Mingle with athletes, staff and other event participants at this kickoff social event hosted at an iconic restaurant bar overlooking the gorgeous Rhode Island ocean coast. Get information and receive a warm welcome to the action-filled US Open event. Convention registrants can retrieve their event credentials and packet from USA Ultimate Manager of Membership & Sport Development, Rebecca Simeone.
*9:30am-1:00pm - Championship Pool Play Games (Athletic Fields near Bill Beck baseball field, URI)
Watch the first few rounds of games being played by some of the best teams from North, Central and South America in the mixed, women's and men's club divisions.
*11:00am-1:00pm - Learn To Play Clinic (Athletic field adjacent to tournament competition, URI)
Join USA Ultimate Manager of Youth Outreach, Dan Raabe in helping to introduce new kids to the joy of ultimate and teach them the basic disc skills involved with playing with spirit of the game.
1:00-1:50pm - CEO Address (Rm. 195, Independence Square Foundation Bldg, URI)
USA Ultimate CEO, Dr. Tom Crawford, will provide updates on various initiatives and programs that USA Ultimate is currently pursuing, including the national infrastructure of local and regional partners to deliver the sport to more and younger kids, including some format of ultimate in the 2024 Summer Olympic Games, and growing the sport at all levels through The Ultimate Foundation.
2:00-2:50pm - Engaging & Retaining Sponsorship Support (Rm. 195, Independence Square Foundation Bldg, URI)
Mat Goldblatt, owner of event merchandising partner, Breakmark, will present ideas and lead a discussion for how local and regional organizations can engage sponsors to help sustain and improve their events, teams, volunteer base and other programs in ways that might reduce costs and/or add revenue streams.
3:00-3:50pm - Competition and Athlete Program Updates (Rm. 195, Independence Square Foundation Bldg, URI)
USA Ultimate Director of Competition and Athlete Programs, Will Deaver, will present updates on various competition divisions and programs, including the recent launch of the college division's Achieving Collegiate Excellence (ACE) program, the upcoming addition of indoor ultimate championship competition in coordination with the World Flying Disc Federation (WFDF), and growing the youth club division with new regional championship events.
4:00-4:50pm - Coaching & Long-Term Athlete Development (Rm. 195, Independence Square Foundation Bldg, URI)
USA Ultimate Manager of Youth Education and Outreach Programs, Dan Raabe, will present updates and gather feedback for enhancements to the model of long-term ultimate athlete development with a new skills progression chart and underlying statements of belief along with proposals for improving the Coaching Development Program (CDP) certification levels.
5:00-6:00pm - Light Dinner for Convention Attendees (Rm. 195, Independence Square Foundation Bldg, URI)
USA Ultimate Manager of Community Services & Development, Kristen Gallagher, and USA Ultimate Manager of Membership & Sport Development, Rebecca Simeone, will provide all registered attendees with some locally catered light dinner fare, during our brief intermission before the evening sessions begin in a larger auditorium to accommodate a larger audience of attendees.
7:00-7:50pm - Girls' Ultimate Movement Update (Rm. 100 Auditorium, Center for Biotechnology and Life Sciences CBLS Bldg, URI)
Girls' Ultimate Movement (GUM) Working Group Chair, Heather Ann Brauer, along with Girls' National Outreach Director, Rachel Johnson, and GUM Curriculum Chair, Laura Magnotta, will present updates of the GUM program and the launch of new curriculum to reach, engage, and inspire girls to play and lead both on and off the ultimate field.
8:00-8:50pm - Equity & Diversity Open Forum (Rm. 100 Auditorium, Center for Biotechnology and Life Sciences CBLS Bldg, URI)
USA Ultimate board members and/or staff will provide updates on plans and progress made over the past year in the key areas of equity and diversity, with an emphasis on under represented community segments based on gender, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status, followed by a discussion with athletes, members, and other constituents of the ultimate community, designed to generate ideas for helping to ensure that all groups are well represented and supported by the organization.
