For the past two decades, the Calgary Ultimate community has struggled to create a strong foundation for teaching the sport at both the youth and adult levels. Despite various efforts, establishing a sustainable and developmental youth league has remained a challenge. This is not due to a lack of passion or effort, but rather a reflection of the larger systemic issues that come with volunteer-run organizations and frequent board turnover.
As someone who has been involved in this community for years, I have seen these struggles firsthand. I served on the board of Calgary Ultimate in 2006-2007 and ran the juniors program, coaching multiple teams and competing at the Canadian Junior Ultimate Championships. I have always believed in the potential of Ultimate to positively impact kids and foster lifelong physical literacy and social skills. However, the inability to establish a long-term, strategic youth development system has been a major roadblock.
That’s why, last summer, I created the Hooligans Frisbee Club (HFC)—a structured, community-driven program designed to fill the gap left by the lack of a sustainable youth league. HFC is built on the principles of development, inclusivity, and long-term engagement, ensuring that young players not only learn the game but also develop the confidence, skills, and friendships that keep them involved in sports for life.
The Challenges of Volunteer Boards
One of the key challenges Calgary Ultimate faces is the structure of its governance. Volunteer boards experience high turnover, often every 1-2 years, meaning that there is rarely enough continuity to execute long-term strategic initiatives. Each new board essentially starts over, focusing on immediate operations rather than the long-term development of Ultimate in Calgary. This results in repeated attempts at youth leagues that fail to gain lasting traction.
A Vision for Youth Ultimate in Calgary
For Ultimate to thrive in Calgary, we must create a strong, community-based foundation that supports youth engagement. This starts with fun, accessible frisbee events where kids can connect with the sport in a meaningful way. Most kids play sports because their friends do—if a child loves Ultimate but their friends are involved in soccer or hockey, their long-term engagement is unlikely. Building communities through initiatives like Frisbee Clubs in Schools and Frisbee Meet is essential to fostering enthusiasm and belonging.
While Skills & Drills has its place, it is not a league or a developmental program. Hooligans Frisbee Club is structured to complement Calgary Ultimate’s efforts, not compete with them. By working together, we can ensure that Ultimate grows in a sustainable way and that kids have a clear pathway from introduction to lifelong participation.
The Future of Frisbee in Calgary
The future of frisbee is broader than just Ultimate. The World Flying Disc Federation (WFDF) requires national federations to support all flying disc disciplines, and Calgary has an opportunity to be a leader in this space. Frisbee teaches spatial awareness, coordination, and teamwork—skills that are transferable to all sports. Encouraging kids to be multi-sport athletes is key to keeping them engaged and physically literate.
A Call for Collaboration
I am not writing this to criticize Calgary Ultimate but to encourage open dialogue and collaboration. I appreciate the time and effort that every volunteer puts into growing the sport, and I recognize that we share the same goal: increasing youth participation and making Ultimate a thriving community.
I invite Calgary Ultimate to:
- Support Hooligans Frisbee Club as the dedicated youth development program in Calgary.
- Promote Frisbee Meet and Frisbee Clubs in Schools to introduce kids to the sport in a structured and fun way.
- Collaborate on logistics such as field space and insurance to reduce duplication of efforts and maximize resources.
By working together, we can create a sustainable and inclusive frisbee community in Calgary. I look forward to continuing this conversation and working towards a future where Ultimate is a viable and thriving sport for generations to come.
Sincerely,
Rob McLeod
Co-Founder, Hooligans Frisbee Club
Frisbee Rob