IUF Return-To-Play Update: March 25, 2021
Last month, the Indiana Ultimate Foundation (IUF) created and designated a Return-to-Play (RTP) task force charged with developing a safe and comprehensive plan to resume ultimate-related activities in the Indianapolis area.
The task force has begun work, with a focus on creating plans for a potential return to play with a 2021 Indianapolis Summer League, and will follow up with creating RTP guidance and best practices for youth programming, clinics, and our series of college and club tournaments.
The task force is working with local infectious disease and public health experts and considering the adaptation of aspects of other, successful, RTP strategies developed by similar sports-organizations in the region. As always, our focus is on the health and safety of community members, their families, and their friends as we create RTP guidelines that best suit our local community.
IUF and the RTP task-force is targeting a RTP with an IUF sponsored summer league in 2021. IUF is optimistic that a 2021 summer league can be safely and successfully run with the establishment of safety guidelines for the league. The task-force is working on a long-term, tiered approach to RTP for all aspects of IUF programming. A 2021 Indianapolis Summer League is the first step along that path.
Please monitor IUF social media and email communications in the coming weeks for more updates and announcements about summer league in 2021.
We can’t wait to get the community together again for organized Ultimate and hope that everyone is as excited as we are to return to the fields!
-The IUF Board & The IUF RTP Task Force
IUF COVID-19 Update: January 20, 2021
IUF has become aware of a potential winter league starting in a couple of weeks & wants to be clear that we do not condone this league. We strongly encourage our community to not participate as we do not believe there is a safe way of playing this sport right now that mitigates the risk to an acceptable level.
IUF has also decided to continue its suspension of all IUF activities through at least April 2021 - this includes IUF Leagues & IUF Tournaments (high school & college). This will allow for new board members to be welcomed & for a return-to-play plan to be developed.
IUF COVID-19 Update: December 14, 2020
IUF has been around since 2014 and the leadership has been playing and organizing in this community for many years beyond that. We have been passionate advocates trying to grow the sport and introduce it to new people, because we have all personally benefited from the competition and, probably more importantly, the community of this sport. We want nothing more than to be able to play the sport that we love with the community of friends that we also love. We know that you all want to be playing too.
It’s important to remember all this when considering that we have suspended all activities for what amounts to an entire year, from March of 2020 until at least April of 2021. When seeking out guidance from experts and looking into justification and reasoning for and against, you can be confident that we all wanted the same outcome of being able to play. We love this sport, and we know you do too. That’s why we hope that our suspension of play will be taken seriously by the community. The risk of playing and spreading this deadly disease among the community and those that interact with the community was and is too much to ignore.
2020 has been a difficult year for everyone. We know there are struggles with mental health. We know there are struggles with loneliness. We know that job security, and unemployment, and worries about the health and wellbeing of you and your family members have all taken their toll on our community. We know that ultimate is often an escape from many of the negatives in life. Why would anyone want to give that up?
We are aware that there are options for you to play. We want to be very clear and advise our community not to participate at this time. We do not believe there is a safe way of playing this sport right now that mitigates the risk to an acceptable level. No matter how much we love this game, being the vector in the eventual death of a community member, a family member, or anyone that comes into contact with our group as a result of playing ultimate will never be justified. We have enough information at this time to know this is not a good decision. Whether something devastating ends up happening or not will not justify our actions during this time. We need to do our part as a community to prevent the spread. No matter how important ultimate is normally for us, at this time, it is not essential.
We also need to do our part to lift up those that are struggling. When was the last time that you reached out to your ultimate friends? We can interact with the community in ways that do not include playing ultimate. Please make an effort to do so. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. We want to make sure that we are good stewards to our community so that we can all enjoy playing together when it is safe to do so again. If you feel strongly like we do, please pass along this message to your personal groups. It's important that we speak up now before it may be too late.
The Board of Directors is aware of hateful and vitriolic messages within our community through social media. It goes without saying that we condemn these personal attacks. We also want to thank the admin of the specific Facebook group involved for his recent actions. Please be assured that IUF is working with other leadership in our community to figure out the best next steps moving forward from this. We want to be a leader in the process of improving and healing from these divisive moments in our local community.
Since sometimes personal testimonies can be more meaningful, we’ve also included some from a few pillars of our community.
