low participation. The 2010 sectional event had to be combined with another section due to low numbers, however last year Jody recruited new teams and encouraged their participation, resulting in the most successful Gulf Coast Sectional event in many years. Hugh Daschbach – South Mixed RC Honorable Mention: Fi Cheng – Metro New York, Liz Margl – Northwest Plains

Regional Coordinator of the Year Jon Ladd – Norwest Region Jon did an outstanding job as RC this year. His ability to anticipate the demands of the Northwest region, to collaborate effectively with his fellow RCs, and to complete tasks significantly ahead of deadlines allowed for increased preparation, organization, and smooth operations throughout the year. Kris Kelly – National Mixed Director

OPEN DIVISION Sectional Coordinator of the Year Chris Pollard – Gulf Coast Chris absolutely deserves this award because of his timely and efficient work, as well as a flawlessly run sectional tournament. I have heard from both players and captains that he was friendly and helpful. Chris is a tireless volunteer for USA Ultimate, and is enthusiastic in a section that historically struggles. In all candor, I know that Chris is an asset to USA Ultimate, and undoubtedly deserves recognition for his continued and dedicated service to our organization. Jim Martinez – South RC Honorable Mention: Eric Martin – North Carolina

Regional Coordinator of the Year Alex Ghesquiere – Northwest Alex continues to make things quiet. And quiet is good. With early preparation and clear communication, he continues to impress with his efficiency and ability to both tackle and prevent issues. Adam Goff – National Open Director

WOMEN’S DIVISION Sectional Coordinator of the Year Nancy Brower – Gulf Coast Nancy volunteered to be the Gulf Coast Women’s Sectional Coordinator after figuring out that there was none appointed. She single-handedly rounded up contacts of various teams from around the section in order to make the event happen. Having little experience with USAU events previously, she very quickly familiarized herself with the guidelines and was able to pull the event together in less than two months. At the inaugural event, three women’s teams participated, and all of them ended up qualifying and attending Regionals. With more college teams hoping to attend next year, Nancy also hopes to implement the STAR program at this year’s coming sectionals. Tina Woodings – South RC Honorable Mention: Sonya Wytinck – Rocky Mountain

Regional Coordinator of the Year Kim Kreitner – Mid-Atlantic For 10 years, Kim has displayed her dedication as a USA Ultimate volunteer. Kim has had another stellar year. In terms of challenges, this year presented Kim with a massive uncontrollable—the weather. Through it all, Kim created a line of communication and discussion to ensure educated decisions were being made about locations and dates for rescheduling the regional event. As I have come to expect, she is always on top of things and she represents USA Ultimate well. I look forward to another successful year working with Kim in the redrawn Mid-Atlantic Region! DeAnna Ball – National Women’s Director Honorable Mention: Kate Wilson - Central

MASTERS DIVISION Regional Coordinator of the Year Alexander Dee - Central

WOMEN’S DIVISION D-I Conference Coordinator Robyn Fennig – North Central

Alexander epitomized efficiency and professionalism in his work and his communication in serving the Central Region. His knowledge and implementation of the policies and procedures of the USA Ultimate Championship Series remains exceptional. Alexander’s lengthy service as Masters Central Regional Coordinator continues to be exemplary. David Raflo – USA Ultimate National Events Manager

Robyn looked challenge after challenge in the eye and successfully ran high quality events all over the region. When rostering issues came up Robyn responded promptly and helped get them fixed. When other coordinators could not be found Robyn stepped up and not only answered questions but organized extra events. The North Central was fortunate to have a coordinator like Robyn who went above and beyond not only in her position, but excelled at others as well.

USA ULTIMATE COLLEGE CHAMPIONSHIPS SERIES OPEN DIVISION D-I Conference Coordinator of the Year Johnathan Hoffman – Ohio Valley Jonathan dealt with adversity admirably. With six events in one weekend when rain prevented events from running as planned Jonathan was able to successfully reschedule or move all the events and ensured that all ran smoothly. He also stepped up and was instrumental in ensuring Ohio Valley Regionals ran without problems as well. Honorable Mention: Micah Flynn (New England)

D-III Conference Coordinator of the Year Steven Naji – South Central Steven had the unenviable task of having to plan an event for teams spread across one of the largest geographic regions. He not only planned a great event but was prompt, consistent, and always ahead of schedule in both communications and in planning. He also proved to be more than just a planner but also a critical resource for all the teams in D-III throughout the South Central Conference.

