Mission Statement

"UUDA is to act as a regional resource promoting growth and development in the sport of ultimate, providing opportunities to play and learn, embracing the 'spirit of the game,' and participating in community service."

UUDA Bylaws

Board Bios

President - Simon Pugh: Here for well over a decade now, Simon came to Utah via Chicagoland where he spent most of his childhood, though he was born and raised in Capetown, South Africa until the age of 8. He also spent time in Wales where his entire extended family still lives. After high school, Simon was fortunate enough to return to South Africa for a couple years, where his affection for the African people was heightened in fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Returning to Utah in 2000 to continue his education in psychology at the University of Utah, Simon did not want to lose sight of his passion for HIV/AIDS work. Thus, he volunteered at the Utah AIDS Foundation, accumulating over 400 hours primarily with pre/post test counseling and giving test results. His experiences in Africa and at the Utah Aids Foundation solidified Simon's resolve to do something in the non-profit sector. When Simon signed up for an Ultimate Frisbee intermural team at the UofU in 2000, he had no idea how that decision would change his life. Like most Ultimate players, Simon quickly realized he'd found the best sport in the world and sought as many opportunities to play as possible. In 2001, when the top traveling coed team in SLC (Persuader) qualified for the World Championships in Hawaii and was in desperate need of extra players, Simon got himself on their roster. He played his first tournament in Breckenridge, CO and then against Ultimate players from around the world two weeks later. Simon continued playing for Persuader, which later became Golden Spike, and has been captaining the team for the last 2 years. Since 2010, Simon has wanted to create a non-profit for Utah Ultimate. During his 10 years in the community, he's see people come and go. They'd put effort into organizing teams and tournaments for a bit, but then burn out and disappear. Once they were gone, so was all their experience and effort. Simon is determined to not let this happen anymore, and thus created UUDA. He believes that as a unified force in the community, with a little bit of concentrated effort, Utah Ultimate can flourish without any of the prior loss of knowledge, experience, or effort.

Vice-President - Ryan Segal: A native of Salt Lake City, Utah, Ryan has been involved with Ultimate since 2001. His four years at the Colorado College saw him become a competitive player who was concerned about the development and increased participation of the sport within his area. He is currently a Level I youth coach and works with high school and college programs in his home state. He is a Program Coordinator at the University of Utah in the Youth Education department and has extensive experience with youth in the sports and camp settings. Ryan is the West's Regional Youth Director for USA Ultimate. In Utah Ryan has helped develop the first Youth Club Hat League and puts on skills clinics and workshops with the many developing high school teams in conjunction with UUDA and the State Youth Coordinator. He has also competed as a club player with Utah’s mixed team Golden Spike. Ryan is proud to serve on the Youth Advisory Council (YAC) and is excited about impacting the future of youth ultimate in the West. Currently he is pursuing his Master’s degree in Exercise and Sports Science from the University of Utah.

Secretary - Melissa "Scooter" Connolly: Although not quite a native, Melissa grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah, playing soccer and enjoying outdoor pursuits. She happened across Ultimate in the University of Utah's Exercise and Sport Science classes, and despite never having heard of the sport, signed up for the class. After meeting some of the funnest people in the world at the VA pickup game and learning that this was a sport that involved travel and tournament play as an adult, she was instantly hooked. In addition to the sport, she also gained a community: great new friends, teammates, competitors, and of course, her nickname, Scooter. She has been involved in the womens and mixed scene in Salt Lake since 2000. She played with the Salt Lake team BST at nationals in 2001, and with the next evolution of that team, Persuader, at Worlds in 2002 and nationals in 2003. She was the co-captain of the Salt Lake mixed team Golden Spike in 2009. She has been involved in helping run womens practices and clinics over the years, has taught the very class at the UofU from 2006-2007 that she originally learned ultimate in, coached Skyline High School in 2006, and has been the co-director of Winter League since 2007. In August of 2011, she became the co-coach of Uinta Ultimate, the University of Utah womens team. She is excited about being involved in UUDA and its prospects for the future.

Treasurer - Rich Connors: Born in Manchester, Connecticut, Rich began his love affair with Ultimate Frisbee in 2002 while studying civil engineering at Lafayette College in Pennslyvania. Rich was instrumental in transforming Lafayette's club Ultimate group into the Lafayette Aflicktion, an active, well-funded, and competative club team which travels to touraments around the country and competes annually in the College Series. Rich continued to stay involved with Ultimate after graduation, playing for mixed and club teams in New Jersey and Connecticut. Rich moved to Utah in the summer of 2011 and currently plays for Golden Spike in Salt Lake City. Rich is passionate about expanding the sport of Ultimate in Utah and is excited for his new role as Treasurer.

