FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 28, 2010

BOULDER, Colo. – The Ultimate Players Association, the National Governing Body for the sport of Ultimate in the United States, today announced its 2010 spring schedule for UPA Observer Training Clinics, as well as updates regarding the UPA Observer Program. Held in strategic locations throughout the country, the clinics are used to train and certify observers using UPA standards for officiating.

These two-day clinics include discussion of the Observer Code of Conduct, officiating philosophies, and mechanics. The sessions also include skills, drills and game-time experience. Participants have the opportunity to become UPA-certified observers following completion of specific requirements, including a real-game evaluation and demonstrated knowledge of rules and observer mechanics. Clinics are organized in conjunction with Ultimate events and taught by UPA Observer Program Trainers.

The clinics listed below are scheduled for the spring of 2010 and are offered free of charge (UPA membership is required). Five additional clinics will be announced for the 2010 season at a later date. Clinic attendees each receive a free UPA Observer jersey upon certification and a 50 percent discount on all other official UPA Observer Program merchandise and apparel through VC Ultimate.

Please email the appropriate contact to confirm clinic status and to register. Space in each clinic will be limited due to the individual attention necessary to properly train and evaluate observer candidates. Any event organizer or community in the United States that is interested in hosting an Observer Training Clinic is invited to contact the Chair of the UPA Observer Committee at upa_observer_comm_chair@upa.org.

Tournament           Location            Date            Contact
Tallahassee Tune-up Tallahassee, Fla.  Feb. 6-7       upa_ac_roc@upa.org
PLU Bar-b-que          Seattle               March 13-14      upa_nw_roc@upa.org
College Centex         Austin, Texas      March 20-21  upa_south_roc@upa.org
Roll Call                   Poolesville, Md.    March 27-28  upa_me_roc@upa.org
Huck Finn                 St. Louis             April 3-4        upa_south_roc@upa.org

• Beginning this year, any observers participating in UPA-sanctioned events now must be certified through the UPA Observer Training Clinics.

• The UPA continues to offer a performance-based evaluation system that allows its top Observers to be considered for invitation to work UPA Championship events.

• The UPA will publish a revised and updated UPA Observer Manual later this year.

“We have worked diligently over the past six years to develop a standard for Observing in Ultimate. As the numbers of both UPA-certified Observers and UPA-sanctioned events grow, the UPA now looks to use its own training program as the standard for all of the events it endorses,” said Will Deaver (Boulder, Colo.), UPA Managing Director for Competition and Athlete Programs. “UPA Observer Training Clinics help ensure that Observers meet the minimum requirements for rules knowledge and on-field competency, while adding value to our sanctioned events.”

The Ultimate Players Association (UPA) serves as the National Governing Body for the sport of Ultimate in the United States. The UPA 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, the UPA is one of the first flying disc sport organizations in the world and is also the largest, with more than 31,000 members and a national volunteer network. This year the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (SGMA) named Ultimate the fastest-growing team sport in the nation. Internationally, the UPA 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). The UPA 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).