Regional Director of the Year Dave Branick – Atlantic Coast What can be said about Dave Branick that hasn’t already been said? Every year he plans and runs college events that are unparalleled. He is always looking for ways to help the teams in his region with whatever problems they may encounter and is always available to not only the other coordinators in his region but to anyone that needs his help or advice. Dave is a model of consistency, efficiency, and excellence as a Regional Director.

Honorable Mention: Crystal Aeppli

D-III Conference Coordinator of the Year Brooke Austin – Atlantic Coast Brooke Austin was remarkable. she not only successfully pulled together an incredible DIII tournament for the men and the women of the Atlantic Coast, but when we were struggling to find fields and support for DI she stepped up and helped out instantly. She made everyone’s job easy and could always count on her to be on top of things.

Regional Director of the Year Heather Ann Brauer – Atlantic Coast When you have a partner such as Dave Branick setting the bar high it can be hard to live up to expectations. Heather not only lived up to expectations but surpassed them. Heather organized and ran not only a top-notch regional event but she was critical in the success of all of the events in the Atlantic Coast. Her dedication is only surpassed by her ability to achieve.

USA ULTIMATE STATE HIGH SCHOOL CHAMPIONSHIPS STATE YOUTH COORDINATORS Justin Salvia – Colorado Justin’s organization and attention to detail helps Colorado high school Ultimate continue its development. He has worked hard to structure the season, rally and support volunteers, and provide an organizational framework for teams that allows for meaningful playing opportunities throughout the year. Justin has also successfully piloted a fall Mixed State Championship that works symbiotically with the spring Open and Girls State Championships to grow all divisions and allow for multiple compelling seasons. Baker Pratt – Manager of Competition and Athlete Programs Honorable Mention: Benjamin Haim (New Jersey)

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prese n te d by:

C O A C H E S P L AY B O O K By: Kyle Weisbrod Presented by: Five Ultimate

Beating the Sag

few issues ago this column discussed the The result is that when a handler has an opportunity defensive tactic called “sagging” or “sponging” against the Sag to get off a downfield throw, the cutters against a horizontal offense. The sag utilizes are out of position. Either they’ve gotten themselves poaching off of the reset handlers in order to clog the too deep so that defenders can unabashedly front, or center lane and make downfield throws more difficult. their timing is off so that the thrower is unable to take While the sag is a useful technique to slow a standard advantage of the opening.

horizontal offense, there are counter-tactics which the The sideline can play a valuable role in helping downfield offense can utilize in order to take advantage of the cutters and their space and timing. At most levels, you defensive set. When employed correctly, these counter- can see sidelines helping teams on defense, but you’ll tactics can allow for easy and effective movement of often hear less sideline talk when a team is on offense. the disc and force the defense out of the sag. The That may be because the role isn’t stressed as much, or two primary concepts are handler movement and perhaps players and coaches just aren’t sure what to maintaining appropriate cutter spacing. This article will say. In the horizontal offense, the sideline has a much talk about both concepts generally and why they are better perspective than the downfield cutters. Here the effective, as well discuss specific handler movement sideline can say things like: which can be utilized. “Not to deep” or “push in” – meaning get the horizontal closer to the handlers. Handler Movement

