

Candidate Statement At this point, 14 years into my ultimate career, it’s time for me to get involved and to help shape the future of our sport. I've seen and played at almost every level in the U.S. in both the mixed and open divisions. I’ve also played internationally, at both the Worlds and non-Worlds level. During this time, I have been fortunate enough to win multiple USA Ultimate national championships and taken gold at Worlds. I believe my wide range of experience, as a player, as a competitor, and as a long time USAU member, can help guide our governing body in the best direction possible. To that end, I would like your vote in my run for the Elite Athlete position on the USA Ultimate Board of Directors. I've seen, at no matter what level I’m playing, how incredibly enthusiastic people are just to get on the field. In fact, it’s this enthusiasm that keeps me coming back for more. It's amazing to be a part of that, and it’s amazing that this exists in the ultimate community. Encouraging this joy in playing is exactly why I am running for the board. I want to ensure that USA Ultimate can continue to provide this same hook for the next generation. I genuinely enjoy discussing the nuances of what makes this sport great and in which areas we can improve. USA Ultimate can bring people in or drive people away with their decisions, and I want to be involved in working towards solutions that make sense for everyone, and most specifically for you, the Elite Athlete. My plan is to actively listen to you and to convey your thoughts directly to the board. As for my positions, the next few paragraphs should give you a better idea of where I stand on some important issues. Growth I very much agree that we want to grow our sport and that it must be done with a focus on youth ultimate. I believe that as these young players mature, they need leaders and role models within the ultimate community and a reason to stay so focused on, and so dedicated to, our sport. We are the athletes to lead this – let’s show the next generation of ultimate players that it’s fun to train hard and to become good at something. We must work to provide the best college and club seasons possible so that we keep our skilled athletes in the game. We will, in turn, help the younger players understand why we love this game. Observers vs Refs I've played with both observers and referees, and I feel that there are definitely some good things about referees that we should consider implementing into our observer system. For instance, having a third party making up, down, in, out and travel calls can add a lot of value to the game; however, I believe that foul calls should remain self-regulated given the difficulty in seeing everything that may affect a throw or catch. In short, we should continue to train our observers to a high standard and consider increasing their role on the field. ESPN and the Olympics USAU has done a good job televising and legitimizing our sport, but I want to make sure that it doesn't come at the expense of the majority of our top club players. For top athletes, competing at the highest level possible with media exposure is a great reward. However, others at nearly the same level simply want to compete as best they can within the limits of their body and budget. I want to ensure that we don't squeeze out players and teams through forced travel and tournament attendance during the regular season. As I mentioned earlier, it is important that all regional- and national-level players look forward to playing and come away satisfied with their experiences. Bid Allocations The algorithm for Nationals bid allocation can, and must, be improved. I plan to work with those involved to ensure that we can allocate bids fairly, while providing a clear and accessible explanation of that process. Thanks for reading this and for considering my candidacy. It is my intention to serve all of the top club players out there to make the experience of playing our sport as accessible and enjoyable as possible.