Ultimate Organizer's Resource Manual
Welcome to the resource manual for organizers of the sport of Ultimate! The work of this manual is in its beginning stages. Through the rest of this year we will continue to add material on various topics. And beyond that it will continue to remain a work in progress as we add to it or keep it updated with the newest and greatest ideas. Our goal is to make this the most valued written resource available to people who organize or want to learn how to organize Ultimate for tournaments, teams, leagues, disc organizations, clinics and more.
The sport of Ultimate is growing quickly across the United States. Since its start in NJ in 1968, it is estimated that there are now hundreds of thousands of people playing Ultimate in the U.S. Membership in the Ultimate Players Association, the national governing body for the sport of Ultimate in the U.S., has been increasing between 10-20% annually for the past 5 years. The UPA now has over 27,000 members.
While tremendous growth in this amazing sport is no surprise to those who play or are otherwise involved, it has led to issues which we hope to address with this manual. Organizers across the nation are reinventing the wheel in hopes of creating an avenue for the sport they love to develop within their own communities or containing and structuring the growth that naturally occurs.
This process is repeated each time organizers and leaders are faced with new issues. “What are the best ways to handle growth?” “How can I start a new team?” “What is the best structure for our local organization?” These questions and many more are the same questions organizers have been facing for over 30 years. The benefit we hope to offer these organizers is the hindsight and experience offered by so many who have come before them.
This manual will include contributions from various organizers offering their experiences, knowledge and expertise to the Ultimate community. You may find this manual beneficial if you are taking on a leadership or organizational role for the first time. But this manual can also be helpful to larger, developed organizations that would like to consider what has worked for others. We hope you will find it a helpful tool as you work to spread your enjoyment of Ultimate within your own community.
Thank you for your support of the UPA and the sport of Ultimate!
Melanie Byrd
UPA Membership and Outreach DirectorMelanie@hq.upa.org
