Winter 2015 USA Ultimate Magazine by USA Ultimate

OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF USA ULTIMATE WINTER 2015

THE INTERNATIONAL ISSUE

CONTACT: REACHING MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING OVERSEAS TWO DECADES OF INTERNATIONAL ULTIMATE ULTIMATE AROUND THE WORLD A VIEW FROM BEHIND THE LENS ULTIMATE PLAYERS ASSOCIATION 5825 Delmonico Drive, Suite 350 Colorado Springs, CO 80919

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

CONTENTS FIRST THROW:

FEATURES:

3 A Letter to Our Members 5 By the Numbers: U.S. National Teams

he World of Ultimate: T Past, Present and Future

WFDF Member Associations

14 26

CONTACT: Reaching Mutual Understanding Overseas

A VIEW FROM BEHIND THE LENS

TWO DECADES OF INTERNATIONAL ULTIMATE Coordinators of the Year

COLUMNS: 33 Above the Competition 36 Nutrition Matters 39 What’s the Call? 43 News & Notes

ON THE COVER:

ULTIMATE AROUND THE WORLD

29 22

#HEFORSHE: A DAUGHTER’S ULTIMATE LOVE

I nternational events are highlighted by inter- and intra-team camaraderie and Spirit of the Game. (Top) The 2013 U-23 Mixed National Team celebrates their gold-medal win in Toronto. Photo: CBMT Creative; (Bottom) Several members of Australia’s U-23 women's team pose for the camera at the 2015 World Under-23 Championships in London. Photo: Jolie Lang/UltiPhotos

U S A U LT I M AT E

SEEN & HEARD WFDF WORLD RANKINGS RANK COUNTRY

1 United States of America 2 Canada 3 Great Britain 4 Germany 5 Japan 6 Australia 7 Colombia 8 France 9 Italy 10 Finland 11 New Zealand 12 Russia 13 Austria 14 Switzerland 15 Sweden 16 Ireland 17 Philippines 17 Denmark 19 Singapore 20 Czech Republic 21 Netherlands 21 Spain 23 Latvia 24 Poland 25 Mexico 26 Israel 27 Belgium 28 South Africa 29 Slovakia 30 Estonia 31 India 32 Portugal 33 Hong Kong 33 People’s Republic of China 35 South Korea 36 Hungary 36 Chinese Taipei 38 United Arab Emirates 39 Venezuela 39 Dominican Republic 41 Ukraine 42 Slovenia 43 Brazil 43 Uganda 45 Kenya 46 Turkey 46 Qatar NR Belarus NR Croatia NR Luxembourg

WINTER 2015

POINTS

USA ULTIMATE 5825 Delmonico Drive, Suite 350 Colorado Springs, CO 80919 719-219-8322 www.usaultimate.org info@usaultimate.org USA ULTIMATE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Mike Payne – President DeAnna Ball – Vice President Brian Garcia – Treasurer Josh Seamon – Secretary Val Belmonte Kathy Hendrickson Mary-Clare Brennan Stephen Hubbard Michael Eck Kevin Minderhout Ness Fajardo Henry Thorne

294 276 210 210 205 190 135 117 103 100 90 89 88 76 73 61 52 52 48 43 39 39 37 35 31 29 27 21

USA ULTIMATE STAFF Dr. Tom Crawford – Chief Executive Officer Administration & Finance Julia Lee – Director Ethan Taylor-Pierce Competition & Athlete Programs Will Deaver – Managing Director Ty Krajec Byron Hicks Connor Maloney Sarah Powers Dan Raabe David Raflo Ernest Toney Marketing & Communications Andy Lee – Director Matthew Bourland Stacey Waldrup Membership & Sport Development Josh Murphy — Director Leah Dolan-Kelley Kristen Gallagher Becca Simeone USA Ultimate is a non-profit organization and serves as the national governing body for the sport of ultimate in the United States. Founded in 1979 as the Ultimate Players Association (UPA), USA Ultimate is one of the first flying disc sport organizations in the world and the largest, with 50,000 members and a national volunteer network.

19 18 16 15 13 13 12 10 10 8 7 7 6 4 3 3 2 1 1 0 0 0

USA ULTIMATE USA Ultimate is the official publication of USA Ultimate, published quarterly. All ideas expressed in USA Ultimate are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of USA Ultimate, the national governing body. USA Ultimate assumes no responsibility for the return of unsolicited manuscripts or photographs. Editor-in-Chief Stacey Waldrup Advertising Complete rates and specifications are available online at www.usaultimate.org/sponsors. Change of Address USA Ultimate is not forwarded by the post office. To update your address, please contact USA Ultimate. For a complete list of contacts, visit www.usaultimate.org. Mission Statement To advance the sport of ultimate in the United States by enhancing and promoting Character, Community and Competition.

LIKE US. FOLLOW US.

usaultimate

LETTER TO OUR MEMBERS

International Development Dr. Tom Crawford USA Ultimate Chief Executive Officer

e had another great year in 2015 with excellent international success and continued growth across all levels of our sport and organization. I generally try to use this last magazine of the year to reflect on and summarize the year’s progress. However, as a complement to Rob “Nob” Rauch’s piece about the World Flying Disc Federation’s (WFDF) international development plans and initiatives (page 7), I thought it might be more interesting to describe how we are synched up with WFDF’s efforts, with a particular focus on how we got to this point, plans for the future and how important our partnership is strategically. Gaining permanent recognition from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) this year was a huge accomplishment and the realization of a major goal. WFDF, particularly Rob and Executive Director Volker Bernardi, did a truly fabulous job in pursuit of this transformative step for our sport.

USA Ultimate’s three biggest events are broadcast on ESPN, a relationship that helped increase the sport’s visibility and aided in the Olympic recognition process. Photo: Jolie Lang/UltiPhotos

The recognition puts us on the bench as a future Olympic sport at a particularly opportune time, given the current Olympic Agenda 2020 reform movement.

So how are we helping and aligning with WFDF’s efforts? Over the last couple of years, we have spent a lot of time proving ourselves to be a stable and growing national governing body, all as part of the effort to become part of the Olympic Family – at the international level for WFDF and here at home for us. We knew it was critical to gain membership in and recognition from the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) as part of the process for WFDF to solidify permanent recognition from the IOC. We also knew there were extraordinary benefits to being a member of the USOC family (e.g., partnerships with the Catholic Youth Organizations, Jewish Community Centers, Boy Scouts, etc.), so pursuing this goal made a lot of sense on multiple fronts. It would have been very difficult for WFDF to gain permanent IOC recognition if their largest member association was not recognized by their own National Olympic Committee. We also knew that, to achieve both USOC and IOC recognition, we needed to demonstrate and prove through a very rigorous process that we deserved the recognition based on some key measures of viability, stability and a future of growth. One of the most difficult steps was to modernize our by-laws to reflect USA Ultimate’s operation as a strong, financially sound, commercially viable and well-managed national governing body. While not easy or fun in any way, we endeavored to update our by-laws with guidance and oversight from the USOC to align with USOC guidelines. WFDF was simultaneously going through a similar rigorous process at the IOC level. U S A U LT I M AT E

LETTER TO OUR MEMBERS Commercial viability is measured in several ways, but as Rob notes in his piece, being on television (not just streaming online) is one important measure the IOC and USOC use when evaluating potential sports. We worked very hard, using many personal contacts and prior professional relationships, to acquire ESPN as our broadcast partner beginning in 2013. Our ability to cite this relationship was very important to both the USOC and IOC. And one of the keys to creating the relationship was the Triple Crown Tour – a structured regular season easily understandable to sports fans everywhere. Rob and I talk constantly as we continue to pursue a bright future for our sport, and I hope you can see that we, both WFDF and USA Ultimate, have been very strategic in creating new partnerships over the last several years. In addition to securing a major broadcast partner, we had to make sure our three big events – the College Championships, U.S. Open and National Championships – were well produced and presented in a very fan-friendly manner and environment. That meant we needed to start getting into venues where televised games could be presented and produced in stadiums and not just from open field complexes. We also began focusing on not just the players’ and teams’ experiences, but the fans as well. USA Ultimate’s vision statement, adopted in 2012, reflects this adjustment in focus: “Ultimate is widely known, played and respected in the United States as a sport that inspires athletic excellence and integrity among participants and fans.” After all the time and effort that went into updating our bylaws, gaining a world-renowned broadcast partner and working to increase the viability of our sport for spectators outside of the ultimate community, we reached our goal. USA Ultimate earned USOC recognition in June 2014, and WFDF received permanent recognition from the IOC in August 2015. Going forward, just as Rob outlines WFDF’s efforts to gain sponsorships in his article, we are also currently working on several fronts to gain non-endemic sponsors for the sport and to continue to be seen and operate as a viable and exciting national governing body. Perhaps our biggest current initiative to ensure our long-term success is the major investment we are making in the roll out and scaling up of our new state and regional

Holding events at locations with stadiums makes games more spectator- and broadcast-friendly. Photo: William Brotman/UltiPhotos

organizations. This type of infrastructure will build a community of communities and provide thousands of playing opportunities for athletes, youth athletes in particular, all across the United States, securing the future and continued growth of our sport. We will also continue to work closely with WFDF, including helping with their new sister association plans, as well as continuing to invite organizers, coaches and officials from other countries to the U.S. Open each year. Our collaboration with WFDF will also include talking regularly about the ever-increasing schedule of international events we’ll be expected to participate in as WFDF fulfills its IOC requirements. Our competitive schedule is going to be packed going forward; coordinating our key events and Triple Crown Tour with WFDF and their events will be both challenging and critical to each organization’s success. All this strategic work and collaboration is for one purpose going forward: to grow this wonderful sport in the U.S. and all over the world while providing the best possible playing opportunities for millions of athletes at all stages and ages of the sport. And all that while we advance the sport through character, community and competition.

Since the adoption of a new vision statement, USA Ultimate has put more emphasis on fan experience at major events. Photo: CBMT Creative

U S A U LT I M AT E

7 Rob Rauch and the Boston Rude Boys made the newspaper in Gothenburg, Sweden after winning the open division at the first World Ultimate and Guts Championships in 1983. Photo: Rob Rauch

The World of Ultimate: Past, Present and Future

BY: ROBERT “NOB” RAUCH

PRESIDENT, WORLD FLYING DISC FEDERATION

ltimate is growing fast, not just in the U.S. but around the world. In this article, I’ll try to provide some historical perspective on the key milestones in our global progress and lay out a vision for the future.

THE PAST Flying disc (aka Frisbee) sports were developed after the introduction of the first plastic flying discs in the 1950s by Fred Morrison, who sold the rights to the Wham-O toy company in 1957. Guts was developed in 1958, ultimate in 1968, freestyle in 1974, and disc golf was formalized in 1976. Edward "Steady Ed" Headrick, general manager and marketing head of Wham-O, started the International Frisbee Association (IFA) in 1967 to promote the sale of their Frisbees. Many of the international affiliates began as Wham-O distributorships that sponsored tours of well-known Frisbee athletes. Dan “Stork” Roddick, who took over as head of the sports marketing arm of Wham-O in 1975 (where he served through 1994), played a crucial role in encouraging the establishment of national flying disc associations in Sweden, Japan, Australia and many of the countries in Western Europe and was instrumental in supporting the establishment of specific disc discipline organizations such as the Ultimate Players Association, Professional Disc Golf Association, Guts Players Association and Freestyle Players Association. In their heyday, disc sports were featured at the World Frisbee Championships held at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., with an east-west all-star ultimate game in 1975 and 1976. Competition-wise, the first cross-border tournament was the European Ultimate Championships held in Paris in 1980. With the success of the European Championships, a team from the U.S. was invited to join 10 European countries for the first week-long World Ultimate and Guts Championships (WUGC) in Gothenburg, Sweden in 1983. The first World Ultimate Club Championships (WUCC) was held in 1989 in Cologne, Germany, to counteract what was seen as the negative growth impact of the all-star focus of the European national ultimate teams. The tournament drew 38 teams in the open and women’s divisions and came together

WINTER 2015

WFDF President Rob Rauch celebrates their World Games gold medal with the 2013 U.S. National Team in Cali, Colombia. Photo: CBMT Creative

just after ultimate was played as an official demonstration sport during the World Games in Karlsruhe, Germany. Ultimate first debuted as a full medal sport in the multi-sport World Games in 2001 in Japan. Organizationally, the concept of an independent world association for the development and coordination of all of the Frisbee disciplines began in 1980 at an Atlanta, Ga., meeting of 40 international disc organizers. A loose federation led by Jim Powers was formed at that meeting but never took off. In 1983, Wham-O was sold to Kransco, and the IFA was disbanded. Spurred on by the demise of the IFA, there was a series of discussions at major events in 1984, and the decision was made to set up an independent world governing body of disc sports. The first WFDF Congress was held in Helsingborg, Sweden in July 1985, where the first set of statutes was adopted and the first board was elected, headed by Charlie Mead of the United Kingdom. WFDF was formally recognized by the General Assembly of International Sports Federations and the International World Games Association in 1995.

