Gearing Up for 2009!

Hello TYUL participants and parents!!! I've got some information for you about TYUL in 2009. This information is posted to the website also. See website here. Send questions via email to tyuleague@gmail.com.

LEAGUE ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING

Date: January 12, 2009
Time: 6:30 pm
Location: TBA by Jan. 1 (Probably in Durham)

Details:
On Monday January 12th, we will be hosting a TYUL spring organizational meeting. There are many items on the agenda including:

• improving competition structure
• assisting the development and growth of new school teams and players
• providing coaching opportunities
• re-organizing the TYUL leadership/organization structure
• revamping our summer league

If you are interested in attending, check back here closer to the date for the exact time and location. Any questions? Email: tyuleague at gmail dot com.

HIGH SCHOOL LEAGUE MEETING

Date: January 15, 2009
Time: TBA
Location: TBA

Details:
We're hoping to discuss and set competition schedules and work on a tournament schedule of sorts.

MIDDLE SCHOOL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Date: February 7 & 8, 2009
Time: TBA
Location: Efland, NC
Details: More information to come!

UPA LEVEL 1 COACHING CLINIC

Date: February 28, 2009
Time: TBA
Location: TBA by January 15, 2009

Details:
We've been given a unique opportunity! The UPA (Ultimate Players Association) is holding a Coaching Clinic in our area! Registration is now available for the UPA Level I Coaching Clinic. This is an excellent opportunity for you to learn and improve your skills in coaching this sport we all love. There are two parts to this Coaching Clinic. The first part (first 4 hours of ~8 hour clinic) covers ETHICS, the second part of the Clinic is a performance workshop. Clinic details can be seen here.

REGISTER HERE:http://www.upa.org/coaches/clinics

• Ethics only workshop costs $45. Both workshops cost $75.
• Both workshops require that you are a member of the UPA by the day of the clinic. Please see below for new membership options!
• COLLEGE COACHES: Please read here concerning new sideline guidelines and the 2009 college national championships (you only have to take the Ethics portion to gain sideline access at Nationals):http://www.upa.org/coaches/requirements

BY PARTICIPATING IN THIS CLINIC YOU WILL RECEIVE:

• Ethics and Performance Workshop: Details of the workshops found here.
• UPA Coaching Performance Manual (full day)
• UPA Coaching Corp disc bag from Five Ultimate (full day)
• Ultimate Fitness DVD (full day)
• Ultimate 101: Laying out the game DVD (full day)
• Access to the UPA Certified Coach Yahoogroup (full day)
• Additional team discounts from Five Ultimate (full day)
• UPA Coaching Ethics Manual (ethics only attendee)
• UPA Coaching Code of Ethics (ethics only attendee)
• UPA Coaching Corp disc from Discraft (ethics only attendee)
• UPA Coaching Corp hydro shorts from Five Ultimate (ethics only attendee)
• Breakfast (all) and lunch (full day attendees).

*If you would like, you may choose to attend only the ethics portion of the clinic (first 4 hours). The ethics portion is only $45 and it ensures that you are allowed to be on the sideline during the 2009 college championships. However, to be a UPA Level 1 Certified Coach you must take the full clinic.

UPA MEMBERSHIP http://www.upa.org/membership

The UPA has started a UPA membership that is specific to coaches. Notice, this a non-playing membership. But, if you are a player who also coaches, there is also a Coach and Player membership. To read more about these new kinds of memberships, please read here:

CLINIC INSTRUCTOR:

Dan Raabe
Coach of Memorial High School Ultimate Team 1997-
Coach of the Madison Youth Club team 2005-
Wisconsin Youth Coordinator 2003-
Tournament Director and founder of Madison Fall Classic (1998-2005), MadisonMudBath (2001-), and Wisconsin State Championship (2004-).
Coordinator of the Madison Youth league 2002-.

AGAIN, REGISTER HERE:http://www.upa.org/coaches/clinics
Send questions, via email, to tyuleague@gmail.com.

Middle School - 11 AM Semifinal - Green Machine and MORT

This past weekend, Mask of Red Terror (MORT) and Green Machine met in a rematch of last week's game.

Only this time, it was the semifinal of the tournament. This - this was for all the marbles.

The teams started with a 4-on-4 matchup, since Green Machine only had five players (though MORT brought most of their army - I believe 8 or 9 total players were there). At half, the decision was made by the coaches that the Machinists would go savage, and the game continued with a 5-on-5 matchup. The game was hard fought, with some really great plays by both teams. At the end, though trailing, MORT continued to play hard, getting it tantalizingly close to the end zone on several occasions. However, though MORT's efforts were valiant, eventually Green Machine came up with the victory, 7-0.

