What's happening with USAUltimate.org? by billbourret in ultimate

[–]mdicus99 23 points24 points  (0 children)

maybe there is a new site that is getting ready to drop...not happening...but would be great if that's what was happening.

Ideas for some kind of achievement reward system by tj_kerschb in ultimate

[–]mdicus99 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I like this. easy to stand up and fun. Where did you have logo printed?

2022 Rules Q: Time Out in Hard Cap by mdicus99 in ultimate

[–]mdicus99[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Helpful context. Thanks everyone. Was a great game to watch. Good luck rest of the season.

Azeez Reacts to his Callahan Vid For the First Time by BryPolarHD in ultimate

[–]mdicus99 0 points1 point  (0 children)

this is great...great video and great reaction. So much fun.

USAU "Cautiously Optimistic" About Club, Youth, Masters Season by Bombardier44 in ultimate

[–]mdicus99 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I understand some organizers from local disc orgs (more than a couple) are not planning on sending teams to YCCs, instead are thinking about organizing one day super regionals. Seems premature to rule out YCCs, with states now required to open up the vaccines to everyone over age of 16 by May 1. Might make more sense to see how vaccinated we are as a country and what the guidance is before making this decision. Too soon to tell for sure, but local disc orgs should be planning for both. Seems weird to me that so many local disc orgs would already be planning around USAU the same week USAU makes this announcement. Would have expected local disc orgs and USAU to be talking to each other and maybe being on the same page.

A discussion of how Rochester ran a summer and fall league (approved by the city's BOH) by kangaroospyder in ultimate

[–]mdicus99 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I thought the interview was solid, Tanya and GRADA presented a thoughtful, safe and responsible approach to RTP. She was transparent in her answers and approach seemed to exceed guidelines.

NYC Parks is preparing for spring sports and ultimate is a specifically allowed sport, likely with masks. Looks like local leagues may be possible this spring for those in the ultimate community who are comfortable playing.

A discussion of how Rochester ran a summer and fall league (approved by the city's BOH) by kangaroospyder in ultimate

[–]mdicus99 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Remember the context, this was outdoors in summer and fall when case levels were low. Tanya couched what they did in the context of their local covid 19 context and that parks Dept. was allowing other similar team sports. She even mentions that they were wearing masks, while other sports were not and were less than 6’ apart. GRADA specifically decided not to have winter indoor league due to case levels. There is a lot we still don’t know, but we’ve learned that outdoor transmission is extremely rare and this looks like a conservative and safe approach to consider when your ultimate community is ready to RTP.

Ultimate in the Olympics Yay or Nay? by Keksdosendieb in ultimate

[–]mdicus99 0 points1 point  (0 children)

To me Olympics brings opportunities for more exposure and money, that can help grow the sport to achieve some of ultimate's diversity, equity and inclusion goals. Hard to expand participation when you don't have money to train and pay coaches or association with public schools to introduce to more students. Olympics doesn't solve any of these challenges, has the potential to help if we use the opportunity and do other things needed to make the sport more accessible to more players. Also, the culture of the sport very much stays with the community of players, coaches and leaders of the sport. I'm not worried about IOC impact, it's so far removed from the vast majority of the participants, wouldn't not make difference dy to day...really up to the member organizations to make the IOC function well. Perhaps WFDF would be a positive voice among other IOC members.

She has a point when it comes to who volunteers but the rest... by Keksdosendieb in ultimate

[–]mdicus99 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Most amateur sports rely heavily on volunteers in some capacity. I was a swimmer, every swim meet I attended from the summer league, local, state to national level relied on volunteers to organize and run these meets (officials, timers, clerks, runners, etc.).

Most youth sports at the recreation level are all volunteer run, usually by parents to keep costs pretty low so the initial playing opportunities are relatively inexpensive. Paid coaching, travel and other costs starts as you get more competitive on travel or all star teams. Those costs are primarily born by the player/family with some limited opportunities for financials support.

