We’re a USA Ultimate Affiliate!

USAUAffiliateLogoCOLOR-jpgValley Ultimate became the newest USA Ultimate (USAU) affiliate on July 10th 2015.

Our goals of promoting and expanding the sport of Ultimate, to more people in more places around the Valley, are well aligned with USAU’s goals, and we’re happy to have their support. Valley Ultimate also wants to make it easy for players to find out details about all of the Ultimate activities taking place in Western Massachusetts by consolidating information on our website (valleyultimate.org) and being a one-stop clearinghouse for all things Ultimate.

As an affiliate, Valley Ultimate will receive national support and resources as well as financial support from USAU. We’ll also be part of a network of similar regional organizations around the country working towards a common goal. We’ll work in partnership with USAU and other regional affiliates to provide programs and services locally in the Valley, and at the same time we’ll maintain our own unique identity. We elect our own board members, create our own bylaws and decide on our own agendas and priorities.

Since both Valley Ultimate and USAU (USAUltimate.org) are working to create quality programs and playing options for community members, and both are committed to the grow of the sport of Ultimate, it is a natural partnership, that clearly serves both organizations. Valley Ultimate looks forward to the support from USAU to help achieve our goals, both in the near future as well as years from now. Together we’ll spread the word, spread the fun and grow the sport we all love.

You can learn more about the USA Ultimate affiliate program right here.

June 2015 Board Meeting

The Valley Ultimate Board just had a very productive meeting!

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The major topics we covered include:

1) Becoming a non-profit: We’re officially filing with the IRS tomorrow!

2) U19 Fall League: It’ll be launched soon!

3) Summer Solstice: Coming up this Saturday and shaping up to be an incredibly awesome event! Can you spot the super slick tourney hat? Registration just closed a little while ago with 111 registrants! Joe will be emailing out competition details very soon!

4) Becoming a USAU affiliate: We’re moving forward with the process!

5) The U19 Summer League: It’s going well!

May News

Here’s the latest Valley Ultimate email blast. You can join our email lists right here.

May News

Western-MA Coaches

As the spring season winds down – here’s some great opportunities for your players to keep playing this summer. We hope you will forward this to them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BUDA Western-MA U19 Summer Ultimate League
A youth program designed for high school players who wish to continue playing after the traditional Spring season has ended. This league is intended to be a fun, competitive environment that will help players of all experience levels develop their skills. Participation in the U19 Summer League will also make players eligible to tryout for one of BUDA’s YCC (Youth Club Championship) teams – Open, Girls, and Mixed

(USAU requires all YCC players to have competed in a non school-based, sanctioned league and this is the only one currently being offered in Western Massachusetts before YCCs 2015).

Schedule:
Tuesday June 9, Friday June 12
Tuesday June 16, Friday June 19
Tuesday June 23, Friday June 26
Friday July 10
Friday July 17

All sessions are from 5 – 7pm. Each session has a 30-min practice, followed by a 90-minute game. All players will receive a jersey and a disc

Coaching:
Head Coach: Joe Costello, the
Amherst HS Varsity Boys coach.
All teams will have experienced, CORI-checked, dedicated coaches.

Location:
Amherst Regional High School

Registration:
There will be a maximum of 60 people admitted to this league (4 teams) – First Come, First-served!
All players must register through the BUDA website:
1. Go to http://buda.org/buda.org and create a free account.
2. Under “My Account” open your “Player’s Page”
3. Click on “Sign up for U19 Summer (Western MA) 2015”

For More Information:
Please contact the league organizer –
Dan Kaplan – dankaplan888@gmail.com

BUDA (Boston Ultimate Disc Alliance) is a 501c3 non-profit,
tax exempt organization dedicated to promoting ultimate frisbee.

SULA – SUMMER ULTIMATE LEAGUE OF AMHERST
June 16th-August 7th
All games begin at 6:00 p.m.@ Plum Brook Recreation Area
Three Divisions:
Women’s: Mondays
Forget the men? Good idea!
Join our fastest-growing division.

Competitive (Coed): Wednesdays
A seasoned player? These games will be hard-fought and good spirited.

Recreational (Coed): Thursdays
Looking to play with friends? All levels welcome to play the best game in the world!

