Chastain Named New National Youth Outreach Director
Posted: October 13, 2014 02:10 PM
Boulder, Colo. (Oct. 13, 2014) – As part of the organization’s ongoing efforts to increase youth and girls’ outreach efforts, USA Ultimate, the national governing body for the sport of ultimate in the United States, is excited to announce the addition of Claire Chastain to the organization’s youth volunteer structure. Chastain was recently named National Youth Outreach Director, a new position tasked with introducing the sport of ultimate to new youth populations across the United States.
In her new role, Chastain will serve as a member of USA Ultimate’s Youth Working Group and work with the USA Ultimate Manager of Education and Youth Programs to create new partnerships with local youth-serving organizations. She will also assist in the further development of the youth volunteer structure by identifying and recruiting individuals to serve as state youth outreach coordinators (SYOCs). With Chastain’s help, these state-level individuals will lead the growth of community-appropriate playing opportunities in their respective states. She will also contribute to the development of guidance on best practices for outreach for individuals, leagues and partnerships and providing resources and assistance on outreach programs to state youth outreach coordinators.
"I was excited to find out that USA Ultimate created the National Youth Outreach Director position, letting myself, and the community at large, know their serious commitment to growing the sport at the youth level," said Chastain. "I'm looking forward to working with Mike Lovinguth (Manager of Youth and Education Programs), Heather Ann Brauer (National Girls’ Outreach Director) and the future SYOCs to make ultimate more accessible to youth and drive growth across the country."
State youth outreach coordinators will be key pieces in supporting organizations like the YMCA, Boys and Girls Clubs, and similar youth-serving outfits looking to add ultimate to their "menus," as they see the tremendous growth of the sport in their areas. The local volunteers will also help connect these outreach efforts to local USA Ultimate Affiliates offering youth-playing opportunities.
The new National Youth Outreach Director position is part of a large-scale, nationwide push toward creating more playing opportunities for youth through the expansion of the organization’s youth volunteer structure. In addition to this position, USA Ultimate will also add state youth outreach coordinators, as mentioned above, as well as girls’ state youth coordinators in every state that currently hosts a boys’ state championship event.
Chastain is a long-time member of the ultimate community and competes at the highest levels of the sport. She is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, where she began playing competitive ultimate. Chastain was also the recipient of the 2013 Callahan Award, college ultimate’s highest honor. The award, which is voted on by current college players, recognizes the most valuable players in college ultimate – outstanding athletes who display exceptional athletic ability and skill, combined with outstanding leadership, sportsmanship and dedication to the sport.
Chastain was a member of North Carolina’s elite women’s team Phoenix before relocating to Colorado, where she currently resides and competes with Denver-based women’s team Molly Brown. She was a member of the gold-medal winning 2013 U-23 Women’s National Team and has also volunteered as a college, high school and YCC coach, as well as a facilitator of the Girls’ Ultimate Movement taskforce.
If you would like to get involved in the development of youth ultimate by volunteering as a state youth outreach director or state girls’ youth coordinator, visit USA Ultimate’s Get Involved webpage.
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