Thank you for your interest in representing the US and the Ultimate Players Association at the 2008 World Junior Ultimate Championships. The Juniors Ultimate Division is growing quickly, both in the US and worldwide. And many thanks to your parents, for supporting you in your play!
This application page contains information regarding:
- Information for Players & Parents
- How to Apply
- Application Form
- Recommendation Form
- UPA Membership
Boys and girls who:
A) Are US citizens or have lived in the US for over 2 years;
B) Are UPA members;
C) Who are 19 or under, i.e. will not turn 20 in 2008 (no lower age limit);
D) Have NOT graduated from high school prior or during the 2007 academic calendar year (Spring ’07)
D.1) Open applicants that graduated prior to or during Spring ’07 must have played Ultimate for at least 3 years (Since January 2006).
D.2) Women applicants that have graduated prior to Spring ’07 must have played Ultimate for at least 2 years (Since January 2007).
D.2) A maximum of 1/3 of the rosters will be players that graduated prior to or during the Spring ‘07
E) Have parent/guardian permission;
F) Will respect the tough decisions of the selection committee; and
G) Will be able to make the training camp and the trip to Vancouver, BC.
There will be a maximum of 20 players plus 4-6 alternates per team.
| January 10th | APPLICATION & RECOMMENDATION DUE DATE! |
| January 31st | Top applicants invited to try-out camps (up to 40 for each try-out camp) |
| February 10th | Players invited to try-out camp must confirm attendance |
| February 20th | Try-out camp fees due |
| March 8-9th & 22-23rd | Try-out camps (It is strongly recommended that invited applicants attend the try-out camps) |
| March 31st | Target date for announcing the team rosters and alternates |
| April 30th | Confirmation documents & fees due |
| Date TBD | Teams attend practice tournament (Potential) |
| July 28th | Arrive in Seattle, WA for team training camp (specific location TBD) |
| July 29th - August 1st | Team Training Camp (Required) |
| August 1st | Travel to Vancouver, BC |
| August 2nd - 9th | WFDF World Junior Ultimate Championships 2008 |
| August 9th | Players Return Home |
Please know that there is significant expense required for participation. As a non-profit organization, the UPA is interested in attracting sponsorship and grants to support Youth Ultimate. However, until this happens, players must bear most costs themselves. The estimated costs include:
Try-Out Camps:
UPA Membership Dues $20 (All Applicants)
Camp Fee $115
Room & Board $0 - 150
Transportation $0 - 300
APPROX. TOTAL $135 - 585
US Team Membership:
Potential Training Tournament $150-500
Training Camp Room and Board $150
US Team Coach $0 (UPA paid)
Team Participation Fee $0 (UPA paid)
Tournament Player Fee $225
Room & Board $400 - 600
Uniform (light jersey, dark jersey, shorts) $0 (UPA paid)
Transportation to Vancouver/Training Camp (flight, bus) $0 - 450
Souvenirs (optional -discs, film, etc.) $100
APPROX. TOTAL $1025 - 1975
The head coaches of the Juniors Teams will select the team based on the application, recommendation, possible scouting at the 2007 Youth Club Championships, and try-out camp. The head coach of the Junior Men’s Team is Berend Van Heuvelen (New York). The head coach of the Junior Women’s Team is Eileen Murray (Atlanta).
The coaches will select the teams based on:
- Capacity for Responsible Behavior
- Technical Skill (throwing, catching, running, cutting, defense, offense)
- Knowledge of Ultimate (Spirit of the Game, on-field communication/terminology, offensive & defensive strategy)
- Athletic Ability (speed, field sense, sports experience, training program)
- Teamwork
- Leader Potential
- Follower Potential (extremely important)
- Geographic Representation
Please have someone besides a Selection Committee member write your recommendation(s).
The UPA will hold two camps during March, one on each side of the country. The likely locations of the camps are Atlanta and Seattle. The camps will be run by the Junior teams’ coaches, the Director of Youth Development, and other local paid counselors.