THE PRESENT WFDF is currently composed of 68 member associations that represent flying disc sports and their athletes in 65 countries, with nearly 162,000 members. The most recent members to join WFDF include Egypt, Morocco, Guam, Georgia and Chile. The largest national member is the U.S.A., followed by Canada, Australia, Japan and Great Britain. Twenty-nine percent of the membership are women, and 83 percent are 35 years of age or younger. The most significant growth today is in Latin America and Eastern Europe, as well as with juniors in the U.S.A. In 2014, an estimated 4.5 million Americans played ultimate, with “core participants,” those playing 13 or more times per year, estimated at 1.1 million. This is similar to participation levels of two leading Summer Olympics sports: gymnastics (4.6 million total participants/1.7 million core participants) and track and field (4.1 million/2.3 million). WFDF estimates that ultimate and other flying disc sports are played by 7.5 million people worldwide, of whom 2.2 million play at least a dozen times per year. The last WFDF World Ultimate Club Championships was held in Lecco, Italy in

2014 with 3,800 athletes. The World Championships of Beach Ultimate were held in Dubai in March 2015 with more than 1,100 players from 24 countries. In addition, this year we hosted an Asian-Oceanic Championship in Hong Kong, a Pan American Championship in Cancun, a European Championship in Copenhagen and the first African Championship in Kampala. The quadrennial WFDF World Ultimate and Guts Championships will be held June 18-25, 2016 in London, where 2,000 athletes from 40 countries are expected to participate in the mixed, open, women’s and masters divisions, the most countries ever. WFDF was provisionally recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in May 2013, and we received permanent recognition in August 2015. In its official press release, the IOC stated that WFDF was “a rapidly growing Federation with tremendous youth appeal, a strong grounding in Olympic ideals, gender equality and good governance, including WADA compliance.” Today, WFDF is one of 35 international sports federations that are recognized by the IOC but are not yet in the Olympic Games.

THE FUTURE Over the last few decades, the process of actually getting a new sport into the Olympics has been very difficult, as the summer games have been capped at 28 sports and 10,500 athletes due to logistical constraints. For a new sport to be introduced, an incumbent would have to be displaced, as was seen with a controversy regarding wrestling in 2013. However, expectations changed dramatically after a new IOC president was elected in late 2013. Thomas Bach outlined a new direction for the IOC and the Olympic Games with the adoption of his Agenda 2020 in 2014. Among the 40 initiatives outlined in the document, it was recommended that the Olympic Programme be changed from a sport-based to an event-based program for

solid ultimate program and the possibility to successfully lobby for the host city’s selection to the Programme. There are four areas of focus for us as we pursue inclusion in the Olympic Programme. First, we need to increase our membership to no fewer than 75 countries. Second, we need to work on presenting our top competitive games as professionally as possible and have them be attractive

WFDF received permanent recognition from the IOC at the organization's 128th Session in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Photo: Rob Rauch

existing international federations, dropping the 28-sport limit and allowing for events and disciplines from a number of new sports to be showcased. The local organizing committees will also be allowed to suggest the inclusion of one or more additional events on their Programmes. Agenda 2020 also urged the fostering of gender equality and encouragement of mixed-gender team events. Moreover, the IOC committed to closely cooperate with the International World Games Association regarding the Olympic Programme’s composition. A key driver for these recommendations is the aging demographic profile of the viewers of the Olympic Games. The IOC is seeking a way to freshen up the Games and make it more attractive to youth and women. Ultimate is growing rapidly around the globe – it is already featured in the World Games with a mixed-gender format, and it has really strong attraction to youth and college-aged athletes. The IOC’s Agenda 2020 potentially opens up some amazing opportunities for disc sports in the Olympic Family far earlier than had been anticipated. WFDF is committed to pursuing inclusion in the official Programme as a medal event at the 2024 Olympic Games. The Programme decisions for the 2024 Summer Games will be made in 2017, and WFDF plans to put ourselves in the best position to be considered. Four cities are in the running to be the host – Budapest, Los Angeles, Paris and Rome – all countries where there is a

Ultimate and other flying disc sports are played by 7.5 million people worldwide

to spectators. Third, we need to develop a commercial sponsorship program, not only to gain more resources but to demonstrate the commercial contribution ultimate can make to the IOC brand. Fourth, we need to find a way into the television broadcast medium, so we can attract a broader fan base (including nondisc players) as well as show the IOC that we can present to their target audience. 1. Membership: To be included in the Games, there is a minimum criterion of 75 country members. There is no flexibility on this. We have 65 today. We have been doing some work over the last two years to identify the most likely candidates for new country members, and we have been working on several initiatives to spur growth, such as the coaches training clinics we held this year

U S A U LT I M AT E

alongside our continental events in Uganda, Hong Kong and Mexico. We are also about to announce a “Sister Association” program and have our largest members take on one or more countries to get them up the development curve and provide support. 2. Presentation: We need to further refine the presentation of our sport, so our showcase events demonstrate we are ready for the Olympics. This means continuing to develop the Game Advisors program to keep ultimate games moving smoothly and on time without long delays, while still showcasing Spirit of the Game and also making sure the best aspects of the game are highlighted properly. The key for us will be preserving most of the best aspects of being a player-focused sport while broadening the appeal and attractiveness to an audience beyond fervent disc players. 3. Sponsorship: We need to demonstrate our commercial appeal to the IOC, and there is no reason WFDF shouldn’t be able to develop a commercial sponsorship relationship for the global brand. While this is also going to take some investment and work, it should pay us back handsomely if we are successful (with funds that can be shared with our member organizations in part to support them), regardless of whether we make it into the Olympics in the next decade. We recently appointed a new director of broadcasting and marketing to spearhead these efforts. 4. Broadcast: Streaming has been a great way to bring our games to our direct fan base, nearly wholly made up of disc players. However, to expand our audience, we need to find a way into the television broadcast medium, so we can attract a broader fan base (including non-disc players) as well as show the IOC that we can present to their main audience. There appears to be interest by potential network broadcasters, but we will need to find a way to pay for the production costs in order to pursue such a partnership. The goal is to attract sponsorship funding, find an anchor broadcast firm in one or multiple countries and then expand to other countries. While it is an important objective, our pursuit of the Olympic dream is not going to

WINTER 2015

The World Ultimate and Guts Championships is one of WFDF’s premier events. The next edition will take place in London next year. Photo: Neil Gardner detract from our core mandates of promoting the growth of the sport globally and running world-class world championships. If anything, we view these efforts as complementary. For example, we have established an annual development budget of $24,000 (over 10 percent of our total budget) which is many times the amount we are incrementally investing in the Olympic Games effort. The things we need to work on next are all programs that are part of our broader strategies and objectives. Thus, pursuing the Olympic dream is not going to sidetrack us from our strategic plan but rather catalyze recognition and credibility which will help us achieve our goals. AB O UT THE AU THOR

Robert “Nob” Rauch is the president of the World Flying Disc Federation (WFDF). He has been involved in positions of leadership in disc sports since 1987: He was the national director/executive director of the Ultimate Players Association (the UPA, now USA

Ultimate) from 1988 to 1990, was chairman of the UPA’s Executive Committee in 19911992, and is currently a member of the USA Ultimate Investment Committee and Hall of Fame Committee. He served as president of the World Flying Disc Federation from 199294 and as chair of its Ultimate Committee from 1988 to 1992. His current tenure as WFDF president began in 2011. As an athlete playing on ultimate teams in Chicago, Boston and New York, he won six U.S. National Championships and five World Championships. He was elected to the Ultimate Hall of Fame in 2006. He also was a contributing writer for the book “Ultimate: The First Four Decades” published in December 2005. He is married to former ultimate player Katie Shields Rauch and has three children, with the two in college currently playing with University of Delaware Sideshow and Penn State University Crisis.

fiveultimate.com

team@fiveultimate.com 206.456.3017

2610 Western Ave. Seattle WA 98121 ... you know, if you want to send us a post card or something.

Membe Argentina Australia Austria Belarus Belgium Brazil Canada Chile Chinese Taipei Colombia Costa Rica

Photos: Kevin Leclaire/UltiPhotos

WINTER 2015

Croatia Czech Republic Democratic Republic of the Congo Denmark Dominican Republic Egypt Estonia Finland France Georgia Germany

CBMT Creative

Kevin Leclaire/UltiPhotos

Great Britain Guam Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Ireland Israel Italy Japan

Andrew Moss/UltiPhotos

er Nations Kenya Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg Malaysia Mexico Morocco Netherlands New Zealand Norway Panama

Peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Republic of China Philippines Poland Portugal Qatar Russian Federation Singapore Slovakia Slovenia South Africa South Korea

Brandon Wu/UltiPhotos

65 TOTAL Spain Sweden Switzerland Tanzania Turkey Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates USA Venezuela

Andrew Moss/UltiPhotos

U S A U LT I M AT E

Reaching Mutual Understanding Overseas

WINTER 2015

Like most U.S. teams, Great Britain plays with some physical contact, fighting for every inch and bidding for every disc. Photo: Andrew Moss/UltiPhotos

WORDS BY â&#x20AC;&#x201A;

MARCUS RANII-DROPCHO

15 “I ENJOY C UTTING TH ROUGH BO AND HOLD DY CONTA ING OFF A CT BIDDING D MAKE A CA EFENDER TCH ON AN TO IN CUT.” he state of physicality in ultimate in the present era is something that, while widespread, is rarely addressed. I’m no ultimate historian and don’t know exactly when contact became part of a “non-contact” game, but I do understand

action becomes even harder. This distinction became an important delineation when I joined the U-23 National Team that competed in London this summer. During one particular meeting at U-23 training camp in Chicago, I recall the coaching staff explaining how the physical style of

At first, I was dreading the pool play rounds against teams like Colombia, Denmark and the Netherlands, teams not necessarily known for a physical style of play. However, I completely overlooked the fact that a heavyweight matchup I revered would unfold in our opening game against

that it has slowly crept its way into high-level ultimate played in the United States. Naturally, as ultimate's popularity increases, so will the influx of athletic talent. With a larger number of top-end athletes comes an increased opportunity for explosive playmaking. Take that with the understanding that many athletes crossing over to ultimate come from other big-name sports in which contact is a fundamental component. What is created then is a more physical game. Personally, I’m a fan of this style of play. I enjoy bumping and grinding with a matchup downfield. I enjoy battles for body positioning while running down a huck. And I enjoy cutting through body contact and holding off a bidding defender to make a catch on an in cut. But I also understand and see dangers that unchecked play like this can cause. There is often a fine line between making a clean, athletic play and having that play result in an opponent’s injury. When quick decisions like this need to be made in highstakes competition, choosing the correct

play common in the U.S. could be construed as intentional fouling. Sometimes even the slightest touch, something as subtle as a hand resting on a player’s hip, could be and oftentimes was called a foul.