All divisions are for players ages 14 and older
All players will be assigned to a team
(Requests accepted for team assignments for Recreational Division)

Registration Fees:
$45 per person (for each division)

For additional information please contact:
Women’s: Sue Morello @ 413-256-6464 or salwen.1@gmail.com
Competitive: Robin Stewart Demartino @ 413-210-5584 orrobinstewartdemartino@gmail.com
Recreational: Nathan Salwen @ 413-256-6464 or salwen.1@gmail.com

To register (or for more info): log onto www.lsse.org or call 413.259.3065.

Once you have registered through LSSE please go to www.suladisc.org to complete signup

This is not a School Sponsored Event

Save The Date: Summer Solstice Hat Tournament
Saturday June 27, 2015
(Rain Date Sunday, June 28th)

Plumbrook Fields
Potwine Lane, Amherst

More information coming soon!!

4/21 Board Meeting & April News

Hatgiving2014Here’s what we covered at the most recent Valley Ultimate Board meeting:

Present: Josh S., Dan K., Tiina B., David L., Jo S., Tim C., Joe C., and Lee F.

1) The next Board meeting will take place at the Bluebonnet Diner in Northampton on Tuesday, 5/26 from 7 to 8pm.

2) Planing for the Summer Solstice Hat (Saturday, June 27th) tournament is well underway.

3) We are taking out first concrete steps to become a 501(c)3 non profit!

4) We had an extended discussion regarding becoming a USAU affiliate. We will be continuing the discussion at our next Board meeting.

5) We need to keep pushing for people to fill out the volunteer signup form!

Here is a copy of the Valley Ultimate email blast. You can signup to receive the alerts right here.

April News

Where Can I Watch?

There’s some great, high level ultimate happening in the Pioneer Valley in the coming weeks:

New England DIII Regionals are at Amherst College on April 25 – 26
New England DI Regionals are at UMASS on May 2 -3 
The Amherst Invitational (high level high school ultimate) is May 2-3

For a full listing of local Ultimate events, check the calendar on the Valley Ultimate Website.

Where Can I Play?

It’s time to play ultimate

Here’s a couple of pickup games that you can plug-in to

Northampton Pick-up: Tuesdays and Thursday at 5, and Sundays at 3,
New Location: Bear Hill Field right between JFK and the Bear Hill Estates bordering Rt9 across from Look Park.

for more information join their Facebook Group or their Google Group.

Greenfield Pickup: Sundays at 4:30 – Green River Swimming and Rec Area – join their Facebook Group or email to Jen

For a full list of opportunities to play Ultimate Frisbee in the Pioneer Valley, please visit our website for an up-datable list of opportunities.http://valleyultimate.org/where-can-i-play/

Upcoming Board Meetings

The first Valley Ultimate meeting!

Valley Ultimate in action!

The new two Valley Ultimate board meetings will take place on:

Tuesday, 2/24 from 8 to 9pm
Wednesday, 3/25 from 7 to 8pm

Both meetings will take place at the Northampton Brewery. Anyone with any interest in helping grow Ultimate in the Valley is welcome to attend!

1/29/15 Board Meeting

Here’s what happened at the last Valley Ultimate Board member.

In attendance: Tiina Booth, Jim Pistrang, Dan Kaplan, Jo Sleigh, Lee Feldscher, Terry Plotkin, and Josh Seamon.

Dan Kaplan is now the Vice President, which brings us closer to rounding out our four officer positions: Treasurer [Jo Sleigh], President [Josh Seamon], and Secretary [TBD]

We will be working to collect data regarding the community through a survey that Dan Kaplan will be sending out. We are also working to build the Valley Ultimate (broadcast) email list. We determined that we will send out one email (at most) per month to this master list. This communication method is different that the general discussion group that anyone can join and post to that is located right here.

We’re excited to continue our work operating a BUDA YCC Youth League site locations here in Western, MA. Season specific details are being ironed out and will soon be available.

We are working on establishing the best course of action in moving towards 501(c)3 status. We have found a local lawyer who is willing to help guide us through the process.

We may work towards becoming a USAU affiliate pending further research that is being done by Lee.

We discussed our potential 2015 goals. We are currently working to prioritize our goals and determine a final list for 2015.

The date for our next Board meeting will soon be determined and posted.