Spirit of the Game

Celebrating Spirit

2024 Club Division Spirit Awards

2024 Kathy Pufahl Spirit Award

Kaela Helton

San Diego Flipside

Named for Kathy Pufahl, the women’s division spirit award honors the athlete who best exemplifies both the ethos of Spirit of the Game, along with a personal commitment to giving back to the sport. Each team at the National Championships casts a vote for one of the nominees, selected by their individual teams, taking into account who has exhibited personal responsibility, integrity and selfless contribution to ultimate, combined with a high standard of playing ability. From San Diego Flipside, Kaela Helton.

2024 Peter Farricker Spirit Award

Byron Liu

San Francisco Revolver

Named for Peter “Wheels” Farricker, the men’s division spirit award is given to the player at the National Championships adjudged to have exhibited personal responsibility, integrity, and fairness combined with a high standard of playing ability. Each Nationals-qualifying men’s team nominates one player from their own team for the award as the person who best represents Spirit of the Game. From San Francisco Revolver, Byron Liu. 

2024 Spirit & Equity Award (Women)

Liz Carbajal

Austin Disco Club

The mixed division’s Spirit and Equity Award is given to two mixed division players each year. The winners are determined by Nationals-qualifying mixed teams and honor athletes who have exhibited personal integrity, responsibility and fairness, along with a commitment to enhancing equity in play and in their communities. From Austin Disco Club, it’s Liz Carbajal. 

2024 Spirit & Equity Award (Men)

Caleb Denecour

Minneapolis Drag’n Thrust

The mixed division’s Spirit and Equity Award is given to two mixed division players each year. The winners are determined by Nationals-qualifying mixed teams and honor athletes who have exhibited personal integrity, responsibility and fairness, along with a commitment to enhancing equity in play and in their communities. From Austin Disco Club, it’s Caleb Denecour. 

2025 Masters Division Spirit Awards

2025 Marty Bakko Award

Terry Gaither

Naptown

Established in 2010, the Marty Bakko Spirit Award is presented to a player in the men’s masters division at the USA Ultimate Masters Championships who best exemplifies SOTG. The award was created in honor of the late Marty Bakko (Minneapolis Surly). The masters division spirit award honors players that embody the best attributes of ultimate. Like Marty Bakko, these individuals: have an infectious sense of humor; possess a long-term passion for the sport of ultimate; display a commitment to fair play, integrity and respect for their opponent; are shrewd, tactical innovators on the field; show an intense, competitive Spirit; and are leaders who inspire others to act. From Naptown, your 2025 Marty Bakko Award Winner is Terry Gaither. 

2025 Women’s Masters Spirit Award

Anri Brod

Winded City

Each qualifying masters women’s team nominates one player from its roster as the person who best represents the Spirit of the Game. This award is given to the players determined by Nationals-qualifying teams to have exhibited personal integrity, responsibility and fairness, along with a commitment to enhancing equity in play and in their communities. From Winded City, your 2025 Women’s Masters Spirit Award Winner is Anri Brod. 

2025 Masters Spirit and Equity Award (Mixed)

Elena Schwam

Slower

Each qualifying masters mixed team nominates two players from its roster as the people who best represent the Spirit of the Game. This award is given to the players determined by Nationals-qualifying teams to have exhibited personal integrity, responsibility and fairness, along with a commitment to enhancing equity in play and in their communities. From Slower, your 2025 Masters Spirit and Equity Award Winner is Elena Schwam.  

2025 Masters Spirit and Equity Award (Mixed)

Matt Jaffe

Apres Club

Each qualifying masters mixed team nominates two players from its roster as the people who best represent the Spirit of the Game. This award is given to the players determined by Nationals-qualifying teams to have exhibited personal integrity, responsibility and fairness, along with a commitment to enhancing equity in play and in their communities. From Apres Club, your 2025 Masters Spirit and Equity Award Winner is Matt Jaffe.  