Great Britain. They were surprisingly physical, and I quickly found a comfortable balance between playing physical on defense and accepting and bouncing off contact on of-

After some aggressive plays, a spirit timeout was called in the midst of the gold-medal game, giving players a chance to reflect on past plays and respect each other. Photo: Kevin Leclaire/UltiPhotos

International competition is about understanding your opponents’ ultimate culture and adapting to play within the framework, particularly when it comes to comfort levels with contact. Photo: Kevin Leclaire/UltiPhotos fense. It felt like the college and club games I was familiar with. Great Britain’s defenders fought for every inch, bid for every disc and continued to remind our players that should we fail to run through every pass, it would end up in their hands. Something that proved surprisingly delightful was the courtesy on both sides shown to calls made on the field. Picks were discussed civilly. Close layout bids called fouls were not met with outrage and spite, but simple, calm and articulate discourse. And arguments were resolved in the moment, without resentment and with integrity. That game featured aggressive bidding and contact on both sides, but never at the expense of another player’s well-being. Both sides were not only familiar to a game in which contact was intrinsic, but knew and understood how to keep the game safe. There were other games, however, in which physicality appeared to reach a dangerous level. The finals game against Canada escalated to that level when a few of our bids resulted in some unnecessary and dangerous contact. Again, a few inches one way or another could have turned these overly aggressive bids into clean ones. A spirit timeout was called, to the surprise of the players on the field, to calm

WINTER 2015

the game’s pace. To someone watching the game, I’m sure it seemed that the level of physicality was nearing an unruly level. While from the perspective of those playing, we all understood that sometimes in moments where a rapid decision is made, bids that seem safe at takeoff can turn dangerous mid-flight. While we shook hands in the spirit timeout, apologies and consolations weren’t exchanged. Canada understood that the bids were not malicious, and our intent was not to injure players. The timeout did, however, give all the players time and space to reflect on past plays and acknowledge and respect each other. Not only to respect the opponent shaking your hand, but to respect a team

playing with such fervor in a sport we both had invested so much into. The contact was never the fundamental issue, it only served as a conduit to view the larger picture of what that match represented. The game restarted, and physicality continued. This is what international competition is all about. Mutual respect for the opponent you are competing with, understanding their ultimate culture and aligning that framework with your own understanding of the game. One moment that sticks with me is a retracted foul call by an Irish player. After a huck went up, an Irish player and I engaged in some incidental contact in the end zone that prevented him from making a play on the

“ THAT GAM EF AGGRESSIV EATURED E BIDDING AN ON BOTH S IDES, BUT N D CONTACT EV EXPENSE O F ANOTHER ER AT THE PLAYER’S WELL-BEIN G.”

17 disc. He immediately called a foul, and I, while initially annoyed, listened to his rationale. After he finished, I agreed to the contact made between us. I continued to say that, unlike him, I had my head turned around and was following a path to the disc while he appeared to be running down unaware of the disc’s path. If anything, he initiated the contact with me! We exchanged specifics for a few more seconds before he finally saw my end of the story, and he retracted his foul call. The Irish player realized that although contact was made, perhaps more than he was used to, it was more incidental than deliberate. He agreed with my call, we quickly shook hands, and the point continued. No theatrics, just sportsmanship and mutual respect.

before the integrity of understanding the call I made. Thankfully, I was reminded where I was – the World Under-23 Ultimate Championships in London. I’m not only representing myself and my city, but my country and what we stand for ethically in ultimate. I handed the disc over to the Austrian player, signaled goal and walked away. When I came back to compete in the United States, I found conversations over calls sensationalized by comparison. Defenders calling picks refused to listen to any other voices and insisted the disc be sent back. Physical foul calls were not discussed, and instead of open communication, frustrated despondency resulted. Where I sought to

bring the sportsmanship of Worlds home and discuss calls and come to an understanding between two perspectives, others sought to avoid personal fault or responsibility. Spirit like what I experienced at Worlds is intangible and truly an amazing thing. Understanding your opponent’s ultimate background became an integral aspect of the tournament. Instead of dreading games where I could not play my style of defense, I was able to see how ultimate from another culture was played and adapt and play within that style. Looking back, it was something I didn’t realize had such an impact on the way I approach playing this game we all love so much until those memories were distant tinges of nostalgia.

Later in the tournament, in our last power pool match against Austria, I found myself on the other side of the situation. Midway through the game, I found myself and my man both looking to make a play at the end of a long huck’s flight.

IENCED AT R E P X E I T A H W “SPIRIT LIKE TRULY AN D N A E L IB G N A WORLDS IS INT G.” AMAZING THIN I fought for and gained position in front of my man and the small pile gathering underneath the disc and went up early. The disc picked up a gust of wind, and the positioning I gained now seemed irrelevant. When we both regained our footing, the disc was held by two right hands, the Austrian player’s and my own. He immediately called a strip foul, claiming that his possession of the disc occurred before mine while I argued my possession occurred before he touched it. As the words spilled from my mouth, I didn’t believe them. I rationalized that a feeling of embarrassment over being skied was a worse end scenario than fighting the call on grounds that, while plausible, I didn’t believe in. I had put my pride and emotions

This play against Austria resulted in a strip foul call. After considering his opponent’s perspective, Ranii-Dropcho took back his contest and called it a goal. Photo: Kevin Leclaire/UltiPhotos

Two Decades of International Ultimate Words By Angela Lin

long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, I was an expectation-free kid in the ultimate universe. My first international tournament was the 1997 World Ultimate Club Championships (WUCC) in Vancouver, B.C. I had just started playing club ultimate the year before – an engineering undergrad who had no idea who I was but instantaneously found a home in this sport and amongst its people. My goals for ’97 Worlds were: try not to be the worst one there, play as hard as possible, learn everything, have tons of fun, meet lots of other players and be of legal drinking age in Canada. Atlanta Ozone had collectively taken me under their wing to develop my senses in all things that had to do with ultimate as well as life. I’m certain I learned ultimate skills at that tournament. But, at 19 years old, here are the things I remember most: I met many interesting boys from all over

WINTER 2015

the world, though we hung out with mostly American ones. Interpersonal, inter-team and intra-team drama in ultimate were real (and not only with women’s teams). Some of my teammates and our friends on Atlanta Chain Lightning were like rock stars in the ultimate sphere. Being part of the huge crowd watching the finals in the University of British Columbia stadium made me want to be on that field playing for world championships. Each division’s final that year was a U.S. v. U.S. matchup. Perhaps this was partly due to geography, the closeness allowing many U.S. teams to bring full rosters. Perhaps it was partly because U.S. and Canadian teams at the time were expected to dominate international club team events, with a smattering of teams from Great Britain, Germany, the Netherlands, Japan, Australia, Finland or Sweden in the top 10, depending on the division. Because of this and other

Top: Angela Lin represented the U.S. on the women’s masters team at the 2015 World Championships of Beach Ultimate. Photo: Get Horizontal

factors, the tournament awoke in me a belief that someday I could actually be good or even great at this sport, continuing to compete at international events and becoming recognized at the national and international levels. Who could’ve thought this would be possible for a nerdy girl who was only marginally athletic in high school? From that year through 2006, Ozone qualified for every WUCC, and I excitedly attended each one. We brought a tiny squad to 1999 Worlds in St. Andrews, Scotland, and got beaten up by a lot of teams. If you look at the results from 1999, it’s clear that a lot of the European teams were more prepared and able to bring more representative rosters. Teams from Japan and Australia really stepped it up compared to the previous WUCC, too. One of the wonderful things about WUCC is that even if your team doesn’t have the legs to survive or the depth to make a run at winning it all, there’s much fun to be had at all times – great parties, amazing new people from everywhere, reunions with buddies you don’t get to see enough, getting lost with teammates in a new city and culture, commiserating about the lack of good transportation or food options over a cold beverage at the beer garden, vying for jersey trades with the teams with the best gear, heckling exceptional players into making really bad decisions, dancing your face off at a fivelevel club, stealing golf carts from tournament officials… When looking back on some of these tournaments, I feel that soaking up all the social and off-field experiences may have landed on the heavier side of the balance compared to my level of commitment to on-field performance. Not really true, but I do hold some amount of regret there. Probably I wouldn’t have changed anything. Also, probably I could have worked out more, slept more or focused more leading up to some of the bigger games we had at WUCCs. 2002 finals v. Riot and the 2006 semifinals and bronze-medal games come to mind.

Middle: Nearly two decades after competing in her first international event, Angela Lin played on her first U.S. National Team in Dubai in March 2015. Photo: Get Horizontal Bottom: Lin has played for Atlanta Ozone since 1996 and competed at multiple wold championship with the team. Photo: Daniel Thai/UltiPhotos U S A U LT I M AT E

Angela Lin and the U.S. National Team at Potlatch 2005. Photo: Thomas Sebby

The 2002 and 2006 events were interesting because many U.S. teams were present in Hawaii in 2002 while very few were able to make the voyage to the west coast of Australia in 2006. Ozone was the only U.S. women’s team to attend in 2006. Our games there against Japanese teams were extremely competitive and intense. It seemed like all the teams from Japan had been building this style about them in the years between WUCCs – quickness that was tough to cover, super precise low-release throws, tenacity – and they arrived in Perth ready to show the world that their programs were serious. Success. They took gold, silver and bronze that year. Kate Wilson and I got invited to play with Austin Showdown at WUCC 2010 in Prague, Czech Republic, after Ozone failed to qualify for WUCC for the first time in forever. We were a good team. We went into elimination play with only one loss (to a strong U.S. team) but got knocked out by an athletic and prepared German team in the round of 16.

WINTER 2015

Maybe this is an obvious trend, but the increased competitiveness and intensity of women’s club teams outside of the U.S. and Canada has been noticeable since I was first exposed to international play. It’s also clear from spirit circles and other interactions at international tournaments that we’re given a lot of respect, no matter if you’re the highest- or lowest-ranked U.S. or Canadian team at the event. Everyone’s fired up to beat you and always expecting a great battle throughout. In spring 2015, I had the amazing opportunity to play with Team U.S.A. at the World Championships of Beach Ultimate (WCBU) in Dubai, U.A.E., in the women’s masters division. It was my first time playing abroad on Team U.S.A. (I was selected in 2005 as an alternate for the World Games team, allowing me to experience everything awesome about being part of Team U.S.A. except actually competing in Germany). I wasn’t sure this was going to be true, but it really was a different feel to be representing my

country in international competition. The U.S. brought teams to compete in each of the seven divisions, and everyone’s mission was extremely clear – bring home gold and have fun doing it. A couple notable things (beyond winning all our games) that happened on the sands of JBR: The opening ceremony included a student speaker who gave a heartfelt talk about the importance of coinciding the start of WCBU with International Women’s Day, March 8, allowing people all over the world to see how sports, and particularly ultimate, are empowering for women. I got to watch (and play against) teams from countries I’d never seen at tournaments before. Some of them, like the Philippines, had more established beach teams; others were less established but growing fast like Russia, India and Uganda; and a few were very new teams like Kenya and U.A.E. The Russia v. U.S.A. women’s final that went to double-game point – wow is the best

word. I was on the edge of my seat for the entire intense matchup. Earlier in the tournament, I watched some stellar effort by India’s open team v. Great Britain. Britain was up by a large margin. Regardless, at one point India pulls, a defender sprints down and gets a huge layout block on the first pass. These were sweet moments that to me underscore ultimate's appeal across the globe. Teams from emerging markets are excited to show up and are not afraid to take their shots at the “big guns” at world championship events. I don’t really want to discuss what this may translate to in terms of controversial calls or spirit timeout stuff. Those are real concerns, but let’s celebrate the worldwide growth in the competitiveness of our sport. I still think U.S. players at the highest levels cut more effectively, mark better, play harder and more physical defense, develop strategies and counterstrategies more mindfully and throw more consistently in all conditions. Simultaneously, it’s really exciting to go to events where I see how other countries are progressing ultimate, improving overall skill and strategy levels, fighting to get to the top, embodying Spirit and welcoming more athletes into the greater community of our sport. I’m thankful for all the opportunities I’ve gotten to play across the world, and I look forward to representing the U.S.A. again in the women’s masters division in London next summer at the 2016 World Ultimate and Guts Championships.