The sag is predicated on reset handlers staying in their “Push wider” or “come to the sideline” – meaning clear expected positions and handlers looking primarily all the way to the line to create more width to use downfield for any continue throws once they receive “Go, go, go” – letting a cutter on the sideline know that it the disc. Lack of handler movement allows one or is time to engage their cut to take advantage of the disc both reset defenders to dedicate a significant amount movement and/or the other cutters’ movements of attention to clogging the downfield throwing lanes. If those resets continue to stay in expected locations “Hang out” – letting a cutter on the sideline know that on the reset, it is easy for the new mark to set up they should pause for a moment to allow space to clear, and for the previous mark to step in to the throwing or for the disc to move to a more advantageous position lane. Without handler movement the new mark knows This kind of talk can be useful for any horizontal offense, exactly where his poaching defender will be and can but particularly one where the handlers are struggling force towards them. to move the disc downfield. Hopefully the handlers are able to get the movement worked out, but it won’t Handler movement forces those defenders to take extra be any help at all if the downfield has fallen in to a consideration of the resets, distracting them from their disorganized mess. ability to focus on poaching. It makes any new marks unsure of where their help defense will be, giving extra opportunity for a new thrower to hit a downfield option. This handler movement can include any number of variations but there are two critical elements: the resets should cross the vertical plane of the thrower and the movement should take advantage of off-tempo resets.

Cutter Space

Another area where the sag takes advantage of the horizontal offense is in the downfield cutting spacing. For many teams that run the horizontal offense, as the disc moves laterally or backward, the cutters drift further and further away from the disc. This is typically the result of poor discipline on the part of the downfield cutters or lack of awareness regarding the disc’s position. The sag, even when worked against effectively, often requires one or more lateral or backwards throws. 30

Specific Handler Movement Against the Sag Give and Go The give and go is a standard ploy in most any offense, but it is particularly useful against the sag when thrown to one of the handlers being poached. The beauty of the give and go (Figure A) in this situation is that it doesn’t even have to be completed in order for it to be most effective. The simple movement of the original thrower clearing the lane will also clear out the potential poaching defender and create an opportunity to hit a downfield cutter (Figure B – throw 2). If the give and go is completed, the original thrower gets the disc back in power position and the opportunity to make a play (Figure B – throw 1).

2 2 2

1 1

Figure A

MARK (STRAIGHT UP) DEFENDERS HANDLES

DISC THROW CUT

DISC THROW

Figure B

All offenses should have a call for a give and go and strategy leaders/coaches should be prepared to employ it when faced with a sagging defense.

The Dish Dishes are more frequently used in vertical offenses where switching the field can open up a whole new cutting lane. The dish against a sag defense can serve a similar purpose to the give and go and again can be at its most effective when the dish isn’t even completed. As mentioned, the sag relies on the defense’s comfort in where the reset cutters are set-up. By moving the reset cutter to the opposite side of the thrower, that reset’s defender is forced to make a decision: stay in his assigned lane or follow the reset across the field. If he chooses to follow the reset across the field, that lane opens up, often without the mark realizing and being able to compensate (Figure C). If the thrower chooses to hit the dish, the new thrower may now have an opportunity to hit a downfield cutter in a newly opened lane (Figure D). Critical to the dish is that the original thrower clears his lane immediately after making the throw. This movement will engage the defender and can reopen his original throwing lane (Figure E).

The Dish to the Give and Go

MARK (STRAIGHT UP) DEFENDERS HANDLES

Figure C

DISC THROW CUT

MARK (STRAIGHT UP) DEFENDERS HANDLES

Figure D

also adds a little bit of “off-timed resets”. An off-timed reset is a reset that occurs earlier than the defense expects it. Most teams have predictable resets – they look at stall 4 or 5. This allows the defense to make adjustments at that point in the stall count to make the reset more difficult. By changing up the timing of the reset, the offense becomes less predictable and defense becomes harder. In the dish to the give-and-go, the original reset, after receiving the disc, fakes the break continue (Figure D). If that throw is not there, he hits the original thrower (who has cleared space) and then cuts for the give and go. The original thrower can either throw the give and go or fake it and look back to the open lane (Figure F). This movement creates two spots where a reset crosses the vertical plane of the thrower and makes the sag more difficult. These are not the only plays that can break down the sag defense. Strike cuts (upfield reset cuts) can be effective as well. Some other offenses choose to change the entire focus of the offense and work the sidelines instead of the middle of the field against the sag. But handler movement can be a valuable tool in breaking down the sag with movement that is quick, crosses the vertical plane of the thrower and off-time being most effective.