The Culture of Spirit

Quotes from the Community

Spirit Award Winners

Peter Farricker Award

Year Name Team
2002 Moses Rifkin Boston Death or Glory
2003 Andy Crews Santa Barbara Condors
2004 Damien Scott San Francisco Jam
2005 Jeffrey Eastham-Anderson San Francisco Jam
2006 Allan Cowan Vancouver Furious George
2007 Chase Sparling-Beckley Seattle Sockeye
2008 Josh McCarthy Boston Ironside
2009 Robbie Cahill San Francisco Revolver
2010 Bart Watson San Francisco Revolver
2011 Matt Rebholz Boston Ironside
2012 Martin Cochran San Francisco Revolver
2013 Beau Kittredge San Francisco Revolver
2014 Danny Clark Boston Ironside
2015 Ashlin Joye San Francisco Revolver
2016 Owen Westbrook Denver Johnny Bravo
2017 Jay Froude Austin Doublewide
2018 Grant Lindsley San Francisco Revolver
2019 Trent Dillon Seattle Sockeye
2020 Von Alanguilan Chicago Machine
2021 Walden Nelson Chicago Machine
2022 David Cranston DC Truckstop
2023 Timmy Perston Portland Rhino
2024 Byron Liu San Francisco Revolver

Kathy Pufahl Award

Year Name Team
2004 Vida Towne Seattle Riot
2005 Kati Halmos Seattle Riot
2006 Kris Gill Washington, DC Bnogo
2007 DeAnna Ball Columbus MOJO
2008 Allison Boyd Denver Rare Air
2009 Jody Dozono San Francisco Fury
2010 Michelle Ng Austin Showdown
2011 Gwen Ambler Seattle Riot
2012 Lauren Casey San Francisco Fury
2013 Nancy Sun San Francisco Fury
2014 Leila Tunnell Boston Brute Squad
2015 Alex Snyder San Francisco Fury
2016 Anna Nazarov San Francisco Fury
2017 Amber Sinicrope Boston Brute Squad
2018 Chip Chang Minneapolis Pop
2019 Anraya Palmer Atlanta Ozone
2020 Tulsa Douglas Boston Brute Squad
2021 Carolyn Finney San Francisco Fury
2022 Sarah Griffith San Francisco Fury
2023 Maggie Ruden San Francisco Fury
2024 Kaela Helton San Diego Flipside

Spirit & Equity Award

Year Name Team
2016 Allysha Dixon Philadelphia AMP
David Protter Denver Love Tractor
2017 Kate Kingery Seattle BFG
Paul Utesch Dallas Public Enemy
2018 Lili Gu Seattle BFG
Andrew Hagen Seattle BFG
2019 Ann Sitler Asheville Superlame
Henry Phan Seattle Mixtape
2020 Shanye Crawford Atlanta Bucket
Thomas Brewster Dayton Thunderpants the Magic Dragon
2021 Mya Hernandez Ann Arbor Hybrid
Joe Anderson Fort Collins shame.
2022 Alissa Soo Seattle BFG
Caleb Denecour Minneapolis Drag’n Thrust
2023 Robyn Fennig Madison NOISE
Josue Alorro New York XIST
2024 Liz Carbajal Austin Disco Club
Caleb Denecour Minneapolis Drag’n Thrust

Mary Bakko Award

Year Name Team
2010 Blayne Ferguson Ottawa GLUM
2011 Russ Adams Minneapolis Surly
2012 David Remucal Boulder/Denver Johnny Encore
2013 Alfonso Acosta Austin Tejas
2014 Lincoln Wilson Charleston Slow Country Boil
2015 Chris McManus Santa Barbara Beyondors
2016 Tim Jacobson Minneapolis Surly Cynic
2017 Mati Chessin Chicago Pacemaker
2018 Jonah Shaver Minneapolis Surly Cynic
2019 Ben Banyas Baltimore Rest Stop
2020 Moses Rifkin Seattle Voltron
2021 Theran Riedel Raleigh Boneyard
2022 Joel Conn Santa Barbara Beyondors
2023 Jason Arends Seattle Gravy Train
2024 Andrew Riggs Bay Area BART
2025 Terry Gaither Indianapolis Naptown

Women’s Masters Spirit Award

Year Name Team
2018 Stephanie Landry Chicago The Old and the Breathless
2019 Monica Kappes Madison Aged Cheddar
2020 Gail Reich Cincinnati Hot Flash
2021 Jackie Lai Indianapolis Hot Flash
2022 Mary Uthuppuru Indianapolis Hot Flash
2023 Cate Roscoe Seattle MINT
2024 Jamie Smets Indianapolis Big Tendinitis
2025 Anri Bord Chicago Winded City

Masters Spirit & Equity Award

Year Name Team
2018 Emily Brixey Denver Rocko’s Mountain Life
Luke Jesperson Seattle SOS
2019 Hana Kawaii Seattle SALT
Christopher Schulze Baltimore Entmoot
2020 Elena Schwam Somerville Slower
Matt Jaffe Denver Après Club