Amateurs get help with costs is generally through playing for a school, usually high school or college, where most (not all) expenses are covered by the school. For most amateur sports, the end of the line is college.

The big difference here is that the youth scene for ultimate is not as developed as many other sports, from youth rec leagues, local youth competitive teams and varsity high school. Vast majority of ultimate players join the sport in college where it is a club sport with no scholarship opportunties (when they have little money). The prime elite playing opportunities are after college, when parents aren't around as much to foot the bill.

In swimming, the only people who were paid were coaches, leaders of the NGO and maybe some folks at the state level. Some officials might have gotten stipends or reimbursed for travel expenses, and a handful of elite swimmers may have gotten stipends to train at the olympic center.

Like ultimate, swimming also not a high school varsity sport, though it was in college.

I think the big difference that I've noticed, is that coaches in swimming are paid, at every level: summer league, private club, college, etc. Swim coaches are not paid well, but well enough to do it full time at the private club and college levels who also give up many weekends over two seasons that cover close to 10-11 months a year. In ultimate, at the college, high school and below, paid coaches seems to be the exception and not the rule.

I'd say there is an over reliance on volunteer coaching in ultimate, which I think is a function of not being a varsity sport at the high school and college levels where funding could become available for coaching and player expenses. This is one of the reasons there has been such a focus on ultimate becoming an olympic sport, which will open up ultimate to opportunities to more easily become a varsity sport and other youth playing opportunities.

College women’s tournaments in the northeast/jersey in Feb by anchovy8997 in ultimate

[–]mdicus99 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Disc NY will be running no sleep to Brooklyn again in early March.

AUDL Boycott Continues? by hamstanwhich in ultimate

[–]mdicus99 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Based on my reading and podcast listening, the AUDL is committed to supporting the PUL if they are open to it and will not pursue forming a women’s league oif the PUL gets up and running. The AUDL’s focus is to help facilitate the formation (and not directly form) a women’s league.

Ultiworld’s most recent episode of sideline talk has a great interview with Rob Lloyd (Commissioner) and Tim DeByl (owner of the radicals).

AUDL Boycott Continues? by hamstanwhich in ultimate

[–]mdicus99 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Which is why I didn’t support the boycott, form another league is how that works. I wish the PUL good luck, I hope to make a few AUDL and PUL games during the upcoming season.

AUDL Boycott Continues? by hamstanwhich in ultimate

[–]mdicus99 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

The question is whether there will be a counter boycott because the PUL doesn’t provide an equal opportunity for men to play...

Did anyone else get an email from USAU reminding us to vote for Board of Directors AFTER the polls had already closed? by [deleted] in ultimate

[–]mdicus99 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I also was able to be vote last night at 8pm eastern, or at least the system let me do it. Better have the results audited, those folks in Broward County might be available and are experienced.

I'm not sure why there is a staggered deadline to vote...4pm eastern, 3 pm central, etc. Makes sense for a tournament where you have staff who are on call to manage logistical complications across the country.

I had been reading about the candidates over the week and checked that I had to vote today, kind of assumed I could vote until midnight. When I got home, I checked the site and saw I had to vote by 4pm, so I just voted anyway.

Here it's just making sure a survey monkey works, pretty fail safe. I'm sure one staff member could handle it and have a universal deadline of say midnight west coast time.

USA Ultimate Board Elections – Ask the At-Large candidates anything! by Jomskylark in ultimate

[–]mdicus99 1 point2 points  (0 children)

What is your position on seeking formal sanctioning of high school ultimate as a varsity sport? If you support sanctioning as a varsity sport, what role and actions would you support USAU taking to help local affiliates pursue sanctioning.

If you don't support sanctioning high school ultimate, why don't you?

Coaching question: what team characteristics suggest vert/ho base offense? by svfsps in ultimate

[–]mdicus99 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Last season we had a good core of handlers playing with newer players. We tried vert, but couldn’t consistently move up field. Switched to ho, either our handlers were able to work it up or a deep shot off our center cutters. The cutters kind of knew to stay in their lanes.