By combining the two above stunts, the offense can create nearly impossible to defend movement that will open up your offense. In this stunt, immediately following the dish, the new thrower gives it back to the original thrower and cuts up line for the give-and-go. This

Figure D

DISC THROW CUT

S P R I N G 2 0 12

2 1

MARK (STRAIGHT UP) DEFENDERS HANDLES

Figure E

DISC THROW CUT

MARK (STRAIGHT UP) DEFENDERS HANDLES

Figure F

DISC THROW CUT

MARK (STRAIGHT UP) DEFENDERS HANDLES

play more ultimate.

W H AT ’ S T H E C A L L By: Jon Bauman, Chair of the USA Ultimate Standing Rules Committee

As players of a self-officiated sport, it is our responsibility to know the rules. This column features answers to your rules questions and clarifies common misconceptions about the rules.

Can a marker call a foul on himself for interfering with a thrower’s motion? xvi.h.1 seems clear that only the fouled player can call the foul. But xix.a also says that a player committing the infraction (is a foul an infraction?) should tell the infracted player that an infraction occurred. If the marker does that, does it stop play? Or does the thrower then have to call a foul, after being told of the infraction?

ANSWER

No, only the fouled player may call a foul (XVI.H.1). Rule XIX.A encourages a player committing an uncalled infraction (yes, both fouls and violations are infractions) to “inform” the infractee. This is different from calling it. The player committing the infraction should be careful to not stop play, either by saying the names of infractions (“foul,” “pick,” etc.) or by initiating a discussion. “You can call that” is adequate to inform your opponent. In addition, a player may inform an opponent of an infraction during a discussion, at the next convenient stoppage or between points. Finally, a marker who has committed a foul is free to pause or reset the stall count in acknowledgment of an uncalled foul that he or she commits.

Is a throw legal if the disc does not rotate 360 degrees?

ANSWER

Though all good throws require rotation, the only place in the rules concerned with spinning or rotation is the determination of possession (II.O):

Can a player call a foul on herself? PHOTO: KEVIN LECLAIRE/ULTIPHOTOS

I have a rules question which is not clear from reading the rule book. If a receiver catches the disc in bounds and their momentum carries them out, are they required to ground tap the disc before throwing? It is especially confusing since the rules say the receiver is still considered “in bounds,” which would imply the disc is still in play. However, they can’t make a legal throw, which implies it is live.

ANSWER

The thrower is required to touch the Possession of the disc: Sustained contact with, and control of, disc to the ground in this scenario. The disc is “live” rather than a non-spinning disc. “in play” in this situation. See the definition of “live” (II.R.2, Since there is nothing that requires a throw to rotate, all it emphasis added): takes to be a legal throw is to be “A disc in flight following any throwing motion (including a fake) that results in the thrower losing contact with the disc.” (II.T)

A disc is live when players are allowed to move and the disc is subject to a turnover, but the thrower cannot make a legal pass (e.g., walking the disc to the spot where it is to be put into play). There is nothing about a disc or player being in-bounds which implies that the disc is live, it is the case that an in-bounds disc on the playing field is in play, but that is not the case here.

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Chicago Ultimate Training Youth Summer Camp July 15-20 & 22-27 | Chicago, IL

Brodie Smith of Doublewide & IN AlleyCats

We are a stop on the NexGen Tour

Grant Zukowski of Machine

2012 Head Coaches Include:

Mario O'Brien of Rhino

Georgia Bosscher of Fury Jon “Goose” Helton of Machine & IN AlleyCats

Executive Director: Arnoush Javaherian of NV Ultimate

CLUB RESTRUCTURING IS COMING

As a component of its last five-year strategic plan created in 2008, USA Ultimate recently announced changes to its club division’s competition structure for 2012, as well as two proposed models for 2013 and beyond. USA Ultimate has solicited a significant amount of feedback and ideas from its membership and constituents throughout the last several years in order to revise the previous structure. The USA Ultimate Board of Directors, a 25-member Club Restructuring Task Force, the Championship Committee, headquarters staff and volunteers from around the country collectively identified several goals to address with the introduction of a new structure. These goals include: • The creation of a formal regular season which leads into the USA Ultimate Club

