First off, THANK YOU for volunteering to host a UPA Level II Coaching Clinic! This truly could not happen without you. Because of your help, the UPA Coaching program is the most successful Ultimate coach certification program in the world. Please read through this guide to find all the info you'll need to do a great job. Have a great clinic!
JOB DESCRIPTION
Please take a look at the job description below for a general overview.
UPA COACH PROGRAM ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
The organization of the UPA Coach Program is as follows:
- UPA Level II Coaching Clinics are held during the Winter (January-March)
- Locations for Level II Coaching Clinics are determined by the UPA Director of Youth Development and UPA Level II Coach Instructors with input from UPA State Youth Coordinators
- The clinics are administered by one of eleven UPA Level II Coach Instructors
- The Director of Youth Development oversees all aspects of the UPA Coach Program which consists of both UPA Level I and UPA Level II Coach Clinics. The Director of Youth Development position is a full-time, paid UPA staff position located at UPA Headquarters in Colorado.
COMMUNICATION
Chain of Communication
In order to function effectively and efficiently it is important that we have a communication network. Local Coordinators play an essential role in this network. When working perfectly the system looks like this:
Interested/Registered Coaches/Volunteers -----> Local Coordinator -----> Coach Instructor -----> Director of Youth Development.
The system works the other way for disseminating information. Please try to stick with the communication structure. If you have a question or new information, go to the next person in the chain. It will help everyone be able to manage their time more effectively and help make sure all the right people are in the loop. If you feel like the structure is breaking down at some point, please contact the next person in the chain and let them know.
UPA Headquarters Contact Info
Director of Youth Development
Meredith Tosta
meredith@hq.upa.org800-UPA-GETH x 115
Ultimate Players Association
4730 Table Mesa Dr.
Suite J-200
Boulder, CO 80305
LEVEL II COACHING CLINICS
PRIOR TO THE CLOSE OF REGISTRATION
SETTING THE DATE AND TIME
The date of the clinic is determined by the Local Coordinator and the Coach Instructor. The date should fall on a weekend day between January 15th and April 15th and should avoid conflicts with major local and (in some cases) regional Ultimate events that may draw potential clinic attendees. You may want to e-mail local e-mail lists and inquire about good dates for the clinic.
The important factors to consider in picking a date:
• Coach Instructor Availability
• Local Coordinator Availability
• Site Availability
• Local Ultimate events
The clinic times run from saturday 8:15am to 5pm (with registration from 8:15-8:45) and Sunday 8:30am to 4:15pm.
As soon as the date and time are set, e-mail the Director of Youth Development so that registration can be set-up. Also include your shipping information for clinic materials.
CLINIC SITE
Choosing the clinic site is the responsibility of the Local Coordinator. Optimal clinic sites are schools that have both classroom and field facilities. The morning schedule uses classrooms and the afternoon uses fields (or as a back up in case of inclement weather, a gym). Having access to the classroom all day (7:30am to 5:30-m) and fields from 1:30pm to 5pm on Saturday and 1pm to 4pm on Sunday is ideal.
The UPA budgets $600 for the facilities but in most cases we have been able to obtain the facilities for free through local Ultimate playing teachers or relationships with Local Parks and Rec departments that have the facilities.
As soon as the site has been determined please contact the Director of Youth Development with both the site and directions so that it can be added to the registration page.
CLINIC REGISTRATION
The Director of Youth Development will be responsible for setting up registration. Registration closes Sunday evening at midnight, two weeks prior to the clinic.
CLINIC PROMOTION
The responsibility for clinic promotion will be split between the Local Coordinator and the UPA Director of Youth Development.
The Local Coordinator will be responsible for
- E-mailing local lists
- Working with Local Disc Organizations to get the clinic announced on their website
- Talking to local people who may be interested
The Director of Youth Development will be responsible for
- Contacting current Level I certified coaches
- Announcing the clinic on the UPA website
- Announcing the clinic in the UPA Magazine
Promotion of the clinic is vital to the success of the program. If fewer than 6 coaches are registered for the Level II coaching clinic, the clinic will be cancelled. Clinics can have a maximum of 15 coaches.
POST REGISTRATION
CLINIC LIST AND CONTACTING REGISTERED COACHES AND VOLUNTEERS
The Monday following the close of registration the Director of Youth Development will send an e-mail to the Local Coordinator and to the Clinic Instructor that includes the clinic attendee list in attachments.
By Wednesday, the Local Coordinator should send an e-mail to the Clinic Attendees and Coach Instructor with the following information:
- Confirmation of their registration
- Reminder of the dates and times
- Reminder to join or renew their membership with the UPA
- Pre-clinic survey to the instructor
- Requests for the following information
- Special food preferences (due back to you by Sunday night)
- Housing needs (you may have to assist in coordinating housing or directing out of town coaches to nearby hotels)
- Reminder to bring the following items
- Proof of UPA membership (current membership card, paypal receipt). They will have to pay their UPA membership at the clinic if they have no proof.
- The filled out Coaching Application and background check form.
- Clothes that they can be active in (play Ultimate in), cleats, and gym shoes.
ARRANGING FOOD
The Local Coordinator is responsible for arranging all food. Arrange food in the week prior to the clinic. The UPA budgets $25/coach for food and drinks. You are responsible for providing breakfast, lunch and snacks for all coaches.