Saturday, July 2:
9:00am-11:00am - GUM Clinic (Athletic field adjacent to tournament competition, URI)
Join USA Ultimate Manager of Youth Outreach, Dan Raabe; Girls' Ultimate Movement (GUM) Working Group Chair, Heather Ann Brauer; Girls' National Outreach Director, Rachel Johnson; and GUM Curriculum Chair, Laura Magnotta, in helping to introduce new girls to the joy of ultimate and teach them the basic disc skills involved with playing with spirit of the game. This is a great opportunity for any organizer who has not run a GUM clinic in his/her local area to get a firsthand experience doing so, in order to get more girls playing in the local community!
11:00am-12:00pm - State-Based Organization Highlights (Rm. 195, Independence Square Foundation Bldg, URI)
Moderated by USA Ultimate Director of Member Services & Community Development, Josh Murphy, State-Based Organization directors from the 3 operating organizations, North Carolina Ultimate, Minnesota Ultimate and/or New England Ultimate, will present successes achieved and challenges faced with discussions and key connections to the insights and experiences of local organizers in attendance, in order to more effectively promote ultimate's character, community, and competition around the USA.
12:00-1:00pm - Lunch for Convention Attendees (Rm. 195, Independence Square Foundation Bldg, URI)
USA Ultimate Manager of Community Services & Development, Kristen Gallagher, will provide all attendees with food and beverage to keep everyone fueled and engaged.
Featuring USA Ultimate Affiliate organization representatives from around the nation, presenting recent successes achieved and challenges faced with lively discussions and key connections to the insights and experiences of fellow local and regional organizers in attendance, in order to generate ideas and solutions for more effectively promoting ultimate's character, community, and competition around the USA at the local levels.
*6:00-11:00pm - Discover Newport (Newport, RI)
Social event, sponsored by Narragansett Brewing Company with free samples, for all athletes & convention attendees in downtown Newport, RI, right on the water where the holiday weekend will feature lots of options for entertainment, drinks, live music, dining (make reservations!), and soaking in the festive atmosphere. Buses leave the URI campus around 6pm and begin returning at 9pm (last bus returns from Newport at midnight). Specific times and locations will be provided at event.
Sunday, July 3:
*9:00am-11:00am - Championship Consolation/Placement Games (Athletic fields near Bill Beck baseball field, URI)
Bottom 6-8 teams from Friday-Saturday pool play in each division finish out their competitive event experience with meaningful games against opponents from the other pool in their division, with all games counting towards final rankings calculation for the club regular season and implications for regional & national bid allocations.
*10:00am-8:00pm - Championship Semifinal Games (Athletic field and Meade Football Stadium, URI)
Top 4 teams in each division compete in a showcase setting for the chance to move on to the final round of the 2016 US Open Championship, with 4 of the 6 games being broadcast live by the ESPN network.
*8:00pm-Late - Community Celebration for Athletes & Convention Attendees (TBD - Mews Tavern?)
Tentative plan is gathering at Mews Tavern adjacent to campus, sponsored by Narragansett Brewing Company, open to all competition participants and convention attendees to enjoy their last night on campus before the final games the next day and to really celebrate the community that comprises the nation's ultimate sport.
Monday, July 4:
*10:00am-5:00pm - Championship Final Games (Meade Football Stadium, URI)
The top 2 teams in each of the mixed, women's and men's divisions will face off on the stadium field to crown the 2016 US Open champions, while everyone else cheers them on from the stands that surround the field and the ESPN network broadcasts the action.
* Indicates not formally a part of the convention but a completely optional activity for convention attendees.
To locate places mentioned above, click here to view an interactive map of the URI campus.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
Session Presenters and Facilitators
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USA Ultimate
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Dan Raabe
Manager of Education and Youth Programs
USA Ultimate
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Will Deaver
Managing Director of Competition & Athlete Programs
USA Ultimate
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Heather Ann Brauer
Girls' Ultimate Movement (GUM) Working Group Chair
USA Ultimate
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Rachel Johnson
Girls' National Outreach Director (GNOD)
USA Ultimate
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Laura Magnotta
Girls' Ultimate Movment (GUM) Curriculum Chair
USA Ultimate
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Director of Member Services & Community Development
USA Ultimate
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Manager of Membership & Sport Development
USA Ultimate
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Manager of Community Services & Development
USA Ultimate
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Mat Goldblatt
Owner
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CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
To locate places mentioned above, click here to view an interactive map of the URI campus.
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