USA Ultimate Skills Challenge - 2020 National Skills Challenge Guidelines
Dates
Individual Skills Competition: October 5 - November 15, 2020
Discathlon (Individual and Team): October 5 - November 15, 2020
Event Registration
1. Participants must have a current USA Ultimate membership (Youth, College, Adult, Coach + Player, Coach, Friends & Family or Affiliate) or purchase a one-time event fee.
a. Players and teams may participate from any country, provided they meet the registration and eligibility requirements and follow the event guidelines.
2. Participants must have a current, signed USA Ultimate Liability Waiver and Infectious Diseases Waiver on file.
3. Individuals must register for the Individual division in the National Skills Challenge through their USA Ultimate account by November 15th.
4. Team managers must create and register their team in the Team division and have all members rostered in the National Skills Challenge through their USA Ultimate account by November 15th.
5. Cost:
a. $5 for individual competitions
b. $20 per team competition (team fees are independent of individual participation fees)
c. USA Ultimate Skills Challenge discs will be exclusively available for purchase for $10 each during the registration process open from October 5 to November 15.*
*Note: The discs will arrive later this fall (not in time for use while participating in the National Skills Challenge).
6. Approved Discs: The approved disc for this event is a 175g ultimate disc. Youth participants in the U15 division are also eligible to use approved Juniors if they'd like. For a list of approved discs, visit usaultimate.org/discstandards.
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
USA Ultimate strongly believes a diverse community will enrich people’s ultimate experience, and the sport will be enhanced by the active inclusion of underrepresented communities. Building on this principle, we are committing 20% of all revenue from this Skills Challenge event to support our future equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) efforts.
For the latest information on the EDI work USA Ultimate is doing, check out our July EDI Update.
Competition Guidelines
There are numerous ways to compete. Players can compete in one to 12 different skills in one exciting round of competition.
If participants complete the five specific skills that comprise the Discathlon, they can choose to enter into the Discathlon as well, with the top five individuals in the qualifying stage advancing to the Discathlon Finals round.
For a separate fee, four players can also compete as a team in the Discathlon. Players can also be on multiple teams, but only on one team per division.
Individual Competitions:
1. Divisions:
U15 Boys’/Girls’
U17 Boys’/Girls'
U20 Boys’/Girls’
College Men’s/Women’s
Club Men’s/Women’s
Masters Men’s (33+), Masters Women’s (30+)
Grand Masters Men (40+), Grand Masters Women (37+)
Great Grand Masters Men’s (50+), Great Grand Masters Women’s (45+)
2. Players must follow the specific guidelines to perform the skill as demonstrated/described in the 2020 National Skills Challenge Particulars (PDF).
3. Players can compete in any or all of the twelve skills challenges.
4. The five skills that comprise the Discathlon are Accuracy Ladder, Compass, Throw for Distance (Backhand), Throw for Distance (Forehand) and Throw, Run, Catch. Players that compete in all five skills can also compete for the Discathlon title.
5. Players must report their top score via this ‘Individual Results’ form for each skill between 12:00am mountain time on October 5 and 11:59pm mountain time on November 15 . Be sure to use this ‘Individual Results’ form and not the Skills Challenge portion of the USA Ultimate smartphone application.
a. USA Ultimate will cross-post results to show on the smartphone application after the event has concluded.
b. By registering and submitting results, players are giving permission for their results to be displayed in the results table on the event web page.
c. Players can choose in the reporting form whether or not they also want their results displayed on the leaderboard in the app.
6. The top three finishers in each skill in each division will be determined and recognized following the November 15 deadline. These finishers will earn additional raffle entries (see Prize section below).
7. The top three Discathlon finishers will be determined and recognized following the November 15 deadline for the Discathlon according to the Scoring/Rankings section.
Team Competition:
1. Divisions:
U15 Boys’/Girls’
U17 Boys’/Girls'
U20 Boys’/Girls’
College Men’s/Mixed/Women’s
Club Men’s/Mixed/Women’s
Masters Men’s (33+), Masters Women’s (30+), Masters Mixed (33+ men, 30+ women)
Grand Masters Men (40+), Grand Masters Women (37+), Grand Masters Mixed (40+ men, 37+ women)
Great Grand Masters Men’s (50+), Great Grand Masters Women’s (45+)
2. Teams must have exactly four players
3. A player can be on multiple teams, but only one per division.
4. Players must follow the specific guidelines to perform the skill as demonstrated/described in the USA Ultimate Skills Challenge app.
5. The skills in the Discathlon are Accuracy Ladder, Compass, Throw for Distance (Backhand), Throw for Distance (Forehand) and Throw, Run, Catch.
6. Teams will only be competing in the Discathlon, where their overall score in all five skills will be considered. A team individuals’ scores for a skill will not be eligible for consideration in the Individual Competition unless the individual is registered and competing as an individual and enters those scores separately.
7. Teams must upload their score for each skill to this ‘Team Results’ form between 12:00am mountain time on October 5 and 11:59pm mountain time November 15.
a. Each player on the team roster must contribute one score to the event so that all members are represented in the overall team score.
b. The 5th skill score can come from any member of the team
c. USA Ultimate will cross-post results to show on the smartphone application after the event has concluded.
d. By registering and submitting results, teams are giving permission for their results to be displayed in the results table on the event web page.
e. Players on teams can choose in the reporting form whether or not they also want their results displayed on the leaderboard in the app.