Top: Lin competing with the U.S. World Games team in the summer of 2005. Photo: USA Ultimate Bottom: Lin’s next international event will be the 2016 World Ultimate and Guts Championships in London as part of the Baylands Kite Flying Team competing in the women’s masters division. Photo: Jeff Albenberg/UltiPhotos

Lin was an alternate for the 2005 U.S. World Games team, training with them throughout the summer. Photo: USA Ultimate

U S A U LT I M AT E

d n ou r A e t a m i t Ul d l r o the W WORDS BY NATASHA WON

Over the last few years, I’ve had several opportunities to travel abroad and play this silly sport that I absolutely love with everyone from strangers who turned into friends to close friends from home. These trips have been indescribably fun, but they also gave me exposure to ultimate in communities outside the U.S. Each tournament brought a lot of challenges, and while I don’t claim to have the right solutions, I’ve certainly developed some opinions. I’m here to share some of these amazing experiences with you and hopefully open a dialogue regarding the challenges and obstacles my teammates and I have faced along the way.

WINTER 2015

23 Natasha Won high-fives her U.S. National Team and former San Francisco Polar Bears teammate Simon Higgins at the 2013 World Under-23 Championships. Photo: CBMT Creative

CANADA

ITALY

One of the best two weeks of my life was at the 2013 Under-23 World Championships in Canada. I had the honor of playing on the U.S. Mixed National Team with Lisa Pitcaithley, Simon Higgins and Elijah Kerns, who are my very best friends from home and my former San Francisco Polar Bears teammates. I knew exactly what to expect from my friends, and we helped showcase each other’s strengths to our new teammates in order to more quickly build team cohesion. Playing with a new and extremely talented squad was refreshing. Everybody was hungry to play with each other – but also hungry for the success of our teammates for each other. There was a huge focus on having fun with this team, and that spirit translated into a great gametime experience as well. I can’t remember a single game where we weren’t happy to play

In Italy for the 2014 World Ultimate Club Championships (WUCC), I competed with the Polar Bears, my club team at the time. In this case, we didn’t need to worry so much about chemistry as our squad had many players from the original team and had already integrated the rookies into our system. Instead, we had the challenge of adapting to other countries’ styles. I distinctly remember playing a really chippy game against Latvia. There were a lot of calls we disagreed on, and both teams lost their tempers. A majority of the Ds our team got were called fouls, whether it was justified or not. Players were verbally attacking each other on and off the field. For a while, we were losing, and we thought our run at Worlds might be over before we even made it to pre-quarters. Despite being down for a good

against a team and it didn’t also feel like they were happy to play against us.

portion of the game, we ended up winning, but spirits on both sides of the

Won talks with fellow members of the U.S. Mixed National Team at the 2015 World Championships of Beach Ultimate in Dubai. Photo: Get Horizontal

U S A U LT I M AT E

Natasha Won and Lisa Pitcaithley at the 2013 World Under-23 Championships in Toronto. Photo: CBMT Creative

field were extremely negative by the end. When we started the spirit circle, I felt very uncomfortable; I expected it to be awkward as each team pointed fingers at the other. However, the captains of both teams apologized for the attitude of their teams, and it definitely brought down the heat in the circle. Greg Marliave (one of our captains) spoke about the things we, as a team, needed to work on – we were certainly not blameless – and also provided feedback to the other team. I’m not saying everything was perfect after the spirit circle, but it definitely put a lot of things in perspective as we moved on in the tournament. After winning our pool play games, power pool games, pre-quarters and quarters, we upset Team Fisher Price (Canada) in the semifinals. It was one of the most memorable games of my life. It was a very close game throughout, but we

that last point gives me chills. The journey to the finals was incredibly challenging, but we were able to claw our way through. The feeling was unbelievable; it was truly one of the best and happiest moments I’d had with the team. It’s funny how tournaments in which the behind-the-scenes details all run smoothly don’t seem that amazing – until you directly compare them with a tournament where things don’t go as planned. There was heavy rain the first Monday of the tournament, so our games were cancelled. The fields were so flooded that the next morning the organizers had to steamroll them and fly in a helicopter to help blow the water away. Luckily, the schedule was spread out enough that the tournament director was able to push our games over to the next day which ended up working out just fine. But with all the rain, it was ironic that our hotel ran out of water, which made showering

were down 14-16; we ended up coming back with three breaks in a row to win 17-16. On double-game point, our defensive line played shut-down D which resulted in a high-stall-count hammer, and Meeri Chang got a monster block. Just thinking about

difficult.

WINTER 2015

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES This spring, I got to play with the U.S. Mixed National Team at the World Championships of Beach Ultimate. Dubai was an interesting place. The city is very new, under a lot of construction and certainly rich. Our team went into the tournament pretty confident as we had won Lei Out in Santa Monica together in January. Winning that tournament is not an easy task. In the semifinal game against Canada in Dubai, an extremely controversial call was made late in the game; if that call was reversed, we would have had the disc on our goal line for the scoring point. I don’t want to say that that call cost us the game – in fact, we did get the disc back – but in that instance, the opposing team made a big call that, without observers, couldn’t be overruled. I’m sure this will stir up controversy, as everyone has their own opinions regarding the necessity of observers, but when you have two parties debating who’s right, it’s better to have an unbiased third party make the ruling – even if it was a good call.

Middle: Spirit is a big part of international competition, with teams sharing pieces of their cultures with players from around the world. Photo: CBMT Creative Right: The 2013 U-23 Mixed National Team celebrates winning a gold medal in Toronto. Photo: CBMT Creative

PHILIPPINES My trip to the Philippines with the Ditch All-Star Exhibition Team at Manila Spirits was so unlike my other international experiences. From the moment we arrived, we sat through awful traffic – the worst I’ve ever experienced. Luckily, we were in 10-passenger vans which meant we got to know each other pretty fast. A lot of us knew each other casually, but sitting in a van together in unending traffic allowed for some pretty quick bonding! The team’s mentality was much different than what I’d experienced at previous Worlds tournaments. We wanted to showcase good ultimate, but we were also there to spread awareness about cancer symptoms and, of course, to have fun. There also wasn’t a world championship title on the line, so the stress level was significantly lower (at least for the athletes). This was the first trip where I really felt like a professional athlete. We trained together before competing, and people came out to watch us, calling us “idols.” I’ve never signed so many discs or taken so many pictures before. It was all very unreal.

We also got to travel and sightsee quite a bit, which for me at least, is pretty unusual for an ultimate tournament. Usually, I have to pay to do all those things, but the majority of them were paid for in Manila. (That is something I could get used to!) I also taught my first clinic during this trip. Although I didn’t do too much of the talking, the participants were extremely attentive, and you could tell that they were really excited to learn.

SPIRIT I’ve come to really appreciate spirit circles. They are much more common at international tournaments than ones in the U.S. They’re a great way to highlight plays and moments of spirit and to share a part of your team with a different team or country. They are also very important after a heated game. I’ve also come to understand the need for observers. Having played in unspirited games and tough elimination matches, I really believe having an unbiased person on the field to help verify calls is essential. In my opinion, it’s certainly better than having your opponent make the ruling when it is a subjective and biased call. Of course I

recognize that it could be a subjective and biased call coming from my team too, but having an observer would remove that bias. It also keeps the game moving, rather than having two players argue about who’s right and who’s wrong. Overall, although it may seem like I’ve just been complaining this whole time, I had a wonderful time in all these places. I’m happy I got to experience all the good and bad while taking advantage of the opportunities to explore the world, meet new friends, play ultimate on the international stage and learn from my teammates. I feel extremely fortunate and encourage anyone who has the means to find time to travel abroad to play and learn from ultimate players from all over the world!

U S A U LT I M AT E

A VIEW FROM BEHIND THE LENS WO

LAN E I L JO S BY

n the pitch behind the showcase stadium, volunteers lined up neatly, holding flags for each country represented at the 2015 World U-23 Ultimate Championships in London. The scene quickly turned chaotic as players began congregating around their flags to take team photos, paint each other’s faces and shout songs. It wasn’t much longer before the players intermingled, opting for group selfies with neighboring teams and hybrid cheers. As a fellow photographer had described before my arrival, covering the opening ceremonies at an international event is like shooting fish in a barrel. I made my way down the line of flags with some difficulty, trying not to get caught up in each raucous interaction. I got to the end just in time for an impromptu U.S.A. v. Chinese Taipei dance battle that ended in laughter and traded cheers. The spirit was contagious as elite athletes from across the world convened for the love of the game. In my experience as a photographer for UltiPhotos, spirit is inarguably the defining feature of an international tournament. Whether representing a national or club team, players are excited to meet and match up against peers from other nations who share their biggest passion. I love seeing the interactions: discussing a play and tackling language barriers during the game or, afterwards, in the spirit circle handing out whatever goofy

WINTER 2015

Photo: Kevin Leclaire/UltiPhotos

gifts got past customs. Sideline photos come easily as players are eager to commemorate this accomplishment with their closest friends and teammates by posing and piling on top of each other. More people in general approach me, including parents, fans and other photographers, just to ask about my job or if I’m hydrating enough. (I’m usually not.) The atmosphere is highly respectful, warm and inclusive; it makes me so proud to be a part of the community.

me into the sport, and the culture of SOTG throughout the community is what has kept me around. In college, one of my favorite parts of each match was the mini-game that followed. (In case you’re wondering, my favorites were Wah! and Mingle, and I actively abstained from Mini Tanks.) As I grew into my role as a photographer, I began to cover larger, more competitive tournaments that tended not to include mini-games or other aspects of SOTG I’d seen during my time on a tiny college mixed team. However, the culture remained, and the community felt the same. Players would help injured opponents off the field, rationally discuss fouls and line up for high fives after the game. The U.S. certainly doesn’t lack in SOTG; it merely isn’t emphasized in the same way as on the global stage. Whether I’m covering a tourney in London or New Jersey, I run through the same checklists in my head: charge the batteries, stuff more business cards into my fanny pack, don’t forget the sunscreen again. I need to make sure I follow my carefully

“COVERING THE OPENING CEREMONIES AT AN INTERNATIONAL EVENT IS LIKE SHOOTING FISH IN A BARREL.” I have been playing and shooting ultimate for six years now, successively covering more tournaments in the U.S. each year. Spirit of the Game (SOTG) is what drew

mapped out shooting schedule and nail the sideline coverage as much as the action. National or international, every tournament is essentially the same to a photographer.

27 Last year I committed to covering the World Ultimate Club Championships in Lecco, Italy – my first international trip, let alone tourney – and was repeatedly told how much fun I would have in another country. I always responded with, “It’s just shooting ultimate.” Don’t get me wrong: I love what I do and am incredibly grateful for the opportunities I’m given, but when it comes down to it, ultimate tournaments are all intrinsically the same, thanks to the culture of our community. And because of that, international tourneys, where players from all over the globe come together, tend to really showcase spirit. As I cover more events and get to know more U.S. players and teams, I notice them embracing more aspects of SOTG that they’ve brought back from international events. There are more spirit circles, more joint team photos, more players swapping gear and representing other teams. I’m seeing the same excitement and inherent camaraderie I witnessed in London this summer. Shortly after the U-23 World Championships, a group of elite women ultimate players, including several who had just returned from London, traveled the country to play against top women’s club teams in order to promote women in ultimate. When the All-Star Ultimate Tour rolled through Philly, I was so pleased to see the focus on spirit, which included high fives with the fans after the game and the quintessential spirit circle to cap off the evening. My job is the same at every tournament, but international events are making my job easier and more enjoyable both at home and abroad by lining up ready-to-shoot moments that so perfectly embody our community.

[FROM TOP] Sideline photos come easily at international events where teams are eager to have fun with their teammates and commemorate the experience. Photo: Jolie Lang/UltiPhotos Jolie caught an impromptu dance battle between the U.S.A. and Chinese Taipei at the opening ceremonies for the U-23 World Championships. Photo: Jolie Lang/UltiPhotos Teams often exchange gifts in their post-game spirit circles at world championship events. Photo: Jolie Lang/UltiPhotos Lisa Pitcaithley was one of several women from the U.S. U-23 National Teams to participate in the All-Star Ultimate Tour this summer. Photo: Jolie Lang/UltiPhotos

U S A U LT I M AT E

#HEFORSHE

A Daughter’s Ultimate Love By: Mike Kaylor

W “ HAVING THE CHANCE TO PLAY ULTIMATE IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT FOR YOUNG GIRLS. ULTIMATE GIVES THEM A CHANCE TO HIT A “REFRESH” BUTTON.”