Last month, the Indiana Ultimate Foundation (IUF) created and designated a Return-to-Play (RTP) task force charged with developing a safe and comprehensive plan to resume ultimate-related activities in the Indianapolis area.
The task force has begun work, with a focus on creating plans for a potential return to play with a 2021 Indianapolis Summer League, and will follow up with creating RTP guidance and best practices for youth programming, clinics, and our series of college and club tournaments.
The task force is working with local infectious disease and public health experts and considering the adaptation of aspects of other, successful, RTP strategies developed by similar sports-organizations in the region. As always, our focus is on the health and safety of community members, their families, and their friends as we create RTP guidelines that best suit our local community.
IUF and the RTP task-force is targeting a RTP with an IUF sponsored summer league in 2021. IUF is optimistic that a 2021 summer league can be safely and successfully run with the establishment of safety guidelines for the league. The task-force is working on a long-term, tiered approach to RTP for all aspects of IUF programming. A 2021 Indianapolis Summer League is the first step along that path.
Please monitor IUF social media and email communications in the coming weeks for more updates and announcements about summer league in 2021.
We can’t wait to get the community together again for organized Ultimate and hope that everyone is as excited as we are to return to the fields!
-The IUF Board & The IUF RTP Task Force
IUF COVID-19 Update: January 20, 2021
IUF has become aware of a potential winter league starting in a couple of weeks & wants to be clear that we do not condone this league. We strongly encourage our community to not participate as we do not believe there is a safe way of playing this sport right now that mitigates the risk to an acceptable level.
IUF has also decided to continue its suspension of all IUF activities through at least April 2021 - this includes IUF Leagues & IUF Tournaments (high school & college). This will allow for new board members to be welcomed & for a return-to-play plan to be developed.
IUF COVID-19 Update: December 14, 2020
IUF has been around since 2014 and the leadership has been playing and organizing in this community for many years beyond that. We have been passionate advocates trying to grow the sport and introduce it to new people, because we have all personally benefited from the competition and, probably more importantly, the community of this sport. We want nothing more than to be able to play the sport that we love with the community of friends that we also love. We know that you all want to be playing too.
It’s important to remember all this when considering that we have suspended all activities for what amounts to an entire year, from March of 2020 until at least April of 2021. When seeking out guidance from experts and looking into justification and reasoning for and against, you can be confident that we all wanted the same outcome of being able to play. We love this sport, and we know you do too. That’s why we hope that our suspension of play will be taken seriously by the community. The risk of playing and spreading this deadly disease among the community and those that interact with the community was and is too much to ignore.
2020 has been a difficult year for everyone. We know there are struggles with mental health. We know there are struggles with loneliness. We know that job security, and unemployment, and worries about the health and wellbeing of you and your family members have all taken their toll on our community. We know that ultimate is often an escape from many of the negatives in life. Why would anyone want to give that up?
We are aware that there are options for you to play. We want to be very clear and advise our community not to participate at this time. We do not believe there is a safe way of playing this sport right now that mitigates the risk to an acceptable level. No matter how much we love this game, being the vector in the eventual death of a community member, a family member, or anyone that comes into contact with our group as a result of playing ultimate will never be justified. We have enough information at this time to know this is not a good decision. Whether something devastating ends up happening or not will not justify our actions during this time. We need to do our part as a community to prevent the spread. No matter how important ultimate is normally for us, at this time, it is not essential.
We also need to do our part to lift up those that are struggling. When was the last time that you reached out to your ultimate friends? We can interact with the community in ways that do not include playing ultimate. Please make an effort to do so. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. We want to make sure that we are good stewards to our community so that we can all enjoy playing together when it is safe to do so again. If you feel strongly like we do, please pass along this message to your personal groups. It's important that we speak up now before it may be too late.
The Board of Directors is aware of hateful and vitriolic messages within our community through social media. It goes without saying that we condemn these personal attacks. We also want to thank the admin of the specific Facebook group involved for his recent actions. Please be assured that IUF is working with other leadership in our community to figure out the best next steps moving forward from this. We want to be a leader in the process of improving and healing from these divisive moments in our local community.
Since sometimes personal testimonies can be more meaningful, we’ve also included some from a few pillars of our community.
Please reach out to the IUF Board at indianaultimatefoundation@gmail.com for additional concerns or for ways that you can be involved in constructively helping our community grow.
