U.S. Representatives Headed to Poland to Assist in National Team Development
Posted: September 23, 2014 03:12 PM
Boulder, Colo. (Sept. 23, 2014) – In association with the World Flying Disc Federation and the Polish Ultimate Players Association (PUPA), two U.S. representatives will travel to Poland later this week to assist PUPA with their preparations for the 2015 European Ultimate Championships, with an eye on developing a Polish National Team for the 2017 World Games.
Byron Hicks, USA Ultimate Events Manager and Team Manager of the 2013 U.S. World Games Team, along with reigning men’s college national championship coach Jim Schoettler of Colorado Mamabird will make the trip to Wroclaw, Poland to assist in the tryout process to determine the teams that will represent Poland at the 2015 European Ultimate Championships in Copenhagen, Denmark. PUPA plans to send teams to compete in each of the women’s, open and mixed divisions next year.
Approximately 90 athletes will attend the weekend-long tryout and practice session. Saturday will consist of various quantitative and qualitative drills and scrimmages, while Sunday is reserved for team practices, after the coaches determine final rosters on Saturday night. Schoettler and Hicks have been working with the Polish National Teams’ coaches and members of PUPA’s leadership to outline the weekend’s schedule and determine appropriate drills to evaluate the athletes.
The ultimate scene in Poland is young but growing quickly. The sport first appeared in Poland in the late 90s but did not become a more permanent fixture until the mid-2000s. 2017 would be the first time Poland has been represented in the Flying Disc competition at the World Games.
The Polish Ultimate Players Association established a national teams program in 2010, sending a mixed team to the 2010 World U-23 Ultimate Championships in Italy. They were also represented that year in the World Ultimate Club Championships mixed division. Poland sent teams to compete in the mixed division at the 2011 European Ultimate Championships and the 2011 World Championships of Beach Ultimate, as well as in the open and women’s divisions at the 2011 European Youth Ultimate Championships. More recently, the nation was represented in the mixed, open and women’s divisions at the 2013 European Championships of Beach Ultimate, as well as the open and women’s divisions at this year’s World Junior Ultimate Championships in Lecco, Italy.
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