ANNUAL REPORT 2017 TABLE OF CONTENTS 4 BOARD OF DIRECTORS 4 HEADQUARTERS STAFF 5 NATIONAL VOLUNTEERS 6 LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT 8 LETTER FROM THE CEO 10ABOUT USA ULTIMATE 14MEMBERSHIP 20COMPETITION 54 PROGRAM GROWTH 60MARKETING 64FINANCIAL REVIEW & COMMUNICATIONS MISSION STATEMENT 16 LEAGUE AFFILIATES 22 YOUTH EVENT SANCTIONING VISION YOUTH CLUB REGIONALS TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR’S 18 GROWTH CERTIFICATION PROGRAM STRATEGIC PLAN HIGH SCHOOL STATES 19 MEMBER BENEFITS YOUTH CLUB OUTREACH PROGRAMS CHAMPIONSHIPS LEARN TO PLAY 30 COLLEGE DAY CAMPS D-I GIRLS’ ULTIMATE MOVEMENT D-III 58 COACHING 34 CLUB TRIPLE CROWN TOUR 59 OBSERVERS U.S. OPEN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS 40 MASTERS 44 BEACH NATIONALS WESTERNS 48 INTERNATIONAL WORLD GAMES WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS OF BEACH ULTIMATE PAN AMERICAN ULTIMATE CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS 2018 EVENTS 2017 Annual Report 3 Board of Headquarters Directors Staff DEANNA BALL DR. TOM CRAWFORD COMPETITION MEMBERSHIP & SPORT PRESIDENT CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER & ATHLETE PROGRAMS DEVELOPMENT At-Large Representative [email protected] WILL DEAVER JOSH MURPHY HENRY THORNE MANAGING DIRECTOR, DIRECTOR, MEMBER SERVICES VICE PRESIDENT FINANCE COMPETITION & NATIONAL TEAMS & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT At-Large Representative & DEVELOPMENT [email protected] [email protected] HEATHER ANN BRAUER JULIA LEE JOY FERENBAUGH TEAL DABNEY SECRETARY DIRECTOR, FINANCE & DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, COMPETITION MANAGER, EVENT SANCTIONING Elite Athlete Representative [email protected] & ATHLETE PROGRAMS (YOUTH) [email protected] [email protected] ROBYN WISEMAN KAYLEIGH HUDSON LEAH DOLAN-KELLEY TREASURER MANAGER, FINANCE BYRON HICKS MANAGER, COMMUNITY SERVICES Elite Athlete Representative & ADMINISTRATION MANAGER, EVENTS & DEVELOPMENT AUDRIUS BARZDUKAS [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] At-Large (Independent) Representative TOM MANEWITZ JOY DUNPHEY VAL BELMONTE MARKETING MANAGER, COMPETITION ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT, At-Large (Independent) Representative & COMMUNICATIONS & ATHLETE PROGRAMS (COLLEGE) MEMBER SERVICES [email protected] [email protected] LISA BLISS ANDY LEE At-Large (Independent) Representative MANAGING DIRECTOR, MARKETING, DAVID RAFLO KIRSTIN GRAHAM COMMUNICATIONS & BRAND MANAGER, EVENTS MANAGER, ONLINE TECHNOLOGY HARVEY EDWARDS [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] At-Large (Appointed) Representative STACEY WALDRUP ERNEST TONEY DAN RAABE TYLER KINLEY SENIOR MANAGER, COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER, COMPETITION MANAGER, YOUTH At-Large Representative [email protected] & ATHLETE PROGRAMS (CLUB) & EDUCATION PROGRAMS [email protected] [email protected] DAVE KLINK MAELYN DIVINSKI Elite Athlete Representative MANAGER, DIGITAL MARKETING & SARAH POWERS STEVE MOONEY COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR, YOUTH At-Large (Appointed) Representative [email protected] & EDUCATION PROGRAMS [email protected] JOSH SEAMON LARRY MELTON At-Large Representative COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR [email protected] 4 usaultimate.org Volunteers YOUTH DIVISION GIRLS’ REGIONAL CLUB DIVISION MASTERS OUTREACH DIRECTORS DIVISION REGIONAL DIRECTORS LAURA GEHRT NATIONAL DIRECTORS FRAN KELLEY CENTRAL ADAM GOFF NATIONAL DIRECTORS [email protected] CENTRAL NATIONAL MEN’S DIRECTOR KYLE CHRISTOPH [email protected] KYLIE STERLING [email protected] NATIONAL MEN’S CHRISTIE LAWRY NORTHEAST REMY SCHOR MASTERS DIRECTOR NORTHEAST [email protected] NATIONAL MIXED DIRECTOR [email protected] [email protected] MINDY RADIKE [email protected] KRISTI SCHMELING JONATHAN NETHERCUTT SOUTH CAROLYN FINNEY NATIONAL WOMEN’S SOUTH [email protected] NATIONAL WOMEN’S DIRECTOR MASTERS DIRECTOR [email protected] [email protected] ERIN MALONEY [email protected] BEN SNELL WEST WEST [email protected] [email protected] COLLEGE DIVISION REGIONAL OUTREACH NATIONAL DIRECTORS NATIONAL OUTREACH DIRECTORS DIRECTORS JEFF KULA GRACE KIEL VACANT NATIONAL MEN’S COLLEGE DIRECTOR NATIONAL DIVISION III WOMEN’S GAIL REICH CENTRAL [email protected] COLLEGE DIRECTOR GIRLS’ NATIONAL OUTREACH [email protected] [email protected] BETH NAKAMURA DIRECTOR VACANT NATIONAL WOMEN’S COLLEGE DIRECTOR AMY HUDSON [email protected] NORTHEAST [email protected] NATIONAL DEVELOPMENTAL CHUCK GARGALY [email protected] COLLEGE COORDINATOR KEVIN KULA NATIONAL OUTREACH DIRECTOR [email protected] DARIUS TSE NATIONAL DIVISION III MEN’S [email protected] SOUTH COLLEGE DIRECTOR [email protected] [email protected] ULY RIVERA WEST [email protected] 2017 Annual Report 5 PRESIDENT or the last