Here's the standard approach to starting an Elementary School Ultimate team:
1) Contact BUDA Youth (
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
) and provide the name, email address and phone number to reach the chool PE coach.
2) BUDA will reach out to the PE coach and determine if there is nearby field space for after-school practices.
3) Identify a potential faculty sponsor for an afterschool ultimate team. The PE coach can usually make some suggestions.
4) The BUDA Youth Program will offer to run ultimate in PE classes for a week in early April after spring break. Kids form into teams of 4-5 on small fields for playing games. Ideally recruit additional adult ultimate volunteers so there is 1 adult per team and 4 kids...
5) Before the end of each PE class, the kids are given the chance to sign up to express interest in playing ultimate after school, including email and ph # for follow-up.
6) BUDA posts a "Coach wanted" on the BUDA website and hopefully finds a coach.
7) The BUDA coach gets CORI checked.
8) The BUDA coach and faculty sponsor reach out to the kids on the list to see who will show up for 2 practices/games a week.
9) Get the local HS team to help out at practices...
10) Hopefully BUDA gets additional interest in the coaching opportunity and finds asst coaches to support expanding to B and C teams...
11) Have fun.
Here are some useful links from the Ultimate Player's Association (UPA).
UPA's Elementary School Ultimate Page including a link for a free Elementary Skills Guide and DVD
Play! The UPA has recently approved two Youth Discs specifically designed for U-11 players. These discs are smaller and lighter in weight and are easier for smaller hands to grasp and throw. Discraft makes the J*Star Youth Disc and Wham-O makes a Youth Disc here. Youth discs can be ordered at Discovering The World.
Ten Simple Steps to Starting an Ultimate Team
Ultimate Teaching Curriculum
We highly recommend Tiina Booth' and Michael Baccarini's excellent book, Essential Ultimate: Teaching Coaching Playing.
Want to bring Ultimate to your school? Getting people in your school’s PE classes playing is probably the best recruitment tool you have. BUDA’s Youth Program has educators who will come in to your school and run clinics for teachers and/or for students to introduce them to Ultimate – free! And we leave them with free discs to run classes! So talk to your favorite P.E. teacher and have him or her get in touch with us at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Need a coach? BUDA has a list of several individuals who have expressed an interest in coaching a Massachusetts elementary school team. If you are in need of a coach, whether it’s full time or even part-time, let us know.
For more information, please contact Erik Sebesta at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