Best,
The Indiana Ultimate Foundation Board of Directors
Best,
The Indiana Ultimate Foundation Board of Directors
IUF COVID-19 Update: November 3, 2020
Indiana Ultimate Foundation has voted to extend its suspension of all IUF programming through March of 2021. This includes the IUF winter league, YCC tryouts, youth clinics, coaching clinics/certifications, and tournaments.
This decision comes with much thought and consideration by our board of directors. The Indiana Ultimate Foundation continues to put the health and safety of our community members at the forefront in decision making regarding IUF events and IUF event hosting. Given the current climate of COVID-19 transmission and the rising cases both across the country, and within the state of Indiana, we have deemed it unsafe for us to resume IUF programming of any kind. We will continue to monitor the state guidelines, alongside CDC guidelines, to determine when it is best for us to resume our non-profit organization's programming.
We recognize that IUF does not oversee every activity related to ultimate in the Indianapolis community, but we highly encourage everyone to use the same amount of caution in mitigating the risk of COVID-19. That being said, we also encourage all community members to care for their community in the following ways:
- Avoid unsafe play
- Wear a mask when social distancing is not possible
- Avoid large groups and gatherings
- Avoid handshakes and high-fives
- Frequently wash your hands
As much as we all want to get back on the field, we cannot minimize COVID-19 risks enough to justify programming as a smart or safe decision for the Indiana Ultimate Foundation. Ultimate involves sustained close proximity in marking and matchup defense which can lead to a high probability for transmission of respiratory particles. Additional factors, such as a shared disc and a lack of protective barriers between participants make it tough to mitigate transmission risk in a competitive environment. These risk factors become even greater in an indoor environment. Lessened air circulation, decreased sideline space, narrow entrance and exit ways, all play a part in decreasing social distancing opportunities, and increase the risk of transmission of COVID-19.
We appreciate your understanding and hope that everyone has found a way to stay active and healthy during this time. Please reach-out with any further questions or concerns.
Best,
Indiana Ultimate Foundation Board of Directors
indianaultimatefoundation@gmail.com
IUF COVID-19 Update: September 1, 2020
Indiana Ultimate Foundation has made the decision to cancel the 2020 IUF Fall League.
In late May, we made the decision to halt all IUF programming, announcing an indefinite suspension of our activities, and this will likely continue throughout the duration of 2020. This decision comes with much thought and consideration by our board of directors. The Indiana Ultimate Foundation continues to put the health and safety of our community members at the forefront in decision making regarding IUF events and IUF event hosting. Given the current climate of COVID-19 transmission and rising cases both across the country, and within the state of Indiana, we have deemed it unsafe for us to host the IUF Fall League.
As determined by the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee, ultimate remains a “Level 1,” high risk sport. Sustained close proximity in marking and matchup defense leads to a high probability for transmission of respiratory particles, which can be further exacerbated by audible stall counts. Additional factors, such as a shared disc and a lack of protective barriers between participants make it tough to mitigate transmission risk in a competitive environment. These risk factors become even greater in an indoor environment. Lessened air circulation, decreased sideline space, narrow entrance and exit ways, all play a part in decreasing social distancing opportunities, and increase the risk of transmission of COVID-19. No amount of caution can minimize the risks enough to make running the IUF Fall League a safe decision for the Indiana Ultimate Foundation.
We encourage all community members to care for their community in the following ways:
- Avoid unsafe play of any kind
- Wear a mask when social distancing is not possible and when indoors
- Stay home except for essential activities
- Avoid large groups and gatherings
- Stay 6 feet away from others, especially those outside of your housing unit
- Avoid handshakes, high-fives, and hugs
- Frequently wash your hands with soap and warm water for 20 seconds
IUF COVID-19 Update: May 26, 2020
Hello IUF Community,
Recent months have been challenging for everyone. As state and local officials begin the process of reopening our economy and restarting public activities, we remain hopeful that we will be able to resume playing the sport we love. Since the cancellation of winter league on March 12, the Indiana Ultimate Foundation board has been working to educate ourselves on all aspects of the impact of COVID-19, but most particularly on its effect on the sports world.
