Ultimate Hall of Fame - Class of 2010 announced
Posted: January 3, 2011 04:40 PM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jan. 3, 2011
ULTIMATE HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2010 ANNOUNCED
Players David Barkan, Michael Glass, Peggy Hollinger and Jeremy Seeger to be Inducted
BOULDER, Colo. – USA Ultimate, the National Governing Body for the sport of Ultimate in the United States, announced today the Class of 2010 for induction into the Ultimate Hall of Fame. The most recent class includes Open division inductees David Barkan (San Anselmo, Calif.), Michael Glass (Glencoe, Ill.), and Jeremy Seeger (Belmont, Mass.), as well as Women’s division inductee Peggy Hollinger (Hopkinton, Mass.).
"We are thrilled to announce the latest class of inductees for the Ultimate Hall of Fame," said Dr. Tom Crawford, USA Ultimate Chief Executive Officer. "The Class of 2010 represents a variety of outstanding accomplishments and contributions to our sport, and we are proud to recognize these talented players."
The four newest members were selected by the USA Ultimate Hall of Fame Voting Committee from the final "Slate of Eight" candidates and comprise the seventh class to be inducted. The finalists were chosen from a highly decorated pool of players and contributors by the USA Ultimate Hall of Fame Vetting Committee as part of an overall selection process that included recommendations from peers and input solicited from the USA Ultimate membership through its second annual "Call to Community."
"Each year we are presented with the difficult challenge of selecting those who are most deserving of consideration for induction into the Hall of Fame," said Suzanne Fields, Chair of the USA Ultimate Hall of Fame Committee. "This year’s class once again embodies the highest level of excellence, as well as the special meaning behind our great sport, that induction into the Hall represents. "As a fellow Hall of Fame member, I am honored to stand next to each of them."
The Ultimate Hall of Fame was established in 2004 to honor the men and women who by their deeds as Ultimate players and contributors, and by the examples of their lives, merit acknowledgement by the individuals involved in the sport. The Ultimate Hall of Fame currently exists as a virtual hall, with a long-term goal to establish a permanent site by 2018 – the 50th anniversary of the sport’s founding. The inductees will be honored with a plaque at USA Ultimate headquarters in Boulder and the organization’s website, usaultimate.org.
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ULTIMATE HALL OF FAME
CLASS OF 2010:
Open Division
David Barkan (San Anselmo, Calif.)
David is known for his undying spirit, fiery leadership, and explosive play. He had a reputation as a diminutive powerhouse that could not be stopped on the ground or in the air.
To beat his teams, opponents knew they had to shut him down and contend with the fact that he would never give in. The "fire hydrant that never stopped running" led three different teams to multiple appearances in Nationals, reaching five semifinals and two finals, and brought home a World Club Championship in 1995.
David formed and led numerous top-flight teams on both coasts between 1978 and 1995, including The Jam, The Hostages, East Bay Firestorm, and Double Happiness. David developed an approach to team composition and play that was described as "flow and chemistry over talent". He built every team this way, and was the maestro of his team’s mayhem, known for bringing out the best from his teammates and the game itself.
Impacted deeply by Spirit of the Game, David founded Ultimate Peace in 2008, with a vision of using the sport of Ultimate and SOTG as tools for peace building in conflict zones around the world. He lives in San Anselmo with his wife Nancy and two sons and still loves to play competitively.
Michael Glass (Glencoe, Ill.)
Mike was considered the backbone of a team that was at the top of the sport for more than a decade – Windy City. At every Nationals between 1983 and 1988 he led his team to the semifinals or finals (no other team from that era was as consistent). From 1980-96 Windy City grabbed four major championships; Club Nationals in ‘83 & ’86, Worlds in ’84, and Masters in ’96, as well as countless other tournaments along the way.
Mike loved to play and played to win. He played in more than 20 National and World Championships, and reached at least the semifinals 16 times. The length of his career and level of success are rare achievements.
Mike was arguably one of the best throwers in the history of the game. A fierce competitor who always drew top defenders, he had the ability to get open and then pick apart defenses with artful and lethal throws, including powerful backhands and cross-field hammers, regardless of the wind.
Extraordinary disc-skills, a lifetime of leadership, remarkable longevity, and a reputation as a feared and respected player contribute to Mike’s unique stature in Ultimate history.
Mike lives in Glencoe, Ill., is married to long time Ultimate player Nancy Leahy Glass and is father to two sons and a daughter.
Jeremy Seeger (Belmont, Mass.)
Jeremy is arguably the best and most well-rounded player of his generation. His play propelled him to MVP status on all the teams he played for. At Bronx High School of Science, his teams won the East Coast Championships every year they competed (1977-81). At UMass, he led the team to semifinals and finals of the College National Championships. On the Club circuit, he dominated on both offense and defense and was always on the field when the game was on the line. Titles include four National Championship with DoG in ’94 and '97-99, two Masters Championships with Squash in ’95 and DoG in 2007, plus a Worlds Open title in ’96 with DoG.
Tall, fast, and great hands are all part of Jeremy's playing package. Unlike others, he could and did play every position. On defense, Jeremy covered his opponents’ most dangerous threats. On the turnover, he was the go to handler, getting every third or fourth pass and described by opponents as uncoverable. And for good measure, the man was tireless.
Later in his career, Jeremy added team leadership to his repertoire. Not being satisfied with depending on talent, he brought new levels of strategy to all aspects of the game, helping to make DoG the dominant team of the 90’s.
Jeremy lives in Belmont, Mass. with his wife Kim, also a national caliber Ultimate player, and their two children.
Women’s Division
Peggy Hollinger (Hopkinton, Mass.)
Peggy had tremendous success at the highest level of competition including eight National Club Championships as a player (‘90 & ’92 with Maine-iacs, ’95-98, and 2000-01 with Godiva) two World Championships (‘91 & '93 with Maine-iacs), and multiple tournament wins along the way both as both player and coach.
Peg contributed to the sport as an athlete, player, teacher and coach. As a coach, Peg’s strategic mind was one of the best in the game. Peg was the brains behind the success of two winning teams; the Maniacs and Lady Godiva.
Through her understanding of the game, intelligence, leadership and athletic execution, Peg had an immense influence on the women’s game at its most competitive level. And while competing at the highest level Peg always treated opponents fairly and with respect. Peg also contributed to the sport by serving as sectional and regional coordinator.
Peggy currently resides in Hopkinton Mass. She is married to longtime Ultimate player Scott Hollinger and has threee sons.
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About USA Ultimate
USA Ultimate serves as the National Governing Body for the sport of Ultimate in the United States. USA Ultimate is a non-profit organization headquartered in Boulder, Colo. and focuses foremost on the needs of its athletes while improving access to the sport and enhancing members’ overall experience. Founded in 1979 as the Ultimate Players Association, USA Ultimate is one of the first flying disc sport organizations in the world and is also the largest with more than 30,000 members and a national volunteer network. Last year the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (SGMA) named Ultimate the fastest-growing team sport in the nation. Internationally, USA Ultimate is a member of the World Flying Disc Federation (WFDF), which is an affiliate of the General Association of International Sport Federations (GAISF) and the International World Games Association (IWGA). USA Ultimate annually fields U.S. National Teams to compete at international events, including The World Games, which operates under the patronage of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).