Championship Series • The introduction of divisional playing opportunities for teams at different levels • Thorough evaluation and changes to the geographic breakdown to address travel,

event and competition related issues • Improvement of the bid allocation process to the Club Championship Series • Opportunities to showcase the sport of Ultimate at its highest level The two plans proposed for 2013 include the Triple Crown model and the Super Region model. Throughout the next couple of months, USA Ultimate will formally solicit feedback on these two plans in the form of a survey. Take the survey here: https://www.surveymonkey. com/s/2013clubrestructure The Triple Crown plan and the Super Region plan each approach the various goals of the restructure process in different ways. The plans share some elements, while significantly differ in others. The pros and cons are each open to debate, while each structure is exciting and viable in its own right. Feedback from the community of teams, event organizers and fans may end up leaning towards one structure as a whole, or there may be elements of both that are compelling. In the end, community feedback will be used in the final planning and decision-making process this summer before a final structure for 2013 is announced in August. For those interested in learning about the proposed plans, and/or providing feedback, visit the link below for complete details and keep an eye out for a survey in your inbox!

http://www.usaultimate.org/news/2013-club-restructure-options/ Thanks to all of our members who have contributed their time, thoughts and opinions throughout the club restructuring process. Your feedback is needed and appreciated!

NEWS & NOTES USA Ultimate Giving Away $4,500 in Grants For the last 15 years we’ve been awarding financial grants annually for projects that advance the sport of Ultimate through innovative ideas. If you’re in need of funding for your Ultimate-related project, apply for one of our 2013 Innovation Grants. USA Ultimate has again earmarked a total of $4,500 for this program (up to $1,500 per proposal), giving the Ultimate community an opportunity to implement and support ideas and programs that might not otherwise be possible. Recent 2012 Innovation Grant recipients include: Team Ultimate Camp (Seattle, WA) – $1,000 – A series of summer camps for middle school students in the Greater Seattle area. All Girl Everything Ultimate Program AGE-UP (Seattle, WA) – $1,500 – A partnership between the Women’s Sports Foundation, Seattle Parks and Recreation and local college and club Ultimate teams. AGE-UP provides opportunities for girls in underserved neighborhoods, and teaches fitness, teamwork, conflict resolution, leadership and relationship building.

Merchandise Partners Named for 2012 Championship Events USA Ultimate recently awarded several official merchandise contracts to apparel companies for its 2012 championship events. Participants, families and spectators attending USA Ultimate’s 10 championship tournaments this year will again have the opportunity to commemorate their experience with top-quality gear from several Official Merchandise Partners. After USA Ultimate again experienced growth in terms of participation, exposure and attendance at its championship events, a record number of companies submit bids to design, produce and sell souvenirs and apparel. If you’re attending one of these regional or national competitions in 2012, be sure to stop by and pick of some gear! Breakmark: USA Ultimate High School Northeastern Championships (Boston, Mass.) Five Ultimate: USA Ultimate High School Central Championships (Naperville, Ill.), Western Championships (Orem, Utah), Youth Club Championships (Blaine, Minn.), Club Championships (Sarasota, Fla.)

Respect the Game Deserves (Des Plaines, IL) – $1,400 – An intramural Ultimate club at a public junior high school that allows low-income ethnic students the opportunity to learn the game of Ultimate.

Spin: USA Ultimate High School Southern Championships (Chattanooga, Tenn.)

Discs for BAWSI Girls (San Jose, CA) – $950 – The Bay Area Women’s Sports Initiative (BAWSI) Girls is a program that connects female college and high school athletes with young girls living in underserved communities. The grant allows BAWSI to incorporate disc games into their curriculum.

VC Ultimate: USA Ultimate Division III College Championships (Appleton, Wis.), College Championships (Boulder, Colo.), Grand Masters & Masters Women’s Championships (Blaine, Minn.)

USA Ultimate will accept applications for 2013 grants beginning Aug. 1, through Sept. 14. To download an Innovation Grant Application or learn more, visit usaultimate.org/resources.

partnership with USA Ultimate, Discraft continues to offer an exclusive 20% discount to USA Ultimate affiliated teams, clubs, leagues and tournaments. To order, visit usaultimate.org/membership.