At this point we have made the decision to cancel the USA Ultimate Indiana High School State Championships and are postponing all IUF leagues, practices, and clinics, as well as any other Indiana Ultimate Foundation sponsored activities. We highly recommend that all organizers of pick-up play cease any promotion of such events, as the safety requirements and liability concerns are plentiful. We will continue to monitor the expert advice of local, state, and national health experts and anxiously await a time that we can all safely participate in the great sport of ultimate. The safety of our participants, as well as the safety of their friends, family and the local community are paramount in our decision-making process.
Outside of our local community, USA Ultimate has cancelled all TCT regular season events and postponed the Masters National Championships and Youth Club Championships, originally scheduled for late July and early August. At the national level, the likelihood of competition throughout the summer months seems slim, while at the local level we remain hopeful to put together some form of event.
With further guidance from USA Ultimate expected in early June, we are hopeful that we will be able to announce a more specific return-to-play guideline soon and are also hopeful to finalize and announce an amount of virtual content in the coming weeks. Additionally, we will soon announce a fundraising project to give the community the opportunity to purchase IUF gear from our merchandise vendor, Breakmark.
This decision is not made without due diligence. As organizers, we have been closely following return-to-play documents from various organizations and participating in webinars and conference calls hosted by some of the nation’s most elite organizations including the World Health Organization, USA Ultimate, Aspen Institute’s Project Play, US Olympic & Paralympic Committee, Center for Disease Control, National Federation of State High School Associations, and Governor Eric Holcomb’s Back On Track Indiana. More specific guidance for sports in Indiana can be found in Section 16 of Holcomb’s latest Executive Order. As the state begins to reopen, we note that the re-opening of Marion, Lake, and Cass counties currently sit approximately two weeks behind the current state orders, eligible to enter reopening Phase 3 on June 1.
Given the movements and interactions required in ultimate, playing this sport under the above guidelines is not currently feasible. Following the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee guidelines for assessing risk levels, ultimate falls into identification as a “Level 1” (High Risk) sport, defined as: Sports that involve close, sustained contact between participants, lack of significant protective
barriers, and high probability that respiratory particles will be transmitted between participants.
Sustained close proximity in marking and matchup defense lead to a high probability for transmission of respiratory particles, further exacerbated by audible stall counts while marking. Additional factors, such as a shared disc, make it tough to mitigate transmission risk to a point that is safe for the community. Putting safety at the forefront, we have made the determination that an indefinite postponement of IUF activities is what best promotes the wellbeing of our community members.
We realize navigating this pandemic has been difficult and this is disappointing news to many. Please know that our board members are continuously monitoring changes in guidelines, requirements and recommendations in an effort to get us back on the field as quickly and safely as we can. When we have significant news to share, we will do so promptly. Should you have any questions or concerns please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at indianaultimatefoundation@gmail.com, message us social media platforms or check our COVID-19 website page.
We miss all of you and hope to see you soon safely!
Indiana Ultimate Foundation Board
John Rempel
Brittney Ballard
Blake Vanderbush
Rechelle Frash
Kelsie Sparks
Andrew Miller
Zakk Mabrey
IUF COVID-19 Update: May 13, 2020
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Indiana Ultimate Community! As the state of Indiana begins to loosen restrictions related to COVID-19, the Indiana Ultimate Foundation board has set out to begin the process of planning a return to participation. As we serve the community, we seek your input in gaining direction for planning events so that the community feels safe & comfortable. Please take the following survey >> https://forms.gle/H5wDTtfpVwcrs1G76 |
IUF COVID-19 Update: May 5, 2020
As the state of Indiana begins the process of reopening, the IUF Board is hard at work determining the date we can safely resume programming. Though we miss ultimate, community & all of you, safety is of utmost importance. Our goal is to get back onto the field this summer - but want to ensure the health, safety & well being of our participants first
Please be on the lookout in the coming days, as we plan to release a general interest survey for Summer League 2020. As the community we are serving, your thoughts & feelings are important to us! If you have questions or concerns - please reach out to us at indianaultimatefoundation@gmail.com
IUF COVID-19 Update: March 12, 2020
IUF Winter League is cancelled due to a recent update from USAU in regards to Covid-19. We will continue to update as to how this will impact the rest of our upcoming events! Feel free to reach out with questions. And also, please continue to wash your hands & look out for those around you!
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Indiana Ultimate Foundation, Inc (2014) not-for-profit.
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