Bethany Kaylor looks to throw over Japan’s zone in the gold-medal game at the 2015 World Under-23 Ultimate Championships. Photo: Kevin Leclaire/UltiPhotos

hat do you do when your kid knee spikes the disc

after making a monster scoring grab at College Nationals? Did I forget to say your kid is your daughter? Hopefully that last statement doesn’t change anyone’s perspective. When it was me, I just cheered like a proud father and knew my ultimate friends at home in Cincinnati would give me grief when they saw it on ESPN. My daughter is Bethany Kaylor – she has been playing ultimate for the past 10 years, though she has been around the sport for all of her 23 years. Bethany is currently a fifth-year senior at the University of Oregon and plays for both Fugue and Portland Schwa. She is a Callahan finalist, a three-time Worlds player, a two-time college champion and a proud captain of a dominant Oregon Fugue squad. Personality wise, Bethany is a unique character – curious and caring, respectful but unafraid to challenge others or question authority. On the field, she is a captain who leads by example, spirited but intensely competitive. She can also be a goofball who will ask to pet any dog that walks by a practice. I wouldn’t trade her for the world, and watching her or her older brother, Zach, play ultimate is one of my great joys. Opportunities to play ultimate are particularly important for young girls, who often quit playing

sports after middle school thanks to burn out after years of soccer, tennis, lacrosse or other sports and/ or experiencing select coaches whose main focus is winning. Ultimate gives them a chance to hit a refresh button and start a new sport where the focus is on skill development and mutual respect. They do not need to worry about a skill gap with their peers – a large majority of athletes start out completely new to the sport. They also don’t need to worry about their parents creating a scene on the sideline at games – fortunately (or unfortunately) most parents still have no idea what is going on! Like it has for countless many others, ultimate has given Bethany a place to “belong,” both at school and anywhere a game can be found. (I spoke with her while in the midst of writing this article, when she was visiting a friend in New York City and taking the subway to a pick-up game in Harlem). Bethany has seen ultimate at its best – an accepting community of individuals who play both hard and spirited and genuinely care about the sport and the people who play it. She has no need to be in a sorority at Oregon, as the Fugue girls are her family. My wife, Deb, and I were initially concerned about having our daughter go to school 2,400 miles from home, but Bethany quickly integrated into a wonderful Fugue team. She is passionate about ultimate, and having a group of friends who share the same passion is key for teenagers and young adults – you want to

#HEFORSHE “ THE PLAYERS LEARN TO PRESENT THEIR PERSPECTIVES, LISTEN TO THE PERSPECTIVES OF ANOTHER, AND AGREE ON AN OUTCOME.” Ultimate and its community can be a place to belong for many, a place to be a part of something bigger than yourself. Photo: Jolie Lang/UltiPhotos

feel accepted, you want to be part of something bigger than just you. Ultimate provides that for Bethany, the same way it provides a sense of belonging and a team to be a part of for thousands of youth who play in grade school and high school leagues. When she was young, while her mom and I played pickup with a bunch of coworkers, Bethany and her brother hung around the sidelines. Zach learned a mean forehand in that period, while Bethany was more focused on the monkey bars and slides at the nearby park. She was a soccer and basketball player at the time and frequently told me “ultimate was stupid” and that she would never play the game. She was wrong. Bethany finally started playing as an eighth grader in 2007, when I bribed her to join given the lack of girls on my JV team. Her basketball and soccer experience made her a great defender from the start, though her throws and catches were suspect. She also played at her first YCC in 2007, which was both fun and agonizing to watch. But she grew into a force during her high-school career. Her YCC exposure got her invited to the U-19 National Team tryouts in 2010, and our family got to watch our first U-19 girls’ competitions later that summer at the World Junior Ultimate Championships in Heilbronn, Germany. We also had a blast watching her play with the U-23 Mixed National Team in Toronto in 2013 and U-23 Women’s National Team last summer in London.

Kaylor won a gold medal with the U.S. Mixed National Team at the 2013 World Under-23 Ultimate Championships. Photo: CBMT Creative

WINTER 2015

With her many, and often conflicting, interests, ultimate helped Bethany mature as a teenager. She learned early on that she had to make some tough choices when she had schedule conflicts between soccer and ultimate. Her soccer coach thought ultimate involved tossing a disc to a dog and was not supportive of Bethany missing soccer games or practices for her new sport. Beth came to Deb and me to ask for advice, and we told her she had to make her own decisions (as her ultimate coach at the time, I was already biased). She negotiated some ultimate time with her soccer coach and some soccer time with me, reaching a reasonable compromise for both sports. I believe Bethany’s negotiating skills have been honed by being an ultimate player – each time a foul is called, two players effectively have the opportunity for discussion and conflict resolution. The players learn to present their perspectives, listen to the perspectives of another, and agree on an outcome. You simply do not get that in football, soccer or other sports. Ultimate builds leadership skills in both young men and women. As coaches and organizers, we need to identify chances for players to step outside their comfort zones and challenge them to lead and deliver results. We should give guidance when needed and recognize and acknowledge their efforts. In her first Worlds experience, the 2010 U-19 National Team coaches did a great job helping Bethany believe in herself and become more of a leader. As one of the youngest people on the team, she knew only one other player and was nervous about whether she really belonged. The coaches assigned responsibilities to make everyone feel like a true part of the team – Bethany was invited to blog for the USA Ultimate website – and the older players made an effort to engage with the younger ones. The friendships Bethany formed in Germany five years ago still exist today, and the trust the coaches showed in her was tremendous for her self-confidence going into her senior year of high school. As a society and as parents, we strive to encourage our daughters to have self-confidence and a positive self-image. Ultimate provides physical and mental exercises to develop both. As a side note, Bethany also got the bug to look at Oregon for college while she was in Germany, thanks to her U-19 teammates Sophie Darch and Rachel Karpelowitz.

Top: Kaylor celebrates with the U.S. Women’s National Team at the 2015 World Under-23 Championships in London. Photo: Jolie Lang/UltiPhotos Bottom: The U.S Women’s National Team won a silver medal and their division’s spirit award in London. Photo: Kevin Leclaire/ UltiPhotos

Bethany has been blessed to have great role models and mentors throughout her ultimate experience: Lou Burruss, Dave Fry, Jamie Nuwer, Bob and Christine Scheadler and many others. I will also include myself on the list, given that I was her high school coach. You may not recognize all the names, but they have influenced both my daughter and many other girls and women through their commitment to ultimate and the ultimate community. If you are reading this article, there is a good chance you have done the same while helping girls’ and women’s ultimate grow. I thank you for this. Ultimate coaches can positively influence their players, particularly young girls and teens. I’ve seen many high schoolers (including my own) struggle with body-image problems and concerns about whether they will be accepted by peers. A positive role model can make all the difference. That brings me to Lou Burruss, who was Bethany’s coach through her first four years at Oregon. Lou personifies what it is to be a leader. Strangely enough, he does it by pretty much letting the players manage the team. He empowers the ladies to run the team in the fall, make cuts after tryouts, create the team budget, raise the team funds (bake sale anyone?) and coordinate nearly all aspects of the team. They learn peer-leadership, how to manage and run an organization, how to provide feedback to each other and how to take responsibility for fairly significant Fugue-related tasks. That being said, I would not say it is Lou’s leadership that has made the biggest impact on Bethany. Instead, it is his willingness to accept the players for who they are

and build a team around their individual skills. His style imbues quite a powerful message – be yourself, do your best and help the team however you can. Self-awareness, self-acceptance, self-confidence. As a result, Fugue boasts a roster of impressive young women. If you ever have the chance to meet the Fugue ladies (we were afforded the opportunity when they stayed at our house before the 2015 College Championships), you will be impressed. As a parent, I owe a lot to Lou. Bethany has been blessed to have spent the last 10 years in an ever-growing ultimate community that has helped shape her, and it is great that she is now helping give back as a Fugue captain. Every opportunity we as a community provide to introduce a new player to ultimate can make a huge difference in their lives. Cincinnati was fortunate to have Bob and Christine Scheadler start the Cincinnati Ultimate Players Association (CUPA) in 1999, and we’ve introduced over 2,000 high school players to the sport in the past 16 years. For me, I was fortunate to have J. Gary Dropcho organize the Frisbee and Hackeysack Festival in Pittsburgh in 1984 which gave me my introduction to ultimate. If you are reading this, you are likely already involved in ultimate at some level. If you are already very involved, thank you. If you believe you can be more involved, please do so. Check with your local ultimate organization to see if they need volunteers, coaches or tournament directors. Give back to the community that has given to you, and help us continue to make a difference in the lives of so many!

Above the Competition THROUGH A STRENGTH COACH’S EYES: BORACAY DRAGONS WCBU PREPARATION By: Tim Morrill

DISCOVERING BORACAY AND THE BORACAY DRAGONS It was 2012, and I had just finished my first clinic with Seattle Sockeye when Seth Wiggins invited me out to talk training. After a nice chat, I mentioned to Seth how much I enjoy beach ultimate. “Tim, you have to go to Boracay,” he said. I asked where Boracay is, and he pulled up a map, pointed to the island and told me about how beautiful the island is. He also told me about a team called the Boracay Dragons who trained and played beach ultimate there every day. I was immediately intrigued and wanted to experience it myself. It wasn’t until March of 2014 that I actually had the chance to go to Boracay and see it with my own eyes when Morrill Performance (MP) coach Alex Jacoski and I made the island the last stop of our 2014 Morrill Performance Asia Tour. We arrived on Boracay about a week before the annual Boracay Open tournament hosted by the Dragons and were invited to train and play with the team. Boracay is a tremendous training location. The sunlight and vitamin D do wonders for health and well-being. The food is cheap, the veggies are locally grown, and the fish are locally caught, fresh from the ocean. Their mellow shelf of white beach allows for swimming and water running, and the sand is great for beach ultimate. The Filipino people are very positive and welcoming as well. Combined, these factors make Boracay a low-stress, positive environment conducive to athlete adaptation. In the week leading up to the Boracay Open, Alex and I trained full time with the Dragons. The week culminated with the “dragon circuit challenge.” Upon completion of the challenge, we officially became part of the Dragons family. I felt at home in Boracay, and the Dragons welcomed me in, not only as a coach, but as a player and friend.

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

DRAGONS U.S. TOUR The Dragons are known for taking their tournament preparation very seriously. With the 2014 World Championships of Beach Ultimate (WCBU) quickly approaching, the Dragons leadership decided to send the team on a U.S. tour in order to feel out and compete against some of the top beach ultimate players in the U.S. In July 2014, a full Dragons team ventured to the States for a three-stop tour. I got to join them, and together, we played Wildwood in New Jersey and Sandblast in Chicago before finishing up at our home tournament, the Ocean City Beach Classic. The tour was a huge success and was only made possible by the group effort and contribution of the Dragons leadership and organizers James Yap, Karen Cabrera and Akira Yamaguchi.

WCBU 2015 PREPARATION During my time with the Dragons in Boracay and during the U.S. tour, Dragons head coach Wendell Simbulan gave me a few opportunities to teach my Morrill Performance Functional Performance Training (MP FPT) curriculum to his athletes, and little by little, I earned his trust. After many meetings, I was offered the job of training the Dragons for the upcoming World Championships in Dubai, so in late 2014, I headed back to the island to begin discussions about Worlds 2015 preparation and training.