Us open

2012 open and Women’s CoLLeGe pReVIeW

2011 CooRdInaToRs oF THe YeaR

USA

ULTIMATE

O FFICIAL MAGA ZIN E O F USA U LTIMATE — SPR IN G 20 1 2

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Discraft, manufacturer of the 175g Ultrastar disc approved for championship play, recently renewed its sponsorship of USA Ultimate and the national governing body’s championship series of events. The Ultrastar will serve as the exclusive competitive disc at all 10 of USA Ultimate’s championship events, while the Discraft brand will receive exclusive on-site marketing & sponsorship rights at nine tournaments. As part of its

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Discraft Renews Sponsorship of USA Ultimate

Welcome to Our First “Green” Issue After many of our members inquired about an electronic version of this magazine, and a fall of 2010 member survey that overwhelmingly suggested we give readers the option to

choose between a traditional print copy or an e-copy delivered to your inbox, USA Ultimate is now being issued both ways beginning with the Spring, 2012 edition. When joining the organization in 2012, USA Ultimate members were automatically opted into receiving the electronic version, with the opportunity to change your preference to a traditional hard copy. Current members who wish to receive a hard copy instead of the electronic version can change their preferences at any time by logging on to usaultimate.org and editing their account. The advantages of an e-copy are twofold – a minimal impact on the environment, and a much faster distribution time since the printing and mailing process typically takes up to three weeks. In order to continue providing top-notch customer service to our members, we welcome any comments related to the publication of USA Ultimate. Tell us what you think about our new electronic version!

NEWS & NOTES USA Ultimate Hires Three USA Ultimate’s headquarters grew by three employees this past winter as Richard Dana, David Mares and David Raflo joined the national governing body’s full-time staff. Dana was named manager of competition & athlete programs and will oversee USA Ultimate’s college division initiatives. He will primarily be responsible for the direction and management of college competition and related programs, including event planning, registration, processing, communication, personnel and other program-related duties. As USA Ultimate’s manager of events, Raflo will manage the spectrum of USA Ultimate’s 10 championships events and related qualifiers and local affiliated competitions. The newly-created position was designed to aid in the development and implementation of quality standards and best practices for events in order to ensure consistent, high-quality experiences for participants.

Mares was tabbed as USA Ultimate’s manager of membership development – a role in which he will support the organization’s continuous focus on the organization’s membership base through various programs and initiatives, emphasizing membership growth and retention, as well as enhanced services and communications.

Playing Ultimate? We Recommend Using These Discs Several disc manufacturers recently submitted their products for approval by USA Ultimate to be used in various levels of competition. Following testing protocol established by the Disc Standards Committee and applied by the Flight Test Pool, several discs received USA Ultimate’s official stamp of approval. The Daredevil 175g Gamedisc (Hot Stamp), the Discraft Ultrastar (Westland Mold, Supercolor Center) and the Discraft Ultrastar (Web Mold, Hot Stamp) have all received general approval for recreational, league and non-championship competitions. The Discraft Ultrastar (Westland Mold, Hot Stamp) is the sole disc approved for championship play, including USA Ultimate championship events and all related qualifying tournaments. USA Ultimate’s ongoing disc approval process is currently considering the Innova Pulsar for future championship and general level approvals. 20% discount on all Ultimate disc orders for teams, clubs, leagues and tournaments that are affiliated with USA Ultimate.

Hotel Partners With the competitive Ultimate season now if full swing, don’t forget to utilize USA Ultimate’s hotel partners to save money while traveling to tournaments. The Wyndham Hotel Group is offering the Ultimate community 20% off the Best Available Rate at any of its national brands, including Super 8, Ramada, Baymont Inns & Suites, Microtel Inn, Howard Johnson, Travelodge, Knights Inn, Hawthorn Suites, Wingate and Wyndham Garden Inn. This offer is valid for all USA Ultimate members, friends, family, teammates and anybody else looking to save! Use it for Ultimate-related travel, vacation, business, or any other purposes. Simply call 877-670-7088 and refer to Corporate I.D. # 1000009286 when booking your reservation.