Member At-Large - Bryce Merrill: From Dallas, Texas, Bryce is excited to be involved with UUDA and to see the sport of ultimate grow in the state. He was first introduced to Ultimate as a freshman while attending Brigham Young University, where he traveled with the men’s team (then known as YounGuns), and got involved with organizing the sport his senior year as President of the BYU club. After graduating, he returned to Dallas, TX where he worked with the YMCA in youth and adult sports, and he got his first taste of coaching and starting high school ultimate, working with Southlake Carroll High School and the FMUC high school club group from 2008-2010. Bryce returned to Utah in 2010, and currently works with Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation. He coaches the BYU women's and Provo area women's club team, both called Utopia. He plays with the Killjoys open club team, and captained the Black Betty coed team this past summer. He and his wife Natalie live in Orem and enjoy biking and all the great outdoor opportunities in Utah.

Minutes

2011
January Minutes
February Minutes
March Minutes
April Minutes
May Minutes
June Minutes
No July Meeting
August Minutes
September Minutes
October Minutes
Annual Community Meeting Powerpoint Presentation
Annual Meeting Open Forum Minutes
December Minutes

2012
January Minutes (meeting January 4th)

Committees

Volunteer (Chair: Stacey Collett)
The Volunteer Committee has two main areas of importance. First, the committee keeps track of all individuals who want to volunteer with UUDA. It is this committee's responsibility to help find volunteers and track their involvement in the organization. Second, the Volunteer Committee maintains all information for Ultimate community members, ensuring that this information is accurate and up to date.

Communications (Chair: David Hulet)
The purpose of the Communications Committee is to: Actively increase awareness of Ultimate and UUDA utilizing all forms of media; and to act as liaison with other committees, the Board, and the Media to accurately and effectively disseminate information.

Programs (Chair: Nathan Emmert)
The purpose of the Programs Committee: To help coordinate and provide programs promoting knowledge and growth of the sport of Ultimate to people both new to the sport as well as those already participating in the surrounding area. Programs includes skill clinics, women's development, program building for outreach, coaching clinics, or demonstration games.

Youth (Chairs: Tara Wion and Catherine Greenwald)
The purpose of the Youth Committee is to: Work in conjunction with local volunteers, teachers and coaches in an effort to actively increase participation of youth* Ultimate in the State of Utah and to ensure that said youth has the maximum amount of opportunities to compete.      youth* (elementary, middle and high school students)

Tournaments and Leagues (Chair: Candy Sorenson)
The Tournaments and Leagues Committee runs leagues to promote local awareness of the sport and provide a local arena for competition. The committee also organizes tournaments for teams in the surrounding areas to have an arena for competition and for local fans or newcomers to the sport to get a taste of the traveling competition of the sport.

Community Service (Chair: -OPEN-)
The Community Service Committee explores ways for UUDA to support people or organizations serving people who are less fortunate than us. This committee finds creative ways to support or help these people while leaving a touch of Ultimate during the projects.

If you would like to Chair any of these Committees (a big responsibility, but an amazing opportunity to help grow Ultimate in this state), please send an email to: utahultimate@gmail.com. If you'd like to volunteer to help out (but don't want Chair responsibility), please send an email to: Stacey Collett, Volunteer Committee Chair at: sugarshorthills@yahoo.com

Rough* 2012 Calendar

January 8th: UUDA Winter League Begins
January 14th: Coaches Clinic
March 5th: Start of High School Spring League
March 31st: Possible Spring High School Tournament in S. Utah
May 5-6th: Daweena
May 18-19th: Utah High School State Championships
May 26th: Triple S tournament
June 16-17:– Ski Town Classic
June 18-22nd: UofU Summer Camp
June 22-23: Utah Summer Games
Possible Fall Savage Seven Tournament
November 15th: UUDA Community Meeting
     rough* (dates subject to change)

Other (non-Utah) Tournaments

2012 content tbd - stay tuned

Community Pages

UUDA FaceBook page
Youth Page
Golden Spike FaceBook page
UofU Women's College team
UofU Men's College team
Youth FaceBook Page