Meet the Team
Join us!
Whether you've been playing Ultimate competitively or you've never picked up a disc before, you're welcome on Foothill Ultimate.
Ultimate players come from some of the most diverse backgrounds in sports, and we celebrate the Spirit of the Game over any given victory. Through our program, we hope that participants improve their teamwork, communication skills, health and fitness, and mental toughness - qualities that are valuable on and off the field.
Interested in joining a practice? Contact our coaches, or just swing by. Our practice calendar is here.
About The Team
Foothill Ultimate is an Ultimate frisbee program that has been competing at the high school level since the late 2000s. Since then, we have helped produce some of the elite star players seen throughout the divisions in the college and adult club scenes.
In 2021, we started our middle school team, building the next generation of spirited Ultimate players.
Coaching Staff
Our volunteer coaching staff has a collective 30 years of Ultimate experience, playing at the high school, collegiate, and club levels.
Interested in helping out? Contact us at foothillulti@gmail.com.
Grant Shirk
Coach Grant is a Pleasanton parent who discovered Ultimate in college, playing at Stanford University and then with an after-work club team. He can teach anyone to throw a disc, and he loves introducing the unique aspects of Ultimate - especially the Spirit of the Game - to new players.
Sophie Lu
Coach Sophie came from NY to CA for the weather and stayed for the Ultimate! She played on the collegiate level on the east coast and then club in California for many years. She loves the energy and spirit that comes from the game and thrives on passing on that energy to those around her.
Vienna Lee
Currently a student and player at UC Santa Barbara, Coach Vienna is a Foothill Ultimate alumna and long-time coach. She loves sharing this sport with people and works to develop players of all skill levels. We look forward to seeing her back on the field at tournaments in the future.
Practice schedule
We practice twice a week during the off-season (Fall-Winter) and will set a schedule for Spring practices as the season approaches. Subscribe to the calendar here.
Equipment
Compared to many other sports, Ultimate does not require much equipment. The main things to bring to practice are cleats, a dark shirt and a white shirt, water, and sun protection. A dark shirt and a white shirt are needed when differentiating between teams during practice. When the season starts, there will be a jersey order so that there is uniformity during leagues and tournaments. Sun protection is highly recommended.
The Disc
Ultimate is played with a 175-gram frisbee. The most common manufacturer is Discraft. Inexpensive (and extremely portable), we encourage players to have their own disc to practice throws at home. Recommended vendors:
Parent Involvement
Like other teams, we depend on parent drivers to help take the team to and from tournaments and leagues. Other forms of parent involvement include contributing to the team snack table at games. Most tournaments will include a snack table, but league games do not provide snacks. More information and signup sheets will be sent out as we approach new tournaments.
Safety and Compliance
Coaches are certified through USA Ultimate, a process that includes concussion and Safesport training. The coaches are committed to prioritize the safety and wellbeing of the athletes we serve. If anyone is feeling unwell, we would rather they stay at home and return when they are feeling better. Let’s be courteous to each other and play it safe!