Breakfast Suggestions – (Pick up on the way to the clinic from a local or chain Bagel place, e.g. Einstein’s Bagels):
- Bagels (1/clinic attendee)
- Cream Cheese (1 small tub/8 clinic participants)
- Coffee, Cream, Sugar (Whatever is recommended by the bagel store)
Lunch Suggestions – (Arrange catering from a local deli. If necessary Subway’s three-foot subs are good deals)
- Sandwiches -Turkey, Ham, Roast Beef, Veggie (Whatever amount is recommended)
- Pasta Salad (Whatever amount is recommended)
Snack and Drink Suggestions – (Purchase at grocery store a few days prior to clinic)
- Fruit – Orange, Bananas, Apples (1 piece/clinic participant)
- Chips – (1 large bag/10 clinic participants)
- Oreos – (1 package)
- OJ (½ gallon/12 clinic participants)
- Sodas and Bottled Water (1-2 drinks/clinic participant)
CLINIC MATERIALS
Prior to the clinic you will receive 2-4 boxes of materials. You will need to prepare some materials prior to the clinic, so please open them up and make sure everything is accounted for as soon as you get it.
From Wrightlife:
- Discs (one for every clinic participant)
- Five Ultimate Bamboo Polo Shirt (one for every clinic participant)
- Five Ultimate Shorts (one for every clinic participant)
- Binders (one for every clinic participant)
From the UPA:
- Videopapers (one for every Coach)
- Coaching Manual – about 100 pages (one for every Coach)
You will need to put the manuals into the Binders prior to the clinic. Of course, please bring all materials to the clinic.
CLINIC REVIEWS, ATTENDANCE SHEET, and NAME TAGS
Please print out copies of the clinic reviews, one for every clinic participant and bring to the clinic, extra copies of the Coach application, and one copy of the Clinic Attendance sheet. Please purchase name tags (enough for each clinic participant). Bring all of these items to the clinic.
THE DAY OF THE CLINIC
SET-UP AND REGISTRATION
Please arrive at the clinic site 20 minutes prior to the opening of clinic registration (this is also the time that the Coach Instructor will be there). Use this time to set up breakfast, prepare your registration materials, and the materials for the coaches. We recommend writing clinic participants name’s on the name tags and placing it with the participant’s materials (shirt, disc, and manual)
As clinic participants arrive please use the Clinic Attendance sheet to check them in.
Collect the following from Clinic Participants:
- Clinic Registration Payments (all the participants on the original registration sheets have paid. We’ll talk about odd cases later)
- Coach Application and Background check form
- Level I certification (Director of Youth Development will check to ensure all registrants have already been certified as Level I)
- UPA Membership (UPA Membership card, Print-out of UPA membership page, Paypal receipt, or make them pay for membership - $40/adult, $30/college)
Once each participant has been checked off hand them their materials and direct them to breakfast. After registration is over hand the Clinic Attendance sheet to the Coach Instructor.
THE CLINIC
Let the Instructor do his/her thing and enjoy the experience!
END OF CLINIC AND CLEAN-UP
As soon as the clinic is over hand out the clinic review sheets and collect them as they are filled out. Assist the Coach Instructor in cleaning up the site (both field/gym and classroom)
FIRST WEEKDAY AFTER CLINIC
Nice work! You’re almost done. On the first day after the clinic please mail the following items to UPA Headquarters:
- Coach Applications
- Clinic Registration Payments
- UPA Memberships
- Clinic Reviews
- Any extra materials from the clinic (Polo Shirt/Shorts, Discs, Manuals, DVDs)
- Any receipts for expenses related to the coaching clinic including:
Mail to:
Ultimate Players Association
C/O Level II Coach Clinic
4730 Table Mesa Dr.
Suite J-200
Boulder, CO 80305
That’s it. You’re Done!
ODD REGISTRATION SITUATIONS
For all odd registration situations please direct to Director of Youth Development. These may include:
- Cancellation prior to close of registration: Registrant will receive full refund
- Cancellation after close of registration: Registrant may transfer registration to another potential registrant or save for a later date
- Wants to register after close of registration: Will be put on the waiting list pending any cancellations. Will pay the full fee + $10 late fee if we can fit them.
- No-show without notice: Forfeits registration fee
- Wants to register on day of clinic: Must wait until 10 minutes after start of clinic and if there is a no-show, may pay full fee and stay.
BEFORE, DURING, AFTER YOUR CLINIC
Two Months+ Prior to the Clinic
- Determine Dates and Times for clinic
- E-mail Director of Youth Development with Date and Time of clinic and your shipping information
- Determine the Site for the clinic
- E-mail Director of Youth Development with Site and directions
- Promote Clinic on local lists and websites utilizing local disc organizations and leagues
Two Weeks Prior to Clinic (After Close of Registration)
- Contact Registered Coaches and Volunteers with necessary information and ask for food preferences
One Week Prior to Clinic
- Arrange Catering for Lunch
- Order breakfast pick-up
- Purchase snacks and drinks
- Purchase name-tags
- Prepare Coach and Volunteer Binders
- Print Clinic Reviews, Coach Applications, and Clinic Attendance sheet
Day of the Clinic
- Bring all necessary materials
- Discs
- Binders
- DVDs
- Shirts/Shorts
- Pens
- Snacks and Drinks
- Name Tags
- Clinic Reviews
- Extra Coach Applications
- Clinic Attendance Sheet
- Pick-Up Breakfast
- Set-up classroom (Breakfast, registration)
- Administer Registration and hand out Clinic Materials
- Enjoy the Clinic
- Hand out and collect clinic reviews
- Assist with cleaning up the site
Day after the Clinic
- Send extra materials, Coach Applications, Background check forms, Clinic Reviews, and all outstanding receipts to the UPA
- Report any incidents to the Director of Youth Development (unprepared coach instructor, difficult coaches, site problems).
- Kick back and know that because of you Ultimate is going to be HUGE!
DOWNLOAD THE LEVEL II COORDINATOR PACKET