Player and Team Requirements
Players:
1. Players must have a current USA Ultimate player membership (Youth, College, Adult, Coach + Player or Affiliate) or purchase a one-time event fee. Coach and Friends & Family memberships will not be accepted.
2. Players must have a current, signed USA Ultimate Liability Waiver and Infectious Diseases Waiver on file.
3. For youth divisions:
a. U15 - players cannot turn 15 before 1/1/2021
b. U17 - players cannot turn 17 before 1/1/2021
c. U20 - players cannot turn 20 before 1/1/2021
4. For the College divisions:
a. Players were/are enrolled in 2020 Winter, Spring or Fall or will be enrolled for 2021 Winter or Spring at the school they are representing
5. For Masters/Grand Masters/Great Grand Masters divisions:
a. Masters - players must be 33+ (men)/30+ (women) by 12/31/2020
b. Grand Masters - players must be 40+ (men)/37+ (women) by 12/31/2020
c. Great Grand Masters - players must 50+ (men)/45+ (women) by 12/31/2020
Teams:
1. All players on a team must meet player eligibility requirements
2. Teams must consist of exactly 4 players
3. Mixed teams must have a 50/50 gender ratio
4. College teams must consist of players that were/are enrolled in 2020 Winter, Spring or Fall or will be enrolled for 2021 Winter or Spring at the school they are representing
Scoring/Rankings
Individual Skills:
Discathlon (Individual):
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Players will submit their best score for each of the Discathlon skills. Each score will be ranked relative to the other participants in the Discathlon.
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Individual placement will be calculated by taking the average ranking of the individual across the five skills. The lowest average will be the winner (similar to the team rankings table below).
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Finalists will need to compete again during the Finals round for final placement.
Discathlon (Teams):
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Team Managers will select and submit a score for each of the Discathlon skills.
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Team scores must meet the requirements of Team Competition #7 above, including using at least one score from each player on the team. Each team’s score for each skill will then be ranked relative to the other teams.
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Team placement will be calculated by taking the average ranking of the team across the five skills. The lowest average will be the winner. For example:
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Team 1
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Team 2
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Team 3
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Team 4
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Accuracy Ladder
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1
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2
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3
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4
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Compass
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2
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4
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3
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1
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Throw for Distance (Backhand)
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1
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3
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2
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4
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Throw for Distance (Forehand)
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1
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2
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3
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4
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Throw, Run, Catch
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2
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1
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3
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4
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1.40
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2.40
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2.80
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3.40
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Rankings:
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1st
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2nd
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3rd
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4th
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Prizes
Individual:
1. Discathlon
a. The top three finishers in the Discathlon in each division will receive National Skills Challenge award discs. The National Skills Challenge winners will receive "gold" discs, the runners-up will receive "silver" discs and third place finishers will receive "bronze" discs.
b. The top three finishers will also earn extra entries into the Prize Raffle (see below) and an increased shot at winning some really great prizes.
2. Individual Skills - The top three finishers in each individual Skills Challenge in each division will earn extra entries into the Prize Raffle (see below) and an increased shot at winning some really great prizes.
Team:
1. Members of the top 3 finishing teams in the Discathlon in each division will each receive National Skills Challenge award discs. The National Skills Challenge winners will receive "gold" discs, the runners-up will receive "silver" discs and third place finishers will receive "bronze" discs.
2. Members of the top 3 finishing teams in each division will also earn extra entries into the Prize Raffle (see below) and an increased shot at winning some really great prizes.
Prize Raffle:
1. All participants who register and enter a result will receive an entry into a raffle drawing for some great prizes. Each member of a competing team will also receive an entry into the drawing.
2. Earn additional raffle entries!
a. All first place winners in any individual or team competition will receive three additional entries into the drawing.
b. All 2nd place winners will receive two additional entries.
c. All 3rd place winners will receive one additional entry.
d. Purchase a disc and earn one additional entry.
e. NEW! Refer someone to participate in the Skills Challenge. After they complete their registration and submit their results, have them email us your name at skillschallenge@usaultimate.org.
f. NEW! Post a video of yourself competing on social media using the hashtag #USAUSkillsChallenge.
3. Participants are limited to winning one raffle prize from the drawing.
Raffle Prizes:
a. USA Ultimate annual membership gift certificates
b. Live Ultimate prize packs, courtesy of VC Ultimate
c. TOKAY cleats, the official footwear sponsor of USA Ultimate
Spirit of the Game
Like ultimate, the 2020 National Skills Challenge is a self-officiated competition. Participants are expected to follow the principles of Spirit of the Game, including knowing the rules, being responsible for following them and respecting others participating in the event. While there are developmental and competitive elements to the event, it is primarily intended to be fun! So, keep your primary focus on the enjoyment of throwing and catching, running and jumping, and interacting with others competing in this competition, either in person or online.
Health and Safety
Participants should follow USA Ultimate Health and Safety Guidelines as well as Return to Play requirements to mitigate risks associated with COVID-19.
Contact/Questions
Please reach out to skillschallenge@usaultimate.org with questions or comments.