Topic of the Week: 2010 Club Series

[matthewbourland]

With the Club Team Registration deadline less than 24 hours away, the pool of club series teams is about to be set. To kick off discussion about the 2010 USA Ultimate Club Series, what predictions do you have for this year's Club Series? What new teams have formed that will turn some heads? Which player movements will make the biggest impact?

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Each Thursday usaultimate.org will feature a different topic of discussion on its message boards in order to engage USA Ultimate members and the Ultimate community around the world. The idea is to encourage discussion about some of the current events happening in the sport of Ultimate, and to collect opinions, ideas and feedback from our members and athletes across the globe. Interesting, exciting, controversial or informative, a featured topic will be chosen each week and representatives from USA Ultimate will provide their input in an effort to enhance its communications with the Ultimate world. Please send topics you’d like to see discussed to matthew@hq.usaultimate.org

[joeseidler]

Revolver is probably the #1 seed in Open, but they do not have history on their side. In the past 15 years, 6 Open US teams have won Worlds, but only 2 of them went on to win Nationals that same year.
1995: Worlds Champion = Double Happiness -- At Nationals they lost in the semis.
1996: Worlds Champion = DoG -- At Nationals they were #1.
1997: Worlds Champion = Sockeye -- At Nationals they lost in the finals.
1999: Worlds Champion = DoG -- At Nationals they were #1.
2000: Worlds Champion = DoG -- At Nationals they lost in the semis.
2002: Worlds Champion = Condors -- At Nationals they lost in the quarterfinals.
2010: Worlds Champion = Revolver -- At Nationals ???

[rrudnic]

I like how you are projecting the number 1 seed before we even get to sectionals. For all you know they won't even win their region and then they couldn't possibly be placed as the 1 seed.

[torre.hargett]

The games this weekend (Chesapeake) and next (Labor Day) should help direct these debates.

In action this weekend:
Chain
Ironside
Truckstop
Goat
Bodhi
PoNY
Ring of Fire
Southpaw

In action next weekend:
Revolver
Sockeye
Doublewide
Johnny Bravo
Southpaw
Rhino
Sub Zero
Furious George
Emerald City Ultimate
Streetgang

[joeseidler]

Sorry, my bad...
What I meant to say was Revolver does not have history on its side in their quest to win Nationals.

[canis216]

I expect Drag n' Thrust to turn some heads in the Mixed division. They played Chad Larson Experience super tight at Cooler Classic, falling 13-12 after leading 8-5 at half. They looked like a loose, athletic bunch and could definitely snag a bid out of the Central Region.

Also of note: earlier in the summer I heard a rumor that Albuquerque ultimate might go Mixed for the series this year. An ABQ team gave Barrio one hell of game at the end of June... which being June may mean nothing, I admit. But in a relatively weak Southwest region, they could surprise some folks.

[christopher.kosednar]

One of the biggest hurdles facing the club series every year is the location of nationals. Sarasota, Florida. First off, Sarasota is hardly a frisbee hotbed. Why not hold the event in a frisbeecentic location, plenty come to mind, look at the college series for examples: Columbus, Boulder, Madison, etc... changing locations would increase fan/spectator attendance umpteen times over.

Second, put the tournament in a more central location. Teams from the NW region literally fly across the entire US. And to go along with the first point, put it somewhere that fans can get to. Who wouldn't drive 4 hours to go watch semis and finals at nationals. Keep it in Sarasota and only Floridians will make that trek.

Thirdly, the weather. Anytime I hear a team comment on the wind the rebuttal inevitably comes, wait til Sarasota. Why does USAU showcase our game in such difficult conditions ? A calmer location would lead to less zone, and better plays from all divisions.

It's time to hold nationals in a place that highlights the sport and appreciates what USAU is doing.

[commitch]

locations with 30 fields all in one spot are very hard to come by (most places struggle to find 8). Moving nationals around might place the various divisions at separate locations around a given city. While I'd personally love to see the location move around, I understand there are some pretty hefty advantages to Sarasota.

[joeseidler]

Christopher,

Many of us understand your frustration, but you need to read up on all of the research on field availability done many years ago. There is only "one" polo field in the US that is large enough and rents their fields to hold Nationals. That is pretty much "it." I'm pretty sure that Ultimate Nationals requires more grass than any other sports event in the US.

An alternative to reduce the required field size could be to divide up when each division's Nationals is held. That is, perhaps have Open and Masters at one time, and then have Women's and Mixed another time (perhaps the following weekend). Would you prefer this rather then having them held in Sarasota every year?

[rrudnic]

Some of the Regionals are being split up this year, I noticed. I'm guessing so that everyone gets good fields, example Mid Atlantic. Last year half the teams were playing on this rolling extra field while half were on the really nice polo field, this year they are split 2 divisions in VA, 2 in NC the following weekend. I don't know how I feel about that I liked being able to watch games from all the divisions but I also like not playing on a field with 3 hills across it. I really think Nationals needs to stay intact all the divisions at the same time in the same place. Maybe not the same set of fields but same town at least.