The Dragons ownership selected top athletes from provinces all over the Philippines to create rosters for open division, mixed division and masters division teams. MP coach and athlete Alex Jacoski was selected as an international pick-up for the open team. The athletes were invited to come to Boracay to participate in our sixweek, full-time training cycle leading up to the tournament. In order to execute such a big job, I needed performance training equipment and a staff. We imported 30+ kettlebells, superbands and minibands to the island. I assembled and trained our Dragons strength and conditioning staff made up of full timers Alex Jacoski, Tara Lee Parvus and Olivia Bauman. MP coaches Nick Simonelli and Marc Huber also made short trips to the island to contribute their knowledge and coaching. It was an incredible group effort to train so many athletes, especially considering that before this training, the majority of them had never been taught how to lift. During trainings, Alex, Tara and Olivia did a tremendous job helping me to lead warmups, teach the athletes technique and set up for circuits. The morning trainings were held at the north end of the island at a big, open beach with a shelf called “Pearl of the Pacific.” We split up the practices, starting with a soft sand jog, followed by 60-90 minutes of MP FPT training, then Sport Skill Training drills (SST), and we finished with water jogs and some swimming. The strength

Kettlebell swings into sprints were part of the training regimen for the Dragons in the lead up to WCBU. Photo: Tim Morrill

34 and conditioning staff and I led the MP FPT training, and head coach Wendell Simbulan led the SST practices. The evening trainings varied from day to day. On Mondays and Wednesdays, we implemented our MP FPT twice-a-week strength training template utilizing the kettlebells on the grass at a resort called Casa Pilar. On Fridays, we transported the kettlebells to the beach to work on our MP Post Activation Potentiation workouts where athletes performed explosive swings then immediately ran sprints. Tuesdays and Thursdays were our aerobic development days. One great thing about this training is that the athletes’ main focus during this time was only training and recovering. They were full-time athletes, and their job was to train then focus on recovering for the next session. As a strength and conditioning coach who has spent time working in both for-profit sport performance facilities and in varsity weight rooms, this full-time training seemed almost too good to be true. At the collegiate level, varsity athletes not only have to train and practice, but also go to class, study and attempt to maintain a social life. The same is true of most amateur athletes in the U.S. who also have full-time jobs. Often, these factors can increase stress and decrease peak performance. This full-time training style allowed the athletes to tolerate the high volume of training with no significant injuries.

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A BORACAY DRAGON 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. – Warmup, speed and agility work 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. – Sport skill training and practice with Coach Wendell Simbulan 12:30 p.m. – Team lunch 1:30 - 4:00 p.m. – Rest 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. – Strength training with kettlebells 6:00 p.m. – Team dinner, rest and recovery

Top: The team spent their mornings doing speed and agility work on the beach in Boracay. Photo: Don Laczi

THE JOB OF A STRENGTH COACH AT WCBU

Middle: Kettlebells were part of the equipment imported to the Philippines for training. Photo: Tim Morrill

Upon completion of our full-time training cycle, the Dragons and I left for Dubai to compete at the World Championships of Beach Ultimate. The job of the strength and conditioning coach at a competition is very different from the job during trainings. After spending two years traveling to big events with Boston Ironside, I had figured out how to bring value to teams during competition. Leading warmups is the biggest part of the job, and I was assigned to all three teams. It was quite a task running between rounds to get to the next team. I structure all warmups by starting in “zen mode,” getting athletes tuned into their bodies and releasing any tension. Most times, we are quiet and focused on our bodies and our breath. We breathe through our four-way hip stretching series before moving onto our stationary mobility and activation circuits. Next are our cone-to-cone active stretching, shake outs and agility sequences. We finish with our “ramp-to-speed” progression to get our nervous systems stimulated and our hips into extension and ready for full-speed game play. Another part of my job is to help athletes individually when they feel stiff or are in pain by using some stretching and myofascial release techniques. Over the course of a long tournament like WCBU, many athletes need a bit of extra attention and hands-on work. Last, when I wasn’t actively helping an athlete, I was on the sideline giving them energy and support. All the athletes knew I had their backs and was their biggest fan. The tournament went well,

Bottom: Morrill was welcomed in Boracay, as a coach and a friend, by the Dragons. Photo: Don Laczi

WINTER 2015

though we faced some tough losses. Our open division team suffered a heartbreaking double-game-point loss to Team U.S.A. in a very windy semifinals match. As a speedy team, the intense winds did not play to our strength, and we lost to a tremendously skilled U.S. squad. Our mixed division team, coached by long-time Dragons contributor Akira Yamaguchi, had a great tournament but was eliminated by a talented Portuguese team in the quarterfinals. Our masters division team also had a tremendous tournament and earned a bronze medal. We did not leave Dubai with the gold medals we dreamed of, but we did leave with a sense of pride and accomplishment. The Dragons gave it their best shot and played with so much passion and fire. As their strength and conditioning coach, my biggest success was having zero injuries amongst all three teams throughout the whole five-day tournament. I had developed my athletes to be strong, fast, confident and injury-free. We learned a lot from the experience and successfully implemented the MP strength and conditioning program. Athlete development is a long-term process, and the Dragons are dedicated to continued growth and development. With WCBU 2017 quickly approaching, the dream of gold is still in the hearts of the Boracay Dragons.

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Stay Connected with the New USA Ultimate Mobile App The official USA Ultimate mobile app brings the latest news, videos, championship event results & schedules, magazine and more to your mobile device.

Nutrition Matters HEALTHY TRAVEL TIPS AND RESTAURANT RECOMMENDATIONS By: Katy Harris

MSPH, CSCS, NS

t has happened to all of us at one time or another: waiting too long to stop on a road trip, being stuck traveling with no food and no time or place to stop and even grab something small. So by the time you make it to a restaurant, you are starving and end up making a poor choice or have too much to drink before dinner. It can also happen in everyday life, where we are busy during the day at work and struggle with how to eat when we have to try to squeeze in a workout before dinner and life takes over. Sure, we all try to be smart about our choices, but some of us are better at it than others. Many athletes struggle with figuring out what snacks they should have on hand, what will help them perform best and how to eat healthy in large groups. Keep in mind that your strategy is unique – no one else will be quite like you. But since fueling is so important for athletes, especially for recovery while traveling or competing, or during periods of heavy training or stress, figuring out a routine that works for you is imperative. During these periods, it can make the difference between feeling fast and unstoppable or feeling one step off.

It can often be difficult to get good foods at the right times while traveling. Photo: CBMT Creative

COMMON CHALLENGES AND HEALTHY TRAVEL TIPS Many of us face similar challenges. In daily life, we hurry from meeting to meeting or to our next obligation (which can include workouts), barely allowing time to eat, let alone cook or go grocery shopping. Traveling also presents the additional challenges of not knowing where your next meal will come from; limited and mostly

WINTER 2015

unhealthy choices; long, unknown periods of time without food; and group decision making. The best we can do is try to prepare ahead of time and make good choices on the road, but it can help to have specific strategies. Particularly when traveling, there are sometimes long or unpredictable times between meals, it is hard to always get all the food groups, and food quality is usually poor. In order of importance, eating at the right times is the top priority. Second is getting all the food groups, and third is nutrient quality. You can usually find all the nutrient groups, but the quality and timing may suffer. Just remember that eating as often as needed is the highest priority. These common challenges are explained in more detail below, along with some ideas for travel snacks and eating healthy at restaurants.

Challenge #1: Long Periods without Food or Meals Tips: Plan meals ahead of time, bring snacks, focus on caloric fluid intake. Athletes may face this challenge while training and working as well as during travel and competition. We can all try to be prepared with pre-made food, but a lunch box is not always practical or possible. It can be difficult to maintain the recommended frequency of food intake on the road, especially when you are not always in control of the circumstances. Groups are a specific challenge for some of us, so when traveling with a group, it is important to stick with people who have similar routines to yours or people who will make sure your needs are met during a grocery-store run. A few basic healthy snack ideas are outlined in Table 1, but first it is important to understand the overall goal. For athletes, the goal is to stay fueled – getting enough calories when you need them – so timing is most important, rather than worrying about quality when choices or time is limited. The exception to the rule is if you are trying to lose weight, but you still never want to starve yourself, or you will not feel good or perform well. In general, planning ahead means preparing healthy snacks as well as thinking ahead while on the road. Be prepared to fuel every two to three hours, and always have fluids with you: water and fluids with some calories but no added sugar. What makes snacks healthy is their ingredient quality, as well as having good protein content. Healthy snacks have more good fat, fewer processed carbs and complete protein combinations. Common complete protein combinations include grain and seeds or nuts (e.g., bread with seeds or pretzels and nuts), beans and grain (e.g., hummus and pita) and some legume and grain combinations (e.g., beans and rice, black beans and flour, refried beans and corn).

37 Table 1: On-the-Go Snack Ideas Snack

Typical Version

Healthier Version

Healthiest Version

Chips and Dip

Cheese dip and chips

Chips and salsa

Hummus and pita

Cheese and Crackers

Cheddar and Ritz crackers

Natural cheese and whole-wheat crackers

Organic cheese and all-natural crackers with seeds

Cereal

Cheerios and 2% milk

Bran cereal with whole, organic milk

Nut Mix

Store-bought trail mix

Pre-packaged mix with dried fruit and nuts (no peanuts)

Granola and Fruit

Pre-packaged fruit, yogurt and granola parfait

Organic full-fat yogurt, granola, dried fruit

Pre-Packaged Bar

Whey protein bar

Challenge #2: Lack of All Food Groups Tips: Prioritize going to a grocery store as soon as possible, choose meals at restaurants that include all the food groups, choose snacks with all food groups represented. Missing out on food groups is frequently a problem on the road since meals are not always served in proper proportions, and you have to try and make good choices about what to buy and what to order when youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re out of your normal routine. This can be solved by being prepared and thinking ahead. Prepare well-thought-out snacks that

Soy and nut protein bar (Clif bar)

Granola or grain cereal with almond milk Home-made mix with dried fruit, cashews, shaved almonds and coconut flakes (no peanuts)

Organic Greek yogurt; nut, seed, and grain granola; fresh fruit Granola bar with dried fruit, naturally sweetened with honey or agave (e.g., Kind bar)

are lightweight and sturdy. Pick foods that are fresh but wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t go bad within a day or two (e.g., pretzels and nuts, dried fruit). When you arrive at your destination, make it a priority to get to a grocery store as soon as you can. It can sometimes be difficult in large groups, but this is an obvious and useful solution. At restaurants, try to think ahead to the next meal, and order some food to go or take leftovers. When shopping at a grocery store, convenience and taste are often more of a concern than healthy ingredients, but make sure you plan for all nutrient groups. Complete protein can be the most difficult

since there is rarely pre-cooked meat available, but in these situations, you can make exceptions if needed and choose Italian dry sausage, the least processed pre-cooked meat possible or hard-boiled eggs. Some people can also eat canned tuna and sardines, which are good ways to get seafood on the road. The nut and grain combinations mentioned in Challenge #1 also make complete proteins and can suffice for most protein needs between meals.

Challenge #3: Healthy Options while Traveling and at Restaurants Tips: Be as prepared as possible, snack and fuel between meals to help yourself make good choices later, choose the healthiest ingredients available as often as possible. Hint: Use the activities below to practice making healthy choices! Making healthy choices is often the biggest challenge facing athletes on the road. Always try to be as prepared and thoughtful as possible using the snack ideas and restaurant meal choices in Tables 1 and 2, but you will likely have to make some exceptions to your personal rules to get the calories you need. When faced with choices at restaurants, healthy snacking before

The more you can snack and stay fueled during the day, the easier it is to make healthy decisions when eating out at a restaurant. Photo: CBMT Creative U S A U LT I M AT E

38 Table 2: Healthy Meal Ideas at Restaurants Meal

Typical Version

Healthier Version

Healthiest Version

Pasta

Sausage alfredo

Spaghetti with meatballs or chicken alfredo with organic dairy

Seafood and vegetable linguine

Burger

Beef burger with cheese and fries

All-natural, grass-fed beef with kettle-cooked potato chips

Bison or salmon burger with sweet potato fries or hash

Sandwich

Ham and cheese sandwich on white bread with chips

Tuna or chicken salad with organic or olive oil mayo on whole-wheat bread

Oven-roasted turkey or chicken breast with pesto and cranberry sauce on whole-grain bread

Seafood

Fried fish and chips

Seafood bisque or soup

Salmon or whole fish with vegetables and whole-grain bread

Burrito

Fried chimichanga or taco salad with beef and low-fat sour cream

Organic pork or shrimp with vegetables and guacamole

Shredded chicken or seafood burrito with vegetables, guacamole and organic sour cream

arriving can help improve your choices when browsing the menu. But sometimes the food being appetizing is more important than nutrient quality. After going long periods without nutrients, just getting calories is a top priority for the body. At restaurants, start with a healthy appetizer if possible, then make the healthiest choice you can based on the ingredients and meal composition. If you do not eat out very often, enjoy yourself, and do not over-analyze every decision. But if faced with these challenges regularly, the healthy meal versions above can help you make better decisions. The more often you can snack and stay fueled and the more often you choose the healthy versions, the better you will feel and the better you will perform!

