Monday, March 02, 2009

Breaking: Major changes for Youth ultimate in the U.S. - No more Easterns/Westerns

No more nationals. No more easterns. No more westerns.

This is the gist of the plan announced by the UPA today. The plan advocates a move towards state championships only.

Effective Spring 2012 easterns and westerns will disappear and will be replaced by 4 regional championships.

Read the whole plan here, and we would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Right idea? Wrong idea? How does this change the map of competition? If the effects did take place this year, who would win each region?

The UPA also announced changes in YCC bid allocation, and Team USA selection process. Perhaps most disappointing about all of these announcements is the fact that the site set up to announce them is called, "The Ultimate Change". Really? I mean really? This is the last change ever for youth ultimate?

The changes are pretty sweeping. Thoughts and comments?



Become a fan on Facebook! - Help spread the word about high school ultimate.

Posted by McCabe at 7:02 PM

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TomCook 1p · 840 weeks ago

As a youth Ultimate organizer, my initial reaction is that this is a good thing. I feel that at the youth level, state championships are enough of a commitment, and I have never been a fan of a "national" championship, it takes too many resources and an emphasis on competition. I feel there is plenty of huge competition in the College and Club series, youth Ultimate is a time to learn the game, and become hopelessly addicted to how great it is, not so much about competition. Even after thinking about this for a week or so now, I feel that the UPA is moving in the correct direction with regards to this decision...definitely could have picked a better name though....
3 replies · active 830 weeks ago
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michaelterry 8p · 839 weeks ago

Hey Tom--

First, thanks for helping to promote youth ultimate--it really means a lot for the growth of the sport. The original post regarding the UPA's changes is incorrect. The site that is linked is of YouthUltimate.com, not the UPA. The information can also be found on upa.org, I compiled it from a few different places into what is hopefully a more reader friendly format,

While I know this isn't going to be the last change to the youth division, it is a very large one. I just think that it is a catchy title.

Thanks,

Michael Terry
www.YouthUltimate.com
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ultimateplayer 0p · 830 weeks ago

Are you joking me? Just because your players are still learning the game doesn't mean the real teams don't want competition. Are you seriously saying removing competition from the series is GOOD for the sport?

Splitting to Easterns and Westerns was a bad decision. This is even worse. There is simply not enough competition on a local scale. There is a reason teams are willing to travel 8+ hours, its because they want to play! Why would you make an entire region for the south when there is literally one good team there? That won't develop anything, it will just make Paideia's entire season a joke.

BRING BACK NATIONALS
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TomCook 1p · 830 weeks ago

If we really look and consider Easterns/Westerns and the former, Nationals, they never really were, true 'national' championships.� They were big tournaments, with some very good teams, but most of the bids are given to teams based on prior year experience.� While this is acceptable, and I don't have a problem with that, if they were to be true Nationals, it should be with the teams that have earned it, this year, i.e. the teams that win their respective State Championship, and it should include more than 16 teams.� High school sports are NOT conducive to those kind of tournaments.� If you really want a "Nationals', then run the tournament, host the teams, and make it happen.� You don't need to wait for the UPA to do something, take some initiative and make it happen.� My hope is that this will foster more competition on the local level, by enticing players like you, starving for great competition, to host more tournaments and give more chances for everyone to play.� There is a ton of competition available, look at how many games Pennsbury and Amherst have played this year as evidence, sure they routed some teams, but they played some pretty damn good teams as well.

As far as canceling the PHUEL City Championship, believe me, it was an agonizing decision.� If you were in the loop at all, you would know that the weather on the day of the event had little impact, it was the previous 10 consecutive days of rain that water-logged the fields and caused multiple fields (we had several backup plans) to be revoked.� Even the school I teach at would not provide me with fields for the first time in 5 years.� The reality is that only a few teams will not get a final tournament of the year, most of the Div 1 teams will be at States, Div 2 will happen this coming Sunday, 3 teams played a round robin for a bid to States.� If you are one of those three teams, I am sorry, but I will gladly help you to put together a final tournament the week after States, or any time in June.� Don't act like there have not been a ton of tournaments and chances to play in Philly this year, if it wasn't enough, be one of those teams that takes action instead of complaining.�

Tom Cook
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DarrenShultz 1p · 836 weeks ago

About time. Glad to see Easterns go.
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chapchap 0p · 831 weeks ago

Are you guys going to post anything, ANYTHING at all about either nationals. This site really has gotten worse.

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