The Ultimate Foundation is excited to fuel the future of ultimate by supporting and celebrating USA Ultimate’s initiatives to grow youth ultimate.
The Ultimate Foundation recently heard from Gervon Williams, USA Ultimate’s Manager of Youth Outreach and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, about the significant success that he and USA Ultimate has had this past year working with entire school systems to organize PE Teacher Trainings.
These partnerships are proving to be a direct and powerful way to “accelerate sport participation by empowering local communities, schools”, a central part of the USA Ultimate 2024-26 Strategic Plan.
Williams, who has been with USA Ultimate for over three years, notes that this initiative builds upon previous outreach efforts that had slowed during the pandemic. USA Ultimate saw an opportunity to create sustainable growth and impact that aligns with the priority of “build relationships with more diverse communities,” a commitment reflected in the organization’s value of equity, realizing “the potential for sport to bring people together of diverse identities, backgrounds and experiences”.
From Baltimore to Oakland: A Model of Growth
The two cornerstone partnerships, Baltimore City Public Schools and Oakland Unified School District, demonstrate the model’s sustainability. The work began as a pilot in Baltimore City Public Schools last year and proved so successful that they were invited to return this year. The partnership with the Oakland Unified School District started for the first time this year, and the district is already eager for a return engagement.
Williams explains that the key need being addressed is practical: “Do these PE teachers have actual good equipment to teach Ultimate at their schools?” and “Do they have the right teaching materials or curriculum?”
The response from teachers has been overwhelmingly positive, driven by the quality of the resources. Teachers have been impressed with the new, fresh, and “very effective” kits, as well as the accompanying curriculum, which includes “QR codes that take them to how to teach specific drills and skills”.
Community and Scalable Success
The success of these large-scale trainings hinges on a collaborative, community-based approach, a core component of the strategic plan’s goal to “Connect the Community”.
Williams stresses the necessity of local engagement: “You need to get community buy-in”. In Baltimore, Tommy Barber was the “biggest advocate” from the school system as a Health and Physical Education Teacher and coach of the Digital Harbor School ultimate team. In Oakland, the effort involved the Physical Education Specialist Nathan Jackson and his team, as well as local ultimate leaders like Dani Lopez from Bay Area Disc Association, and Chris Garcia from OAK Ultimate. Additional community support was provided by Manisha Daryani and Jen Pashely from the Bay Area Falcons, as well as Linda Bookman from Silicon Valley Ultimate. This local expertise ensures the programs are intentional and meaningful.
The measurable impact of this model is clear. In Baltimore, the second year training saw attendance more than double, growing from 23 to over 50 teachers. This increased interest in the sport is “leading to a second school in the city school district now creating an Ultimate team”.
Ultimate’s Unique Values Inspire the Next Generation
The Foundation’s new vision statement, that Ultimate inspires integrity, relationships, and belonging, is modeled directly in the trainings. Williams sees the introduction of the sport “inspiring not only the kids but the adults to create spaces of belonging”.
For the students, the skills learned in ultimate translate beyond the field. “Kids are gaining a sense of confidence in themselves to be a team player”. They are taking the “same values” and skill-building “into other sports they might have been hesitant to try”. Williams is most proud that Ultimate is giving them that sense of “confidence to actually try other things” and “into life in general”.
This work directly supports the Ultimate Foundation’s priority of Growing Youth Ultimate. Williams notes that every contribution from the ultimate community helps, leading to “getting an extra disc, an extra package of cue cards”, and ultimately, helping some kid “building the confidence just to try sports in general”.
Looking forward, Williams is focused on expanding USA Ultimate’s outreach, including working with Youth Serving Organizations like Operation Homefront and Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Metro Chicago. He also highlights other work on the HBCU initiative and managing partnerships with organizations like the Boys and Girls Club of America. Williams remains “just thankful for people for having faith in me to try these things,” calling this collaborative, school-based strategy a “different approach” that is fueling the future of the sport.
Fuel the Future
The work of Gervon Williams and USA Ultimate is a direct realization of The Ultimate Foundation’s mission to fuel a future for Ultimate that is accessible to all. Every contribution directly supports the priority of Growing Youth Ultimate, helping to purchase the “extra disc” or “extra package of cue cards” that equips a PE teacher and ultimately helps a kid find joy through the sport. Join us in bringing the Spirit of the Game to new communities and new generations.
Donate to The Ultimate Foundation today to fuel the future and grow youth ultimate nationwide.