ACTIVITY SUGGESTIONS Activity #1: Healthy Snacks Instructions: Write down three snacks you could make out of your fridge if you had to go on a trip tomorrow. Make sure to include some of each nutrient group! A snack = half a meal.

Activity #2: Healthy Meals at Restaurants Instructions: Choose three menus and pick a healthy meal from each. Jot down any modifications you could make to be healthier.

Choose meals and snacks that have all the food groups represented. Photo: CBMT Creative

REFERENCES Baechle, T. R., & Earle, R. W. (2008). Essentials of strength training and conditioning Human kinetics. Hartwig, D., & Hartwig, M. (2012). It starts with food Victory Belt Pub.

WINTER 2015

What’s the Call? WFDF V. USA ULTIMATE RULES By: Colin McIntyre

Chair, Standing Rules Committee

his quarter’s “What’s the Call?” article highlights some of the differences between play under the international rules (WFDF rules), governed by the World Flying Disc Federation (WFDF) compared to play under the USA Ultimate 11th Edition rules (USAU rules). USA Ultimate and WFDF have separate rules committees, with one member in common, and each committee produces its own rule set. Thus, although the rule sets are mostly pretty similar, some minor differences exist like terminology, matters of timing and on-field procedures, while some major differences reflect different philosophical or policy approaches. A relatively simple example of a policy difference is how the rule sets address when a thrower stops play with a timeout call when his team has no timeouts remaining. This is a turnover under USAU Rule XII.D.4, but under WFDF Rule 20.1, the marker adds two seconds to the “count reached” before restarting play with the next number; if that number is 10 or higher, a turnover results (stall). Thus, each rule set addresses the same issue using a different approach, and the difference primarily reflects a policy choice. As WFDF and USA Ultimate rules committees begin preparing future editions of the rules, they are coordinating their efforts to reduce differences between the upcoming rule sets. For example, the USA Ultimate Championship Series is played under competition guidelines that specify 20-yard end zones, as used under WFDF Rule 2.1. This change from the 25-yard end zones specified by USAU Rule III.A allows organizers to safely place ultimate fields at more different athletic facilities, whether soccer fields, football fields or polo fields, and the next revision of the USA Ultimate rules will include 20-yard end zones. For now, it is useful to highlight some basic common ground shared by the WFDF and USA Ultimate rules as well as some of the larger differences, including travel calls, continuation, dangerous play and receiving fouls.

CONTACT AND SPIRIT OF THE GAME Whether playing under WFDF or USA Ultimate rules, players share similar responsibilities to avoid contact and uphold Spirit of the Game. In the 2014 winter issue of the USA Ultimate magazine, I noted that Section 1 of the WFDF rules contains detailed provisions related to Spirit of the Game that also offer

valuable guidance to anyone playing under USAU rules. In terms of contact, both rule sets acknowledge the possibility that incidental contact between adjacent players will occur, and WFDF Rule 12.8 defines players’ obligation to avoid contact: “All players must attempt to avoid contact with other players, and there is no situation where a player may justify initiating contact. ‘Making a play for the disc’ is not a valid excuse for initiating contact with other players.” Similarly, USAU Rule XVI.H imposes “the responsibility of all players to avoid contact in every way possible.” These rules define whether contact is acceptable, and they impose an obligation to avoid contact. The WFDF and USAU rules contain some differences in how fouls are interpreted, but the responsibility to avoid contact is similar. Thus, the fact that contact may not result in a dangerous play or a foul call does not excuse the behavior of the player initiating contact under either rule set.

TRAVEL CALLS When a travel is called, WFDF rules allow for play to continue unhalted if the call is uncontested and no throw has been made. Under WFDF Rule 18.2.7, if no throw has been made “after an uncontested travel infraction, play does not stop.” Instead, the stall count pauses, the player calling travel indicates where the pivot should be, the thrower establishes a pivot at the appropriate spot, and then the marker resumes counting with the word “stalling” (WFDF Rule 18.2.7.13). Of course under USAU rules, this travel call would result in a stoppage (USAU Rule XVI.C).

FOULS AND DANGEROUS PLAY In terms of fouls and dangerous play, WFDF rules generally provide a stronger recourse for instances of contact than USAU rules provide. Specifically, under WFDF Rule 17.1.1, “Reckless disregard for the safety of fellow players is considered dangerous play and is to be treated as a foul, regardless of whether or when contact occurs,” while USAU Rule XVI.H.4 requires some contact to actually occur for a play to be considered “dangerous play,” though severe, dangerous contact is not required. The official interpretations of the WFDF rules state: “Dangerous Play fouls can be called before an event to avoid a potential collision e.g. a defender runs/layouts in a way that an accident would occur if the offence were to

U S A U LT I M AT E

40 continue. When this occurs it is correct to not make a play on the disc & to call a ‘dangerous play’ foul. Players calling a Dangerous Play foul before a potential incident need to have reasonable grounds for doing so. They should actually be able to see the oncoming player and have some reason to believe that player will not avoid contact – this could include a previous history of that player to not avoid contact.” In the same example, USAU Rule XVI.H.4 encourages the offense to attempt to make a play safely, but, recognizing the risk of a dangerous play, to prioritize avoiding a collision. In this situation, if even slight contact occurs, the offense may call a dangerous play call under USAU rules. Under no circumstances does USAU Rule XVI.H.4 require a player anticipating a dangerous collision to “take the hit,” but the rule is written to also allow for clean, aggressive plays to be made without any contact, without confusion regarding whether a dangerous play call can be made: If the play is made without any contact at all, a “dangerous play” call is not valid. Moving away from dangerous plays and into the more common situation of receiving fouls, the official interpretation to WFDF Rules 17.2 and 17.6 regarding receiving fouls states: “Non incidental contact that occurs directly after the attempt at the disc (i.e. a defender catches the disc and then collides with an offence player) is considered to have occurred during the attempt at the disc,” and therefore would constitute a receiving foul. Under USAU Rule XVI.H.3.b, non-dangerous, non-incidental contact occurring after the disc became uncatchable would be considered a general foul, not a receiving foul, and would not result in the disc being awarded to the fouled player. However, the example of a defender making a block and colliding with an offensive player afterwards could constitute a dangerous play, which would be treated as a receiving foul under USAU rules.

STOPPAGES AND CONTINUATION OF PLAY The USAU rules and WFDF rules approach stoppages and continuation of play from completely opposite directions, before reaching outcomes that can often be identical. Under WFDF Rule 16.1, “Whenever a foul or violation call is made, play stops

WINTER 2015

Whether playing under WFDF or USA Ultimate rules, players share similar responsibilities to avoid contact and uphold Spirit of the Game. Photo: Natalie Bigman-Pimentel/UltiPhotos immediately and no turnover is possible,” while the USAU Continuation Rule (USAU Rule XVI.C) states, “Play stops when the thrower in possession acknowledges that an infraction has been called” and may continue for an additional pass under many circumstances. In addition, USAU Rule XVI.K states, “Players are encouraged to make every effort to continue playing until play actually stops,” and provides that if a player stops playing or slows down in response to a call, that behavior cannot be considered to have affected the play, whereas the official interpretation of WFDF Rule 16.3 indicates that play may be affected if players slow down or stop playing in response to hearing a call. Although WFDF Rule 16.1 states that play stops and no turnover is possible after a call is made, WFDF Rule 16.2 then provides exceptions in which play may continue and turnovers are possible. Another important exception exists in WFDF Rule 16.3, which states that “regardless of when a call is made, if the players involved from both teams agree that the foul, violation or call did not affect the outcome, the play stands.” This rule can apply broadly to include multiple-pass continuation and even a turnover following an inconsequential foul by the marker. Nonetheless, when WFDF Rule 16.3 applies to continuation after a call, continuation under WFDF and USAU rules is very similar. The key difference is that USAU rules provide this continuation as the default case, whereas it is an exception by agreement of both teams under WFDF rules. Thus under WFDF rules, for calls made before the act of throwing, any pass will return to the thrower, unless WFDF

Rule 16.3 applies or unless the call was made against the thrower. The situation that best highlights differences in continuation under WFDF and USAU rules is when the defense calls a foul before a thrower initiates a throw. Under USAU Rule XVI.C.2, the result of a subsequent play will always stand (USAU Rules XVI.C.2.a.2 and XVI.C.2.b.2) unless a pass was completed and the infraction by the offense affected the play (USAU Rule XVI.C.2.b.1). For example, if a defender called a foul, a subsequent incomplete pass would stand, and a completed pass far away from that defender would also stand. In this example, under WFDF rules, all passes (complete or incomplete) would be returned to the thrower unless WFDF Rule 16.3 applied and both teams agreed to let the result of the pass stand. In games between teams that agreeably resolve these situations, the WFDF and USAU continuation rules can result in nearly identical outcomes, but in more contentious games with contested outcomes, WFDF rules will send more discs back to the thrower, while more completions and turnovers will stand under the USAU Continuation Rule.

While the rule sets are mostly similar, there are some minor differences in matters like time-keeping and some bigger differences that reflect varying philosophies and policies. Photo: Andrew Moss/UltiPhotos

LEARN MORE To learn more about the WFDF rules, please visit www.wfdf.org/sports/ultimate. The WFDF rules resources include a document of official interpretations of the WFDF rules and a list of differences between the WFDF and USA Ultimate rule sets.

2015 Coordinators of the Year

Youth Division Michelle Walters – Texas

Erin Maloney – Oregon

Michelle successfully handled several cancellations and postponements due to some of Texas’ worst weather. She rearranged schedules, field sites and rain dates with tenacity and worked hard to facilitate communication across the state and accommodate varying team schedules. Thanks to Michelle for another great year!

Erin helped run three Oregon State Championships, wrote a constructive report on Oregon’s first middle school league and has been a great liaison between USA Ultimate and the Oregon youth ultimate community, all while helping to coach South Eugene High School and Oregon’s girls’ YCC team Glory. After all her great work to date, she was recently brought on as USA Ultimate’s West Girls’ Regional Outreach Director. Thanks, Erin!

State Youth Coordinator

Girls’ State Youth Coordinator

College Division Ben Sadok – Northeast

Collin Bartoldus – Metro East

Tyler Davis – Metro East

Ben displayed an impressive ability to deal with all of the challenges that came his way as regional director of the New England Region. He is incredibly responsive to teams, and he did an excellent job organizing both conference and regional events. This ensured a well-run series experience for all of his teams, no easy task given that he also plays in the division. We look forward to more of the same from Ben in 2016!

Not only did Collin ensure his conference championship events went smoothly, but his communication with teams throughout the regular season and series remained outstanding. In a region often challenged with weather issues, Collin’s organization and dedication provided the leadership necessary to keep everything on track. We appreciate his efforts and are excited to be working with him again this season!

Tyler was up to the task of running the 2015 Metro East D-III Series and displayed great organization and communication throughout. He successfully dealt with both weather and scheduling challenges that can pose obstacles for our events throughout the country. We encourage Tyler to continue to develop collaboration across this region for success in the 2016 series and beyond!

Men’s Regional Director

Men’s D-I Conference Coordinator

Men’s D-III Conference Coordinator

Honorable Mention Charlie Hoppes, Ohio Valley

Honorable Mention Karen Brohard, Southwest

Samantha Pitman – Southwest

Alyssa Weatherford – Northwest

Christy Cheung – South Central

Sam enthusiastically jumped into the position midway through the regular season and easily made herself a valuable resource to the coordinators and teams in her region. She is thorough, thoughtful and responsible and seamlessly adjusted to all the things that were already in play for conference championships and regionals. Thank you, Sam, and we look forward to great things in 2016!

