Key Takeaways:
- USA Ultimate achieved historic engagement and meaningful impact in 2025, with a focus on elevating youth and grassroots ultimate.
- The organization implemented the first annual DISCover Ultimate Day, expanded Youth Growth Grants, and introduced the Community Coach program.
- USA Ultimate partnered with the Boys & Girls Club of America, 2-4-1 Sports, and other organizations to promote ultimate and increase access to the sport.
- The organization supported diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, including awarding complimentary memberships and hosting BIPOC events.
- USA Ultimate’s social media properties saw significant growth, with 32.8 million views and 206,800 followers.
- The organization hosted premier ultimate events, including the USA Ultimate Beach Championships and the College Championships.
- U.S. teams competed at the highest levels in international competition, winning gold medals in several divisions.
Introduction to USA Ultimate’s Progress
The past year has been a remarkable one for USA Ultimate, the national governing body for the sport of ultimate in the United States. As the organization looks back on its achievements, it is clear that the strength of the ultimate community and the power of collective purpose have driven progress on its mission and strategic initiatives. USA Ultimate’s CEO, Kevin Erlenbach, reflected on the year’s accomplishments, noting that the organization has made significant strides in promoting the sport and increasing access to it. With a focus on elevating youth and grassroots ultimate, USA Ultimate has implemented several initiatives aimed at growing the sport and creating a more inclusive and diverse community.
Youth and Grassroots Development
One of the key areas of focus for USA Ultimate has been youth and grassroots development. In 2025, the organization implemented the first annual DISCover Ultimate Day, which was held on September 6 and saw participation from 22 communities across 15 states. The program aims to introduce middle school kids to the sport of ultimate and provide them with the opportunity to learn and play. Additionally, USA Ultimate expanded its Youth Growth Grants program, which provides financial assistance to local disc organizations to increase participation, reduce barriers of entry, and support inclusivity in the sport. The program distributed approximately $60,000 in funding to 18 new recipients in 2025. The organization also introduced the Community Coach program, a free resource for adults teaching young, beginning ultimate players. This program provides a learning experience for individuals who have an interest in coaching but are new to the sport of ultimate.
Partnerships and Collaborations
USA Ultimate has also been working to build partnerships and collaborations with other organizations to promote the sport and increase access to it. The organization has a key strategic partnership with the Boys & Girls Club of America, which provides resources and opportunities to introduce ultimate in youth clubs serving kids and teens across the country. In 2025, USA Ultimate provided 150 Ultimate Starter Kits and facilitated over 30 clinics and programs in Boys & Girls Clubs across 12 states. The organization has also partnered with 2-4-1 Sports, a global nonprofit dedicated to making sports accessible through its award-winning sport sampling program. The two organizations will work together to identify pilot sites, co-host events, and create training resources that combine physical literacy, play, and ultimate to help thousands of children across diverse communities build lifelong healthy habits.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
USA Ultimate has also been working to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion within the sport. The organization has a commitment to DEI efforts, which are critical to the integrity of the sport and increase access to and participation in the sport, particularly amongst youth in underrepresented communities. In 2025, USA Ultimate awarded 375 complimentary Play It Forward Memberships and 365 complimentary BIPOC Affiliate memberships through the Delrico Johnson Fund. The organization also provided 57 Ultimate Starter Kits to Title I Schools and hosted BIPOC events at College Championships and U.S. Open. USA Ultimate has also been providing continued education to its headquarter staff via regular DEI discussions and presentations, and has been engaging with advisory councils to enhance support of BIPOC and LGBTQ+ members, with an emphasis on trans inclusion.
Social Media and Visibility
USA Ultimate’s social media properties have seen significant growth in 2025, with 32.8 million views and 206,800 followers. The organization has also been working to increase the visibility of the sport through media partnerships with ESPN and Ultiworld. In 2025, a total of 353 games from nine tournaments were watched by approximately 737,000 unique viewers across more than 100 countries. The sport of ultimate was also featured several times throughout the year in highlights on SportsCenter Top 10, including clips from both the 2025 College and Youth Club Championships.
Premier Events and Competitions
USA Ultimate has also been hosting premier ultimate events, including the USA Ultimate Beach Championships and the College Championships. The 2025 USA Ultimate Beach Championships featured 80 teams and over 1,200 players across 7 divisions, while the College Championships saw many local fans in attendance, creating a great stadium atmosphere. The organization’s Club division remains the sport’s highest level of competition, with three teams winning the first two legs of the Triple Crown Tour in 2025. U.S. teams have also been competing at the highest levels in international competition, winning gold medals in several divisions, including the WFDF World Under 24 Championships, The World Games, and the WFDF World Beach Ultimate Championships.
The Ultimate Foundation and Organizational Updates
The Ultimate Foundation, the philanthropic arm of USA Ultimate, experienced continued growth in 2025, with over $60,000 distributed in Youth Growth Grants and $30,000 towards in-kind technology grants. The organization has also been working to improve its operations and services, including the migration of coaching and tournament director certifications and curriculum to the USA Ultimate mobile app and Mobile Coach website. The online event management system has also been improved, with enhanced rostering functionality, upgrades for linking adult and child accounts, and updates to event calendar searches for all users. A new email distribution platform has been launched for improved member communications, marketing, and organizational news, and three new headquarters staff positions have been added to expand the organization’s capacity in communications and national team management, as well as Foundation fundraising.
