Colorado Springs, Colo. (February 3, 2021) – USA Ultimate, the national governing body for the sport of ultimate in the United States, is excited to announce the addition of Amelia Cuarenta to the outreach volunteer structure as the new Girls’ National Outreach Director (GNOD). Cuarenta assumes the role after current GNOD Gail Reich elected to step down. Reich had been the GNOD for nearly three years. We can’t thank Reich enough and are so grateful for her outstanding work in her tenure as the GNOD.
In her new role, Cuarenta will continue building on the initiatives overseen by Reich to help USA Ultimate in its continuing efforts to increase the number of girls, especially girls from marginalized communities (e.g., girls of color, LGBTQIA+, low-income) participating in the sport around the country. To effectively carry out the initiatives set forth in the current GUM Strategic Plan, Cuarenta will help us evaluate successes and challenges for our current girls’ outreach programming, and will help develop resources and recommendations to address those challenges.
Additionally, Cuarenta will help manage, motivate and grow our Girls’ Outreach Coordinator (GOC) volunteer structure. Girls’ outreach coordinators help extend Girls’ Ultimate Movement’s (GUM) programming to more locations and assist USAU in staying connected to the broader ultimate community. To help with our efforts to grow girls’ ultimate in new and diverse communities, Cuarenta will assist USAU and GUM in establishing new GOC volunteer structures by helping to identify local volunteers to serve as GOCs and lead the development of new playing opportunities for girls.
“I am interested in being involved in USAU, and specifically, taking on this [GNOD] position, because I love ultimate and want to grow the sport,” described Cuarenta. “I want young girls to see themselves represented in the sport and have access to participate if they so desire. I believe that my experiences can provide insight that would help achieve these goals.”
Cuarenta has been actively involved in ultimate for over 10 years and has served in virtually every role possible: captain, team president, high school coach, organizer, volunteer and USAU conference coordinator! Recently, she was a member of the strategy committee for the Minnesota Strike of the Premier Ultimate League (PUL). Outside of ultimate, she has taught psychology courses to undergraduates at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where the last class she taught was designed to help address the academic discrepancy between underrepresented students and the rest of the student population at the university. Her pedagogical skills and experience engaging with students has translated seamlessly onto the ultimate field as a coach, and will be invaluable in her role as our new Girls’ National Outreach Director.
For more information about USA Ultimate’s youth outreach volunteer network, visit our Contact Page. You can also find open national volunteer positions by checking out our Volunteer Page.