Alyssa has been the D-I women’s conference coordinator for the Northwest Region for the last five years and has been a fantastic resource to the new coordinators and teams in the region. Her leadership, organization and dedication to women’s ultimate (she is also a coach of Western Washington University Chaos) are just a few of the many reasons she is so valuable to the division and to women’s ultimate. Thank you, Alyssa, for all that you have done and continue to do – we look forward to another successful season!

As a first-year D-III women’s coordinator, Christy successfully organized and ran the 2015 South Central Confer-Regionals event. Serving this competitive region, Christy displayed agility in organizing the event, despite challenging weather issues. Thank you for your great work in helping grow D-III ultimate!

Women’s Regional Director

Honorable Mention Katie Fox, Southeast

Women’s D-I Conference Coordinator

Women’s D-III Conference Coordinator

Honorable Mentions Jess Waugam, Metro East George Van Den Driessche, Great Lakes

Honorable Mention Amelia Cuarenta, North Central U S A U LT S AI MUAT LT E I M AT E

Club Division

42 Steve Slocum – Northeast

Travis McGrath – Metro NY

Natalie Jamerson – Northwest

Steve moved from the Mid-Atlantic Region to the Northeast this year and took on a tricky new region without a hitch. Staffing, scheduling and any issues were all welladdressed, and his communication was first rate. Welcome to the Northeast, Mr. Regional Coordinator of the Year!

Travis McGrath led a challenging sectionals this year. Despite last-minute changes to bid allocations, the Metro NY sectional championships went off seamlessly due in no small part to his effective communication. He clearly mediated complaints of last-minute schedule changes by teams and ensured a smoothly operated sectional championship. Additionally, his rapid electronic reporting of tournament scores deserves commendation.

Natalie was a first-year volunteer, and she did a great job – so great, in fact, that I received messages sent for the sole purpose to compliment how great she did. Natalie is highly attentive to detail and exudes positive energy, making her a joy to work with. She took the initiative and learned everything she could about the role of regional coordinator very quickly. Her initiative also made her fellow coordinators better at their jobs; basically, she is a force for good in USAU organization. When she isn’t organizing regionals, Natalie also competes on a mixed team which promotes gender equity and player development, a true exemplar in the mixed division which made Nationals for the first time in 2015. Natalie is a rising star in the ultimate community, and we are lucky to have her!

Men’s Regional Coordinator

Adam Goff, National Men’s Director Honorable Mention Meredith Tosta, Southwest

Men’s Sectional Coordinator

Steve Slocum, Northeast Regional Coordinator Honorable Mention Jimmy Blevins, Northwest

Mixed Regional Coordinator

Dave Klink, National Mixed Director

Erik Nerison – Northwest Plains

Jes Heil – Northeast

Michelle Park – Texas

Erik “Java” Nerison is very deserving of the award for Mixed Sectional Coordinator of the Year. In this his fourth year in the position, he has really demonstrated the continued excellence of an experienced coordinator. Java solicited several bids for sectionals and was instrumental in helping all the regional coordinators, not just mixed, come to the best decision for the players. He communicated clearly and effectively with teams, troubleshooting their concerns and allowing their voices to be heard. During the NWP sectional tournament, Java was organized, efficient and a great point person for all the teams. The tournament website was updated regularly, and teams could focus on playing, rather than scheduling. Those who qualified for regionals were communicated with within hours of sectionals. Java’s passion for the sport and hardworking attitude are a great benefit to the Northwest Plains Section.

Not for the first time, Jes Heil stands out as the women’s division regional coordinator of the 2015 season. She’s an incredibly responsive and involved RC, she’s very thorough and communicates actively with her SCs, and she manages logistics for the largest region in women’s club ultimate. Perhaps due to the complexity of her region, Jes is really good at double-checking her work (and ours!), and she has often helped us catch errors before they morphed into real issues, as we headed into sectionals or regionals.

Michelle was able to balance concerns about travel and cost with making an accessible event for new teams, including a team from Mexico. All teams in her section exclaimed that the sectionals event was incredible. The team from Mexico loved every minute of it! She also dealt with a lot of difficult circumstances with class and represented USAU very well.

Mixed Sectional Coordinator

Fran Kelley, North Central Regional Coordinator

Women’s Regional Coordinator

Women’s Sectional Coordinator

Lindsey Cross, South Central Regional Coordinator

Lastly, Jes has been in this seat for several seasons, and the continuity that adds to the large Northeast Region is tremendously helpful. Thanks for all of your hard work, Jes! Glad we had the chance to work together. Remy Schor, National Women’s Director

Masters Division Tim Streit – Southwest

Masters Regional Coordinator Tim did an admirable job of researching multiple venues to find a location that benefited a diverse and geographically spread region. The Southwest Region qualified three teams in each division, and each was a welcome addition to the WINTER 2015

Masters Championships. Thanks to Tim for his communication and leadership in providing an excellent experience for all the teams involved. Kyle Christoph, National Masters Director

NEWS & NOTES

Winter 2015

2015 HALL OF FAME CLASS Five new members were inducted into the Ultimate Hall of Fame as part of the 2015 class this November: women’s division inductee Lori Van Holmes and open division inductees Rich “Gags” Gallagher, Skip Kuhn, Billy Rodriguez and Bob “Bert” Sick.

Lori Van Holmes – Minneapolis, Minn. Lori started her competitive ultimate career on open teams in the early ‘80s and founded and captained women’s ultimate in Minneapolis (Repo Women). She made 11 National Championship appearances in the women’s division and two more in the mixed division. She competed in three WFDF World Championships and won a gold medal in 1997 with Women on the Verge (WOTV). Lori was a driving force in the growth of ultimate in the Northwest and captained WOTV through their glory years. She also gave back to the sport by serving as a regional coordinator and coaching college and high school teams, as well as running tournament and clinics.

Rich “Gags” Gallagher – Los Angeles, Calif. Rich burst onto the ultimate scene in 1981, when as a first year player, he emerged as a major contributor on the Santa Barbara Condors’ national championship team. Rich was the centerpiece of a multi-year effort to develop a top-level open club team in Los Angeles. In 1987, Rich and Polo Club, later called the Iguanas, finally broke through to become the first from Los Angeles to ever qualify for Nationals. The Iguanas, and Rich as their primary handler, reached their pinnacle between 1989 and 1991, when they finished twice as Nationals semifinalists and once as a finalist during those three years. During his playing career, Rich was held in the highest regard by competitors and teammates for his integrity and embodiment of Spirit of the Game.

Skip Kuhn – Lewisboro, N.Y. Skip Kuhn was a standout two-way star for NYNY from the beginning of their victory ride until the end. With excellent handling skills, blazing speed, tremendous jumping ability and the high intensity he brought to every big game, Skip was one of the few players used interchangeably on offense and defense. He was acknowledged by many of his NYNY teammates as the best all-around player on New York’s star-studded roster. Skip was a formidable competitor; widely respected by his peers and teammates as an athlete who thrived for years at the very top of the game.

Billy Rodriguez – Boston, Mass. As the only man who starred on two of the biggest dynasties in the history of open ultimate, NYNY and Boston’s Death or Glory, the legacy and achievements of Billy Rodriguez are unparalleled: 10 national championships, four in a row with New York, then six in a row with Boston’s Death or Glory. Along the way, he also notched five WFDF world championships titles. In addition to Billy’s great competitive success, he was also respected and admired on and off the field. Billy was a humble, selfless, and gracious sportsman, supremely gifted at making everyone around him better by bringing the highest standard of excellence to practice after practice, game after game, year after year.

Bob “Bert” Sick – San Jose, Calif. Bob first caught the attention of his western region peers in the early 1980s as one of the top players and leaders at Stanford University. After paving the path to Stanford’s success, Bob brought his talents to Flying Circus. Over the six year span of 1984 - 1989, the Bay Area-based Flying Circus/Tsunami teams played in the finals at Nationals five times, winning titles in 1985 and 1988 and a World Championship in 1986. He was highly respected by his peers as someone who strived to play the game at the highest level possible, always acted selflessly to help his team and never let his will to win compromise his behavior on or off the field.

The Class of 2015 is the 12th class inducted into the Ultimate Hall of Fame, which was established in 2004 to honor the men and women whose accomplishments as athletes and contributors merit acknowledgement by their peers.

U S A U LT I M AT E

44 NEW USA ULTIMATE STAFF MEMBER

ALEX SNYD E Kathy Pufahl Spir R it Aw ard

JO NA Ca THA lla N ha n

ALTITUDE YOUTH ULTIMATE IS NEWEST USA ULTIMATE AFFILIATE Denver’s Altitude Youth Ultimate became USA Ultimate’s newest affiliated league this fall. They join 14 other leagues in the Affiliate Program and now have access to additional resources and support from USA Ultimate designed to assist with the expansion and promotion of grassroots programs and to serve local players. Affiliates benefit from various materials and programs that assist with education, instruction and training initiatives, as well as several streams of financial support. They receive access to USA Ultimate’s Learn to Play Program, as well as curricula designed for physical education in a classroom setting, coaching education and observer certification. USA Ultimate also assists affiliates with the facilitation of community recreation programs, youth camps and college program outreach. Financial resources are also available to USA Ultimate-affiliated leagues in the form of grants, discounts and rebate dollars, while leagues can also benefit from an insurance program covering events, players, directors and officers.

usa ulti mat e.org

NSTON A JOH ALIK han Award Calla

CHRIS Mar ty Ba MCMAN kko S pirit US Aw ard

E ard JOY irit Aw IN HL r Sp AS ricke r Fa er et

TT CU ER TH d NE war A

A new team member joined USA Ultimate’s Competition and Athlete Programs department late this year. Tom Manewitz is the new Manager – Competition and Athlete Programs (College) and will oversee USA Ultimate’s college division programs, U-23 National Team and other programs throughout the year. Manewitz earned a law degree at the University of Minnesota and holds a bachelor’s degree in history from The George Washington University. Professionally, he has spent time working as a camp director, a family welfare employment aid with Americorps, and a law clerk in the St. Paul City Attorney’s Office. He has spent the last two years working as a commercial and corporate associate for Fredrikson & Byron, P.A., in Minneapolis. Manewitz began playing ultimate while in high school in New York City and continued to compete with George Washington’s club team while he was an undergraduate. He also served as the team’s president. Currently, he plays in tournaments and local leagues and has also volunteered as a high school coach at Hopkins High School in Minnetonka, Minn.

Forward programs. Gifts also help fund the creation of a national infrastructure of local communities designed to grow the sport, as well as U.S. National Teams and programs that support gender equity and Spirit of the Game.

dfd f

IG N A

T U RE SE

RIE

2015 SIGNATURE SERIES The Signature Series is back in 2015! Anyone who donates $30 or more to the Ultimate Foundation before January 31, 2016, will receive this year’s Signature Series disc. Anyone who donates $75 or more before the end of January is eligible to receive both the 2015 and 2014 Signature Series discs. The Signature Series was launched in 2014 as a means of commemorating players, events and moments that signify the sport and USA Ultimate each year. This year’s design remembers the inaugural USA Ultimate Beach Championships. Donations made to the Ultimate Foundation through the Signature Series support development opportunities and local, grassroots programs around the country, including important initiatives designed to introduce and deliver the sport of ultimate to young girls and disadvantaged youth via the Girls' Ultimate Movement and Play It

WINTER 2015

UPCOMING EVENTS EVENT

DATE

LOCATION

Beach Championships

May 14-15, 2016

Virginia Beach, Va.

High School Southern Championships

May 14-15, 2016

Atlanta, Ga.

High School Central Championships

May 14-15, 2016

Ames, Iowa

High School Northeastern Championships

May 21-22, 2016

Pittsburgh, Pa.

Division III College Championships

May 21-22, 2016

Winston-Salem, N.C.

College Championships

May 27-30, 2016

Raleigh, N.C.

High School Western Championships

June 4-5, 2016

Corvallis, Ore.

Masters Championships

Aug. 5-7, 2016

Aurora, Colo.

2 016

The highest level of competitive ultimate in North America will return. check it out. Everyone is invited. usaultimate.org/triplecrowntour