Resignation Announcement
February 11, 2021
I am stepping down from the board of directors for St. Louis Ultimate Association and passing all responsibilities to the capable leadership of the remaining board members; Tim Duggan, Blake Larson, and John Henroid.
In 1994, Jeff Walters and I, organized a coed league in Tower Grove Park. In 1996 SLUA became a corporation and in 1998 received not-for-profit status. Since then, hundreds of individuals stepped up to offer their time and talents to build the organization and community that SLUA has become. St. Louis had a strong Ultimate community in the 1980s, there was a summer league with 30+ teams. But after that early league organizer moved on, the league ended. By establishing a corporation, St. Louis Ultimate can have a legacy.
I wish to thank Jeff Walters, Mark Witherell, and Doug Teasdale who volunteered to serve on our initial board of directors and those who served on the board since: Scott Alcock, Tim Wolff, William “Buck” Schneider, Melissa (Hogan) Smith, Chris Martens, Dan Schisler, Allen Moentman, Paul Rebillot, Allison Gray, Tim Duggan, Blake Larson, and John Henroid. I want to recognize Chris Martens and Jason Becker for launching the high school league, known as St. Louis Ultimate Juniors and Tim Morris, Jose Artigas, Joe Barzilai, Katy Mueller, and Kristina Kohl, who continued leading the SLUJ program. I am very grateful to all the league coordinators: Darrin Speegle, Paul Rebillot, Nate Marschalk, Rob Rambach, Brian Schneider, Dan Schisler, John Weaver, Chris Bethel, Anat Gross, Allison Gray, Cameron Sisler, Blake Larson, Tim Monahan, Jose Artiagas, Greg Inman, Eric Davis, Bobby Castille, Buck Schneider, Jesse Brandt, Kevin McCarthy, Patrick Austermann, Lenny Jones, Sasha Mothershead, Ben Burford, Alex Busbey, Benet Clark, Kate Galligan, Chuck Houska, Parker Quinn, Jeff Ordower, and Paul Runge. Thanks to our Spirit Ambassador Melissa Gibbs.
Jeff Walters put our organization on the web, designed our registration system, and enabled online payments and liability waivers. That may seem common today, but when we started, we had telephone lists, paper waivers, and collected cash and checks at the field and through the U.S. mail service.
I appreciate all the amazing individuals who coordinated tournaments, captained a team, organized a clinic, coached teams, hosted the women’s conference, designed discs, hosted Ultimate Prom, led drills, hauled equipment, attended organizers conferences and coaching clinics, drafted teams, wrote programs to help draft teams, led cheers, organized disc games, spoke up during spirit circles, taught novices to throw, set up or lined fields, improved fields, sent emails, and all those who showed-up eager to play. I appreciate all of you.
Keep the legacy going and growing. Most importantly, be kind to each other. Spirit matters.
Dana Gray