Afterwards, some members of the teams hung around to play a "just-for-fun" game, where adults were thrown into the mix and the play was 7 on 7, with a game to about 12:30. Players then retired to their respective homes - or, in the case of the Machinists, to Stromboli's Pizza.

Great playing, everyone!

Middle School - Red and Green Make Game

This past weekend, MORT (Mask Of Red Terror) met Green Machine in the Middle School late matchup. While I, alas, was not able to be there, reliable sources report that the game was good, well-fought, and enjoyed by most if not all in attendance.

The game started a bit after the 2 PM start time, as some of the Green Machine players took a little extra time finding the field. After this late start, MORT and Green Machine squared off, with a final result of 7-1 Green Machine.

After the initial game, the teams mixed it up for a ... gray? brown? yellow? something else game (for more information on color mixing, and a pretty cool video about same, go here). The game was harder-fought, closer, and probably a lot hotter (being later in the day). End result: 4-3 (yellow over ... gray?).

At last report, all are looking forward to marching into the semifinals this weekend over at Cardinal Gibbons, and the final games the following weekend.

See you on the field!

SCHEDULE: Henry Anderson this weekend

Please be aware! Henry Anderson could only give TYUL field space on SUNDAYS in AUGUST.

Therefore, starting this weekend, if you are playing at Henry Anderson, it will be on SUNDAY and NOT SATURDAY!

Commitee and Coaches Meeting

Many Committee Members and Coaches (and one High School Player) met at Crabtree last night to discuss the current and future states of TYUL. The discussion was productive and it was great to have a Player present to share their thoughts and experiences.

We've tentatively decided on a Late Winter/Spring League (possibly to start in late February?) to move forward with and grow TYUL. Again, this is tentative, but seemed to have a good deal of support at the meeting last night....

We are currently working on a survey to go out to all participants, parents and coaches. Please take some time and fill out the survey when it is sent to you! We are very excited and proud of what has come out of TYUL so far and would like to know from participants, parents and coaches how to improve it.

We also discussed an end of the season cookout event, to take place sometime on the weekend of August 9 & 10. Stay tuned for more information!

-Holly

HS-Red - But you can call us "Thundercats"

Cameron Cockman and I have been coaching the Red team in the High School division. With the largest roster of the four teams in the division, we were a little concerned about people getting enough playing time, but it hasn't been an issue as of late.

Two weeks into the season, our team chose a name from an old cartoon (and a not-so-old Summer League team), and thus "Thundercats" was born...

Many of our players have had experience playing on high school teams, pickup games, or even in the adult TFDA leagues, so our practice time has been weighted more heavily towards strategy and teamwork. We have plenty of high jumpers, fast runners, strong handlers and nonstop cutters, but the trick is learning how to convert all of these skills into scores by working together. And week after week, we're seeing this happen.

Saturday's game against the Blue "Cookie Monster" team was a great example. You'll find a description of the first half in an earlier post in this Blog. Red and Blue traded points in this 5 on 5 affair, with strong play on both sides. Blue managed to take the lead late in the game, as both teams began to wilt a little under the heat of the day.

Then the rain came. Heavy rain. Wipe-the-disc-off-with-a-towel-before-you-throw-it rain. Without so much as a "time out" call, the players abandoned the field not for shelter, but to roll up car windows and keep important stuff from getting soggy.
Priorities ;-)

When the game resumed (still pouring rain), the score was tied at 11, game to 13. Blue scored to force game point, but Red answered the call to force double game point. Both teams had their chances in the final point, but Blue ended the game with a catch in the back of the end zone.

Middle School Early Game: SHADE Falls On The Green Machine, 7-5

The early game on Saturday (19 July) was a hard-fought match between two formidable opponents: SHADE (the black team, coached by DiShon Cain) and the Green Machine (the green team, coached by Twicker). When the game started at 11 AM, the intention was to play to 9 points, or about 12 PM. So much for intentions ...

After jumping to an early 4-2 lead, the Green Machine started to feel the effect of having only one sub (and that being the coach). SHADE had shown up bringing numbers (eight players total) and energy, though the sun was brutal on them as well, especially wearing black. Feeling the heat, the coaches negotiated a change in plans - a game to 7.

The next point, Green Machine took "half" at 5-2. Then, SHADE started its inexorable march back into the game.

SHADE racked up some quick points to bring the game to 5-4 Green. The next point took almost 15 minutes, with SHADE finally coming up with the score to tie. Another 15 minutes of play, ending at around 12:15, and SHADE had the lead, 6-5. Then, finally, with a slightly faster point (only about 7 minutes), SHADE won the game, scoring the 7th point to some cheers from the Green squad.

Afterwards, the teams congratulated each other, and the players dispersed - SHADE to cooler locations, and Green Machine to the local pizzeria for air conditioning and sustenance.

Hearty congratulations to both teams for playing one heck of a game.