This past weekend saw the Nebraska Youth Club disc it up at the Youth Club Championships (YCC) in Blaine, MN, an event that pitted our kids against the best young ultimate players in the country. This event marked the first time that Nebraska ultimate has ever been represented at the national level, and I believe that our team did the Cornhusker State proud.

Although we went 0-6 on the weekend and finished in last place, a few things became clear to me. Compared to the other teams we played, we were on par with the best of the best in terms of intensity, athleticism, raw talent, conditioning, and spirit. In fact, I daresay that in some categories, the Nebraskans were superior. (Just ask any of the teams that faced the cup comprised our three state cross-country champions.) The only thing that our players lacked was experience.

I was chatting with one of the Idaho coaches (the other new team at the tournament this year), and she stated how proud and impressed she was with their kids, some of whom “have only been playing
Add Comment
 
 
LUDA has a lot on tap for the fall season and beyond, and a lot of people have been asking about Fall League. The official announcement is that there will be no Fall League this year. However, in keeping with our mission to promote the sport of Ultimate at the local level, you will still have many opportunities to play and be involved in Ultimate. Instead of Fall League, we plan on hosting more free pick-up games (multiple times per week) as long as the weather allows (which will include our popular Night Ultimate games on Sundays). Our community is rooted and grown from pick-up play, and we would like to get back to those roots this fall to reach further into the community. We are looking for a number of people willing to help us organize these games throughout the week.

In addition, the Youth scene is blowing up. After Seth Colaner takes the Nebraska Youth Club up to Minnesota for the Youth Club Championships this weekend, we will continue to consult with local high schools to infuse the sport at the youth level, which will immensely benefit our community at all levels, even beyond LUDA’s grasp. We have also been contacted by a number of elementary schools expressing interest in starting Ultimate clubs at the 5th-6th grade level! For this we need capable volunteers and coaches willing to help out once or twice per week after school at these schools.

Finally, our annual LollapaLUDA Hat Tournament this fall will be run as a benefit for cancer research. This is going to be the biggest thing LUDA has ever done! More info will be coming soon.

LUDA has a grand vision, but we desperately need more volunteers and helpers to keep things running so we can continue to provide more leagues, events, and opportunities to play. We cannot fulfill our mission without your help. The LUDA staff is looking to grow, so that we can do more things for the community. Please contact us if you can help!
Add Comment