YUCC 2014
The 2014 Youth Ultimate Coaching Conference coverage is presented by the Bay Area Disc Association.
OAKLAND, CA. Presentations at the 2014 Youth Ultimate Coaching Conference tackled a wide range of topics. From footwork drills to non-profit league management, the program offered a variety of engaging topics for attendees. Something all presentations had in common, however, were passionate presenters, speaking from the forefront of their field. Coaches attending YUCC left with as much inspiration as new coaching and playing technique. YUCC established itself as a place where the masterminds of ultimate meet.
Valerio Iani and his team at Bay Area Disc Association greeted attendees with a luscious spread of berries, muffins, coffee, and other delicious breakfast elements. And breakfast had nothing on lunch– you get an artisan sandwich and pizza. All organic and health-conscious.
The day’s events opened up with a keynote address by Beau Kittredge, Maggie Ruden, and Adam Faren. The welcome included several moments that brought the audience to smiles and laughter as well as Kittredge wearing a fittingly silly hat. The keynote set a strong tone for the day, leaving coaches loose, engaged, and constructive.
Presentations took place in classrooms at the hosting Head-Royce high school. Backed by powerpoint slides, most presentations were within the scope of a single ultimate coach’s approach. Additionally, there was a panel discussion on the state of girl’s ultimate. This was a moderated discussion that was well received and captured on camera by the Skyd team. This presentation and others will be available on Skyd’s YouTube channel in the coming weeks.
Another presentation by Ben Wiggins was held in the gymnasium taking the form of an actual practice. The topic was footwork. Hearing Ben breakdown any aspect of ultimate is fascinating and always valuable (he teaches gateway biology courses at the University of Washington for a living) and this active format had the added benefit of pragmatism. Coaches were guided through a focused practice on footwork and taught how to break down the concept so their kids can swallow bit sized pieces.
This gym presentation was a fine cap upon the depth to YUCC’s lineup. Youth ultimate coaches have a variety of responsibilities that makes their job different from non-youth coaches. They need to integrate with school systems logistically, be in tune with kids’ social needs, field financial discrepancies, and develop both good ultimate players and good people. The diversity of presentation topics at YUCC was very impressive given the scale of the conference.
Good things are sure to come from future conferences put on by Bay Area Disc. The expertise drawn to this event was impressive to say the least and it offered a comprehensive range of awesome talks and clinics. Look forward to future conferences and coverage of this year’s YUCC here on Skyd.
Comments Policy: At Skyd, we value all legitimate contributions to the discussion of ultimate. However, please ensure your input is respectful. Hateful, slanderous, or disrespectful comments will be deleted. For grammatical, factual, and typographic errors, instead of leaving a comment, please e-mail our editors directly at editors [at] skydmagazine.com.