The camps will run from 9-5 on Saturday and 9-3 on Sunday. The camp fee will include instructor and field fees, lunch on both days, water, and food. Camp attendees will be responsible for transportation to and from the camps, room and board, and chaperones. The UPA will help to coordinate housing and local transportation for traveling try-outs with local try-outs. The camps’ primary focus will be to evaluate players for the National Team selection.
The format of the camp will be designed to assess the attendees on the criteria listed above. Activities will include drills, scrimmages, and tests of physical fitness as well as applicant interviews with the coaches. Attendees will be taught advanced skills, strategies, and concepts as well. The camps are strongly recommended.
The fee for attending a camp is estimated based on a total of 125 applicants attending both camps. The fee may rise or fall depending on the actual number of camp attendees. If there are too few attendees, one or both camps may be cancelled. A maximum of 40 applicants will be invited to attend each try-out camp for each gender.
Applicants who are not invited to the try-out camp will no longer be considered for the team. Please indicate on the application which training camp you would be interested in attending and, if the camp is in your area, if your family is able to house other try-out camp attendees.
The UPA and the US Juniors team coaches recognize that there may be some circumstances where applicants are unable to attend the try-out camps. If this is the case, we highly recommend that you submit a video. Please send the video on either DVD or VHS format.
Required Elements for the video:
• Short personal introduction (less than 1 minute) with your name
• Unmarked throwing (5 of each of the following): Backhands (Flat, Inside Out, Outside In), Forehand (Flat, Inside Out, Outside In), Hammers, Forehand Blades (40 total throws), Throwing for Distance (Backhand and Forehand)
• Throwing against mark and marking (using three-person marking drill)
• Cutting and Defending (both downfield and dump) • 2 minutes of game action (if available)
• 2 x 70 yard Sprints (to show running form)
• 2 x 40 yard sprints (to show running form)
• 4 reps of 3 cone agility drills - 3 cones in a line 5 yards apart. Start behind middle cone and coach/caller commands “left” or “right.” Athlete sprints to left cone, changes direction, sprints to right cone, changes direction and sprints through middle cone. Run two starting to left and two starting to right.
• 2 x Double Leg Bound (for distance) – Two repetitions of double-leg jumps. One double leg jump is 3 jumps in immediate succession, one after another for total distance. Strive to minimize ground contact time – measures elastic and explosive strength.
Applications are available online at www.upa.org.
1. APPLICATION FORM - Fill out the application form on line.
2. RECOMMENDATION(S) – Your will need to obtain a recommendation from a non-related adult that know sports, knows Ultimate, knows you, and has seen you play. You will be able to forward the recommendation form on to your advocate once you have saved your application online. Please check with your advocate prior to applying to be sure that he/she will write your recommendation. If your advocate does not have an e-mail address you will be given the option to print out the recommendation. Give the recommendation form with a pre-stamped envelope (addressed to the UPA) to your advocate. Finding someone to recommend you should be the first thing you do. Please ask someone other than a Selection Committee member to write your recommendation.
VIDEO – If you are unable to attend one of the try-out camps, please send in a DVD or VHS video. The video should have the elements listed above and be labeled clearly with your name.
3. UPA MEMBERSHIP – You must be a current UPA member to apply for and to play on the US team. If you are not a member, please mail the membership form and a check for $20.00 to UPA headquarters. You may call the UPA to ask about your membership status. Your support of the UPA helps provide better and better service for the Sport of Ultimate – thanks!
4. PROOF OF AGE, CITIZENSHIP/RESIDENCY, STUDENT STATUS, PERMISSION, PASSPORT, UNIFORM SIZE & PAYMENT- Players invited to join the team(s) will be asked to provide these essentials very quickly to confirm their spot on the team. Team members must be 19 or under, may not have graduated from high school prior to or during the 2007 academic calendar year (Spring 2007), must be US citizens (or have lived in the US for at least the last two years), and must have parent/guardian permission.
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