Girls
Girls' Ultimate Movement
The Girls’ Ultimate Movement (GUM) empowers and inspires girls to become leaders through the sport of ultimate and by embracing the principles of Spirit of the Game.
Currently, only 1 in 4 youth ultimate players is a girl. With your help, we can give girls opportunities to participate in ultimate.
Underrepresented and Underserved Athletes
Play It Forward
Play It Forward provides financial resources for youth from underserved communities to learn about and play ultimate.
With your help, kids of all backgrounds will have opportunities to learn the joy of ultimate and the values of Spirit of the Game in their local community.
Delrico Johnson Fund
The Delrico Johnson Fund increases access and participation for Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) by contributing towards memberships, starting with adult affiliate memberships, and National Team tryout fees.
Grassroots
Local Playing Opportunities
The Ultimate Foundation is the only nonprofit working directly with USA Ultimate and state and local groups on outreach playing opportunities for youth and girls.
Spirit Awards
The Kathy Pufahl Spirit Award
Each women’s team that qualifies for the USA Ultimate National Championships nominates one player from their team who best exemplifies both the ethos of the SOTG, along with a personal commitment to giving back to the sport. Each team at the National Championships casts a vote for one of the nominees, taking into account who has exhibited personal responsibility, integrity, and selfless contribution to ultimate, combined with a high standard of playing ability.
The athlete with the most votes is awarded the Kathy Pufahl Spirit Award at the National Championships.
The Farricker Spirit Award
The Farricker Spirit Award is given to the player in the men’s division of the USA Ultimate National Championships adjudged to have exhibited personal responsibility, integrity, and fairness combined with a high standard of playing ability. Each Nationals-qualifying men’s team nominates one player from their own team as the person who best represents Spirit of the Game. During the open championship game, each nominee is honored with a disc, pin or set of Mardi Gras beads. The hope is that the people wearing the Mardi Gras beads will be connected to Pete, each other and the Spirit of the Game, and will become role models for their teammates and opponents.
The Marty Bakko Spirit Award
Established in 2010, the Marty Bakko Spirit Award is presented to a player in the men’s masters division at the USA Ultimate Masters Championships who best exemplifies SOTG. The award was created in honor of the late Marty Bakko (Minneapolis Surly). The masters division spirit award honors players that embody the best attributes of ultimate. Like Marty Bakko, these individuals: have an infectious sense of humor; possess a long-term passion for the sport of ultimate; display a commitment to fair play, integrity and respect for their opponent; are shrewd, tactical innovators on the field; show an intense, competitive Spirit; and are leaders who inspire others to act. Each qualifying masters team nominates one player from its roster as the person who best represents the Spirit of the Game and the qualities listed above.