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Three High Schools Capture Fall Prep Titles USA Ultimate conducted a trio of fall high school state championship tournaments last year and would like to recognize the results. Colorado held a state championship in the Mixed division as Denver East defeated Monarch 14-7 in the championship game to win the 18-team tournament. Colorado Academy captured the Spirit Award. In Maine, Cape Elizabeth beat Merriconeag 6-5 to also capture a Mixed division title as Camden Hills came away with the Spirit Award. The state of Washington also conducted an Open division championship in which Northwest School beat University Prep 12-9 in the championship game and Cleveland & Seattle Academy earned the Spirit Award. Congratulations to USA Ultimate’s fall state high school champions!

NEWS & NOTES The first camp was held in Atlanta, March 3-4, while the second camp is set to take place in Burlington, Wash. March 17-18, although the process began last summer when the U.S. National Team’s coaches were appointed. Ben Van Heuvelen and Kyle Weisbrod and were named boys’ and girls’ coaches respectively, and along with their assistant coaches, issued invitations in January after a comprehensive evaluation process. Once the team is selected in April, each squad will organize a prechampionships training camp prior to heading to Dublin for a week of competition. The boys’ team looks to defend its world title after beating Canada two years ago in Heilbronn, Germany, while the girls’ team is hoping to avenge a 13-12 semifinals loss to Colombia in 2010 and improve upon its bronze-medal performance. Joining Van Heuvelen on the boys’ coaching staff is Chase SparlingBeckley and George Stubbs, while Jamie Nuwer and Leila Tunnell are also on the girls’ coaching staff. Team USA is managed by Baker Pratt, USA Ultimate’s manager of competition and athlete programs in the youth division.

Correction:

Team USA Tryouts Under Way With the 2012 WFDF World Junior Ultimate Championships just a few short months away (Aug. 12-18 in Dublin, Ireland), USA Ultimate launched its search for the contingent of athletes who will represent the United States this summer. Approximately 20 boys and 20 girls will be named to Team USA following two invitational tryout camps this spring. With 160 invitations, the list of candidates represents the deepest talent pool ever and presents USA Ultimate with the challenging task of fielding a team from such a large group of deserving individuals.

Hall of Fame, Class of 2011 Announced USA Ultimate welcomed six new inductees to the Ultimate Hall of Fame in January. Open division representatives Kenneth Dobyns (Pawling, N.Y.), Tom Heimann (Wildwood, Mo.), Cliff Marhoefer (Portland, Ore.), and Mike O’Dowd (Arcata, Calif.), women’s division inductee Wende Coates Pinz (San Diego, Calif.) and special mention Jim Kenner (Wixom, Mich.) were selected by the national governing body’s Hall of Fame Voting Committee and comprise the eighth class to be inducted.

Kenneth Dobyns 38

Tom Heimann

The Injury Timeout column discussing concussions in the Winter 2011 edition of USA Ultimate (p.42) published an image of a player wearing protective headgear, along with a caption describing that protective headgear reduces the risk of concussions. That caption was inaccurate and was not endorsed by Dr. Nuwer. Scientific studies have not yet proven any protective equipment useful in preventing concussions. – Ed.

Dobyns led New York, New York to six national titles and four world championships throughout a 20-year career that spanned the 1980s and 90s. Heimann captained the St. Louis Tunas to a national title in 1984. Marhoefer was a dominant force on the Santa Barbara Condors in the late 70s and 80s before winning a pair of national titles in Portland. O’Dowd founded Windy City and turned it into a national and world champion before eventually winning national titles in San Francisco, Idaho/ Montana and his own Northwest masters team, Troubled Past. He won another world title in August of 2010. On the women’s side, Pinz played 16 years with various San Diego-

Cliff Marhoefer

Mike O’Dowd

Wende Coates Pinz

based teams, was a five-time nationals participant and silver medalist in 1990 and world championship competitor. As a special mention and one of the earliest competitive freestylers, Kenner is best known for introducing the Discraft Ultrastar 175g disc to the disc sport community in 1978. In 1991, the disc became the official disc for USA Ultimate tournament play. “Each year we are presented with the difficult challenge of selecting those who are most deserving of consideration for induction into the Hall of Fame,” said Suzanne Fields, Chair of the USA Ultimate Hall of Fame Committee. “The class of 2011 once again embodies the highest level of excellence, as well as the special meaning behind our great sport, that induction into the Hall represents. “As a fellow Hall of Fame member, I am honored to stand next to each of them.”

