USA Ultimate

Colorado Springs, Colo. (Nov. 2, 2015) – USA Ultimate, the national governing body for the sport of ultimate in the United States, is excited to announce the launch of the Tournament Director’s Certification Program (TDCP). 

USA Ultimate developed the Tournament Director Certification Program to help provide the best possible tournament experience for athletes, coaches, chaperones, family members and fans. The cornerstone of the TDCP is the Tournament Director’s Manual which includes information about safety, standards and best practices that can help organizers run the best events possible.  

The Tournament Director’s Manual was crafted over the last two years with the help of a passionate and experienced group of volunteers that includes several excellent tournament directors and national volunteers. Their experiences and knowledge, compiled in the Tournament Director’s Manual, can help guide event organizers through the tournament organizing process from start to finish. 

This newest certification program directly addresses goal three in the organization’s current strategic plan: organizing the highest-quality U.S. competitive events. The goal addresses overseeing event organizer certification programs and providing resources for profitable event planning. 

As part of USA Ultimate’s continuous efforts to improve tournament experiences for participants and spectators alike, as of January 1, 2016, TDCP Level I Certification will be required for:

• national directors,

• regional coordinators and directors,

• conference and sectional coordinators,

• state youth coordinators (competition) and

• tournament directors for any USA Ultimate sanctioned, season, championship series, or regional or national championship event.

Level one tournament director certifications will be free for the remainder of the 2015 calendar year. Beginning in January 2016, the cost for certification will be $33; the certification will be good for up to two years. 

The certification exam will remain free for many USA Ultimate volunteers, including national and regional directors; regional, conference, sectional and state coordinators; and championship series and state championship event tournament directors.  

For more information about the Tournament Director’s Certification Program, including the Tournament Director’s Manual, certification requirements and costs, visit usaultimate.org/tdcp. 

Have any questions or comments? We welcome community feedback and discussion made in a respectful manner. Please refrain from profanity or personal attacks, as such public comments negatively reflect on our sport and community.