three years, I have been asked to Every year, our board of directors meets four times – reflect on what USA Ultimate has been doing, twice in person and twice on a conference call. With Fwith the goal of turning that into a yearly report each and every meeting, we hear back from the staff from the president of the board. While it is a privilege at headquarters about the numbers, the issues at the to do so, I often sit for bit and wonder, “How did we forefront and their thoughts on how to continue to (USA Ultimate) do all of that?” This time is no different. move this organization forward. At every meeting, The letter from CEO Tom Crawford highlights many of the staff is challenged to work on more projects and the key initiatives USA Ultimate drove in 2017. However, to stretch beyond where we have been to create that list does not reflect the efforts that staff take on more opportunities for people from all walks of life to every day – whether in the office, at a USA Ultimate experience ultimate. And every year, there is evidence event or across the globe at an international event. that those experiences are becoming more and more The efforts of the full-time staff and the volunteers all available, more and more valuable and more and more around the country continually amaze me, and they exciting. I am incredibly proud of this organization should amaze you too. while fully recognizing that we will continue to find ways to keep doing it better and moving forward. DEANNA BALL, PRESIDENT 6 usaultimate.org PRESIDENT 2017 marked the start of an effort to ensure continual Closing out reflections of 2017 makes me dream of what forward movement of our organization: the development 2018 and beyond will bring – for USA Ultimate, for the of the next strategic plan, while also planning for the sport of ultimate and for those who see the incredible 50th anniversary celebration of our sport (wow!). To promise our sport holds. I hope you, as members of this kick off the process of developing the strategic plan, organization, continue to see that promise and keep staff, volunteers and board members attended Vision dreaming big. Share your thoughts, concerns and ideas, Tour stops across the country. Meeting with community and remember that we are what you help us to be. members first hand, ideas were shared and (sometimes hard) discussions were had to set the base for the direction of our organization. As of the writing of this letter, that plan has taken shape and is truly a great endeavor that will help guide USA Ultimate, keeping our eyes on the mission of character, community and competition, with equity/diversity/inclusion at the forefront. DeAnna Ball President, USA Ultimate 2017 Annual Report 7 CEO Greetings to all in the We also expanded the structure of the U.S. Open USA Ultimate Community, Club Championships, combining it to include both the International Club Championships (ICC) and the I am pleased to report that 2017 was another outstanding Youth Club Championships (YCC) divisions; 36 adult and exciting year for us at USA Ultimate. We made club teams competed alongside 90 youth teams. This tremendous strides growing our competition divisions, was a large and complex undertaking with excellent expanding our local outreach programs and advancing international participation, the largest YCC in history our efforts to broadcast the sport to the world. Also, and the largest U.S. Open Convention yet. while other sports shrink, we continue to grow, with an overall 6.5 percent growth in membership, highlighted Within our competition divisions, we strove to provide by 10 percent growth in youth athletes, 8 percent more opportunities for players to participate in our growth in female-identifying players and 16 percent great sport. Our masters division doubled in size from growth in the masters division. three divisions to six, leading to the 2017 Masters Championships being the largest event in masters Our international teams attained great success this division history. The event, as well as the expansion of past year, winning the gold medal at the World Games the division, received great reviews from participants. in Wroclaw, Poland; six gold medals and one silver In the college division, we successfully introduced DR. TOM CRAWFORD medal at the World Championships of Beach Ultimate the College Women’s Startup Project, an initiative CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (WCBU) in Royan, France; and gold at the World dedicated to increasing the number of college Great Grand Masters Beach Ultimate Championships women’s ultimate teams, as well as new college fall in Praia do Meco, Portugal. mixed regional events. Lastly, our youth division saw 8 usaultimate.org CEO increased participation both in number of teams and Championships finals live on ESPNU. The ESPN2 As