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Funding a College Program By: Harper Alexander

After the loss of a dear friend and teammate, the Brown University Men’s Ultimate Team bonded together in the memory of Mike Franz to create a sustainable endowment that supports the program and honors his legacy. Mike Franz was already a man when most of us on the Brown Men’s Ultimate Frisbee team still clung stubbornly to boyhood. Franz (everyone knew him by just the one name) stood out in every way in our tribe – his linebacker’s build, his booming voice, his obsessive training regimen, his old-fashioned earnest heart. I Mike Franz ’03 apologize in advance for the clichés, but they’re too fitting not to lean on here – he was indeed a “gentle giant,” a “big brother,” and “the heart” of the Brown Men’s Ultimate program for nearly a decade.

Brown University Men’s Ultimate Team

The primary drivers were Jon Jay (’04), Josh Champagne (’05), and Paul Vandenburg (’05), as well as Franz’s family and his girlfriend Bettina Dempsey (’02). I recently asked Paul how we’d gone from $0 to a thriving $100,000+ endowment: HA: How did the Fund start? PV: We calculated that the team budget per year was between $35,000–$45,000. That covered travel costs, tournament fees, equipment, and coaching stipends, and the players paid for most of this themselves. HA: So you focused on a permanent endowment?

Franz scored one of the greatest goals in our history in the 2000 National Championship game against Carleton. Midway through the second half, we held a tenuous 2- or 3-goal lead, and our D-line was on. Our O-line was on the sidelines hoping to grab 30 seconds of breath, so a forced turnover would’ve been terrific; a D-line goal just gravy.

PV: It was a cause that we all felt Franz would have been 100% behind. It helps the program survive and thrive, especially players who might need financial assistance. With Bettina’s and the Franz family’s blessing, we worked with the Brown Sports Foundation to set up a holding fund that would turn into an endowment if donations topped $100,000 within 18 months, per school policy.

Sure enough, the D forced a turnover, worked it into the wind, and finally someone put up a long throw to the end zone. Lumbering but savvy, Franz kept his defender behind him, leapt at the right moment, and hauled in the tremendous upwind goal. It was an upwind break, and it virtually sealed the championship. It was the most important goal of our season.

HA: How did you organize donations?

Away from the field, Franz was our best ambassador. He always welcomed and encouraged everyone who showed up to tryouts, and he built relationships with Brown Athletics to secure more practice space and time for us than otherwise would have been granted to a club sport. He didn’t want Ultimate to ever be limited by the size or quality of our practice space. Franz did the lion’s share of our recruiting, our networking, and our teaching. Franz did the work. After seeing the men’s rugby team use its hefty endowment to transform a muddy club field into a high-quality rugby pitch, it became his dream to start an endowment for our program as well. Franz suffered a brain aneurysm in November 2006, slipped into a coma, and passed away in his sleep in January 2007. What could we do? What should we do? By creating and funding the Mike Franz Memorial Fund, we did what we could to honor and remember our friend and teammate.

PV: We raised $25,000 almost immediately, an indication of how much everyone loved Franz. When donations slowed, we identified a class representative for each graduating class back to 1994. We also formed a small board of advisers made up of alumni, alumni parents, a former coach, and Bettina, to guide fundraising. We drafted a mission statement and a FAQ document, and we stepped up our communication with our network of frisbee alums, friends, and family. HA: How did we finally crack $100,000? PV: I decided to challenge my 2005 classmates to make an ambitious pledge, and then we threw that out as a challenge to the other grad classes. Competition had bound us together before, and I thought it might work again. Once we’d made a strong effort amongst ourselves, we reached out to parents and asked them to join their sons in the effort. After about six months, hundreds of emails and phone calls, and a tremendous outpouring of generosity from the community, we had crossed $100,000 and established the Michael Franz Endowment.

When we were all boys, Mike Franz was already a man. To honor Franz’s memory, we created something special and beneficial for our program. We miss him terribly.

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