On July 21st and 22nd, the UPA Board of Directors met in Boulder, CO. Their primary goal was to chart the course of the UPA and, to a large extent, the sport of Ultimate over the next five years. They had four objectives:
| 1. | Study the data and output from each of the four Summits, multiple local face-to-face forums, on-line forums and organizational assessment. |
| 2. | Decide upon and prioritize which strategies will be included (and not included) in the strategic plan. |
| 3. | Discuss and decide upon tactics for accomplishing the strategies (first draft). |
| 4. | Plan and organize task forces to gather more input from members and non-members to confirm strategies and flesh out tactics. |
The group began with 30 strategies and whittled them down to 14.
Listed below are the 14 strategies as they have been organized in our four highest priority goal areas (in no particular order). In the description of the strategies, you can get a feel for some of the tactics that have been suggested.
POTENTIAL GOALS FOR STRATEGIC PLAN
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Goal: Develop and Enhance Competitive Opportunities at all Levels. - *Make significant changes to the Championship Series that provide additional and exciting competitive and showcase events.
- Provide new and increased opportunities to play/compete outside of the Championship Series that address gaps for those who still want to play (e.g. family friendly events, indoor/beach Ultimate, college alumni/reunion teams, corporate retreat/teamwork promotions)
Goal: Increase Integrity and Accountability in Competitive Ultimate
- *Put SOTG front and center by applying a clear definition, building a greater awareness of its importance and use, and changing policies to maximize adherence.
- *Expand and improve the Observer system so that player-officiated competition is experienced as fair, spectator friendly, and supported by well-trained, highly regarded Ultimate specific officials.
- Promote broad rule knowledge among players through incentives and enhanced, easy-to-use tools.
Goal: Expand Participation in and Awareness of the Sport of Ultimate
- *Solidify the UPA as the leader in youth Ultimate through creative outreach, standard setting, diversifying participation, and enhanced competitive options.
- Encourage and expand participation of women in Ultimate at all levels of play.
- Advocate/provide tools to improve field access around the country.
- Create new membership options and new ways for former and non-members to interact with the UPA and Ultimate.
- Develop and promote positive awareness of Ultimate and the UPA.
Goal: Support Others to Grow, Develop and Promote the Sport
- *Support and strengthen leagues with a central hub of tools, training and networking.
- Develop symbiotic relationships with businesses and organizations in order to grow the sport of Ultimate.
- Provide tools and advocacy to help launch and support the development of college teams.
- Align with and support other organizing bodies (e.g. WFDF) in order to facilitate international growth.
*What ranked the highest? The Board believes that all the strategies are important -- any strategy that made the cut is a critical piece of the puzzle. When asked to rank their priorities, however, the Board was in full alignment with the opinions expressed by Ultimate stakeholders through the Summits. The top five strategies (the ones seen as deserving the most attention and potentially resources) are denoted with an asterisk above.
What happens now?
There are two major efforts happening over the next two months:
| 1. | 14 Task Forces are forming (one for each strategy) to refine and propose the best tactics for each strategy. |
| 2. | A final survey is being developed with the help of the task forces to obtain feedback on the direction chosen by the Board as well as broad input on the tactics being discussed. |
The UPA still needs your help to ensure that the Ultimate revolution truly is revolutionary and based on the interests of those who care about the future of Ultimate.
First, if you would like to play a role in assisting a particular task force in identifying doable solutions, click here to
register.
In addition, in late September a new online survey will be posted seeking additional information from the Ultimate community on questions that various task forces need to put the finishing touches on the plan. Be sure to check the UPA web site to participate.
