Colorado Springs, Colo. (July 23, 2026) – USA Ultimate, the national governing body for the sport of ultimate in the United States and member of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, is pleased to announce that its Play it Forward financial aid program has provided nearly $20,000 in Youth Club Championship (YCC) player fees in partnership with USA Ultimate affiliate organizations.
Made possible by donations to The Ultimate Foundation, these funds are only one piece of roughly $180,000 in financial assistance provided by USA Ultimate and its local affiliates to ensure the YCC tournament is accessible to all youth who participate in these local programs.
USA Ultimate recognizes that coaches and local disc organizations play a critical role in building trusting relationships with, and advocating on behalf of, youth players. “The fact that USA Ultimate trusts our local vetting process is incredibly meaningful to us,” shared Nolan Benoit, Executive Director of Vermont Ultimate. “Asking for financial assistance can be difficult for families, and we want to make that process as respectful, private and dignified as possible. That trust allows us to focus on supporting families instead of creating unnecessary barriers.”
By providing assistance through YCC player fee waivers, USA Ultimate supports local affiliate organizations in reinvesting their resources into local growth and grassroots youth programming. “Having financial support through the Play It Forward program has allowed us to alleviate some of our overall youth program costs,” said Liz Anderson, Director of Operations for Cincinnati Ultimate. “This year, that assistance will allow us to use what we’re saving to purchase additional discs for our younger youth program participants.”
Malachi Raymond, Youth Operations Manager at Boston Ultimate Disc Alliance, also shared ”Support through the YCC fee waiver enables us not only to expand our YCC program, but also to reinvest in growing the sport locally. By reducing the financial burden of national competition, we’re able to reallocate resources to initiatives like our partnership with the City of Boston, where we provide free ultimate clinics that reach young athletes in predominantly underrepresented communities, creating truly new pathways into the sport.”
USA Ultimate believes that every young person should have the opportunity to experience the joy of ultimate, and that financial status should never be a barrier to participation. The Ultimate Foundation — the philanthropic arm of USA Ultimate — is a key part of enabling the organization to remove some of the financial barriers to play. Donations to The Ultimate Foundation directly support playing opportunities for youth in need, and allow USA Ultimate to assist and enhance the work that affiliates do on the local level. Thanks to the generosity of the ultimate community, youth nationwide have increased access to the sport.
