UPCOMING DATES:
Monday, February 14, Strategy Session, 8-9pm
Spring Practice - Monday nights beginning February 28th, 7-9pm @ stadium
Tentative Spring Tournament Schedule
YULA Invite: March 26-27, Arlington, VA
Spring Fling: April 23-24, Freehold, NJ (varsity only)
DCSAA States: May 7, Washington, DC
VA State Championships, May 14-15, Fairfax, VA
ABOUT GIRLS ULTIMATE
Wilson’s Girls Ultimate team was founded in 2016 by coaches Dave Ohls, Aaron Besser, Katie Mallory, and Paul Corbett. Katie and Paul came on board to the Wilson program specifically to help grow the girls team, which this year features about 25 players (after starting a few years ago in single digits). At the end of last season, the girls were ranked among the top 30 teams in the country. Last season the girls won the DC/VA State Championships. We have sent several student-athletes to play at the collegiate level including high-level universities such as University of Chicago and Vanderbilt University, and the vast majority of our student-athletes are on honor roll.
FAQs
- Who can be a part of the team/program?
- Everyone! All students with a positive, committed attitude are absolutely welcome as part of the program, regardless of ability, experience, grade, or any other factor.
- What if I've never played before/don't know how to play?
- No problem--we can teach you! Quite a lot of our athletes were brand new to the sport when they initially joined the team.
- What should I bring to practice?
- Athletic gear, lots of water, cleats (if you have them), a white shirt, and a dark shirt (distinctly non-white, e.g. black, dark green, etc). Enthusiasm!
- What teams are there? How is the program organized?
- Roughly, there is a girls team and a boys team (players are welcome to participate on whichever they feel most comfortable and/or best matches their gender identity). Some practices are separate, some practices are mixed. Most competitions are separate boys/girls. Teams may divide into varsity and JV in the spring, depending on numbers.
- When is the ultimate frisbee season?
- The core season is in the spring, but we are also active in the fall. Space-permitting, we try to play indoors a bit in the winter as well.
- When/where do the teams compete?
- Primary competition is at weekend-long tournaments (2-3 in the fall, 3-4 in the spring). Most are local, though varsity teams do travel some. We also schedule local one-off scrimmages, either at Wilson (during our evening stadium times) or at nearby schools (evenings and/or weekends).
- How much of a time commitment is it?
- Teams practice 2-3 times per week in the fall, 3-5 times per week in the spring. Players are expected to attend all practices, but we do understand that many students are involved in many activities in addition to schoolwork and family priorities. Talk to the coaches if you have any questions about your particular situation.
- How expensive is it?
- We aim to keep costs low, and are committed that the finances should never be a barrier to anyone's participation. There are some expenses, financial assistance is absolutely available if needed--just reach out to coaches or parent managers. We do not generally charge dues for the fall season except for players invited to travel tournaments (approximately $100). Spring dues are approximately $600-700 for varsity teams and $100-150 for JV teams, which covers tournament fees, travel expenses, and team food. Uniforms, membership fees, and other incidentals are approximately $100.
- Can I be on the team if I play another sport?
- Sure--we welcome multi-sport athletes. If this is likely to lead to conflicts with practice/competition, just talk with the coaches and we'll figure out the best approach for each individual situation.
- Are there tryouts?
- Not at the start of the year. If/when teams split into varsity/JV for the spring, there will be an official tryout period around February.
- Who are the coaches?
- We have five coaches! Aaron Besser (aaron.k.besser@gmail.com), Dave Ohls (daveohls@gmail.com), Grant Franke (grantrfranke@gmail.com), Kelly Ross (kross210@gmail.com), and Seth Martin (seth@dcmartins.com). Grant and Kelly work primarily with the girls team, Aaron, Dave, and Seth work primarily with the boys team, but all are involved to a degree with both.
- Are there parent managers I could reach out to with questions?
- Yep! For the girls team, contact Todd Nissen (toddnissen@gmail.com). For the boys team, contact Jenny Craig and Mike Lee (mikeandjeneva@verizon.net). You can, of course, also reach out to the coaches at this address or individual coaches at the addresses above.
QUICK LINKS
TEAM PHOTOS
FOLLOW US
HIGHLIGHTS & NEWS
COACHES
Kelly Ross
Co-Head Coach
Kelly began playing ultimate at the University of Virginia in 2013 and was a member of the 2016 College Nationals semi-finalist team. Her club playing experience includes DC Ambiguously Grey and DC Scandal. This is Kelly's third year coaching youth teams in the DC area. Kelly also works to support the DC Shadow, a professional women's ultimate team in the Premiere Ultimate League. Outside of ultimate, she enjoys reading, traveling, and staying involved in community activism.
Grant Franke
Co-Head Coach
CHAMPIONSHIPS
DCSAA Champions - 2015-19
USA Ultimate DC/VA States Champions 2019
TEAM GALLERY
