We invite you to sign up today to try out for Cutthroat 2021! Tryouts start this Sunday, May 16th!
REGISTER FOR TRYOUTSColorado Cutthroat is Colorado’s premier youth ultimate club program. These teams represent Colorado at the National and regional levels. Players build strong bonds with leaders on other local teams and develop the skills they need to compete at the highest levels of the sport.
We are excited to return to play and are sure you are too! We want to assure you that getting back to the fun will not come at the expense of safety. We have undertaken a rigorous “Return to Play Safely” protocol to increase the safety of all players, coaches, and families. These vigorous safety precautions include enhanced sanitation of equipment, program modifications to reduce close contact, social distancing on the sidelines, and more (full list of protocols).
Players develop together over the summer, during an intense practice each week led by expert coaches around Colorado. On top of training players to excel in knowledge, skills, and Spirit of the Game, coaches also teach Character Development based on the Cutthroat Code: Character, Community, and Competition.
REGISTER FOR TRYOUTSColorado Cutthroat is based on 3 tenets:
- Character: Cutthroat players treat ourselves, our teammates, our opponents, our coaches, and all others with respect. We hold ourselves to high spirit of the game standards as teams and individuals, and work to represent ourselves, our team, and our state in the most positive light.
- Community: Cutthroat is a close and caring community. We take care of each other, emotionally and physically. We work to bring new members into our community and support the development of everyone within our community.
- Competition: As the elite youth club team, we are competitive. Regardless of who we play or what the score, we are constantly pushing ourselves and our teammates to play as competitively as possible
WHAT IS YCC?
Youth Club Championships (YCC) is a national tournament that takes place in early August in Minnesota. Participating cities each send a boys’, girls’, and mixed team.
WHY IS YCC AWESOME?
Playing for one of Colorado’s YCC teams is an incredible experience. You get to play alongside some of the best youth Ultimate players from around the Denver/Boulder metro area. The coaching corps are highly experienced, passionate, and dedicated (and most of ‘em still play ultimate pretty darn well, too). The tournament itself is an amazing experience to play high-level ultimate with and against youth from all over the country.
DO WE PRACTICE?
To prepare for the high level of competition, we practice Thursdays (6 pm-dark) in Lakewood and Sundays (4-7 pm) in Lakewood.
| U20 Boys | U20 Girls | U20 Mixed | U17 Boys | U15 | |
| Tuesdays 6-dark |
Harvey Park | ||||
| Thursdays 6-dark |
Wash Heights | Wash Heights | Wash Heights | ||
| Sundays 4-7pm |
Wash Heights | Monthly Scrimmages | Wash Heights | TBD |
We are also providing multiple opportunities for players to develop cohesion before the Youth Club Championships! The big opportunities are:
- 6/19-6/20: Summer Solstice at Stenger Soccer Complex in Arvada (U-20 Boys, Mixed, and Girls)
- 7/10-11: Colorado Cup Classic division (U-20 Boys, Mixed, and Girls)
- 8/07-8/09: Youth Club Championships in Blaine, MN with travel on 7/31 (Girls, U20 Boys, and U17 Boys)
- Date TBD: Club Sectionals (U-20 Mixed and Boys)*
* Practices between YCC and Club sectionals (2 months) will be once a week on Sundays
Also, most YCC team members play in the Denver or Boulder Youth League.
2021 CUTTHROAT TRYOUT DATES
This is a tryout series, and players are expected to make all tryouts (unless excused by Coach Hannah). This allows coaches to get the most well-rounded look at players’ skills and abilities.
- Location: Location has changed- we will be at Washington Heights for all events (tryouts and practices)
- U17 Update: Currently we are lacking in numbers. Please invite friends you want to play with. We will likely not be doing tryouts- this is a great opportunity to develop your skills and get to know players on other teams!
- Girls: Currently numbers are lacking. We will be having monthly clinics (more info to come!). Read more about our mixed team below!
- Mixed: We will be having a mixed team with awesome coaches, Ari Nelson and Thomas Echols.
- U15 Fry: With U17 delayed, we will plan to just to straight into our first official practice on Thursday, May 27th, 6 pm at Washington Heights Park. Fry’s head coach will be Cruz Alvarez-Machado. Practices will be Tuesdays at Harvey Park and Thursdays at Wash Heights at 6 pm.
FOR U20 Boys Tryouts on Sunday (all others are delayed… read above)
- Remember- tryouts are at Washington Heights Park (6375 W 1st Ave., Lakewood)… seriously, Wash Heights (park in the gravel lot near the art center)
- Be cleated and ready to run by 4 pm
DOES IT COST MONEY?
This season the cost to participate in Cutthroat U17 Boys, U20 Boys, and U20 Girls will be $650, Cutthroat Mixed and U15 costs $350. The bulk of this cost comes from travel expenses and lodging for our three traveling tournaments and the cost of fields. AYU believes that all players should have access to participate, and there are opportunities to apply for financial aid. If you need this, please make sure to note this in your registration.
Also, this year we are partnering with Sports Refund, a low-cost sports fee insurance that reimburses your registration fees if your athlete becomes injured or sick and can’t play.
Sports Refund coverage:
- Reimburses 100% of registration fees for time lost
- Includes athletes diagnosed with COVID-19
- Extends both on and off the court
- Relieves pressure on your child to hide or downplay injuries
- Has fast, easy sign-up and simple, stress-free claims
The best part? Sports Refund’s individual rate is just 4.25% of fees, providing low-risk peace of mind for your family. If they can’t play, you don’t pay. It’s that simple.
To learn more or sign up for Sports Refund
CONTACT CUTTHROAT DIRECTORCUTTHROAT COACHES
U20 GIRLS
RONNIE EDER
My name is Ronnie, and I am excited to coach in Colorado. I currently play on Molly Brown (USAU) and the Austin Torch (PUL). I have experience coaching college in Santa Barbara and Washington DC. Can’t wait to get started!
HANNAH LEATHERS
Hannah started playing ultimate when her college (UGA) roommate dragged her out the front door in 2009. She was a top five Callahan nominee, an All-Star Ultimate Tour participant (2015), and has played for the club teams Atlanta Ozone (’13-’16) and Molly Brown (’17-’18). Over the past few years, she has endured several injuries and has since shifted her focus to activism and coaching in ultimate. Hannah has contributed off the field through clinics, coaching (Druid Hills High School, ATL YCC, Molly Brown), and administration (The Premier Ultimate League and the PUL Foundation). She looks forward to coaching Cutthroat 2021!
U20 BOYS
HANNAH MATTHYS
Played college for the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire SOL and in graduate school at CU Boulder (previously known as Kali). She has played both club mixed and womxn’s.
Hannah received her PhD in Education focused on diversity and equitable access, mixed with theories of learning. She practiced these while she coached. She first coached the Boulder-Fairview girls team called the Zingers in 2010, she then got “tricked” into coached Cutthroat B team and Lakewood by a guy named Jake. She then continued to build and grow both the Lakewood and Cutthroat programs, and currently leads them today.
PHIL LOHRE
I have coached Cutthroat for over a decade and played in numerous National and World Championships, I presently coach Denver University Sourdough men’s club.
HENRY FURUTA
Playing experience:
0 years high school
2 years college B team (University of Texas at Austin Graze, 2014-2016)
2 years college A team (University of Texas at Austin TUFF, captain 1 year, 2016-2018)
3 years Austin Doublewide (2018-current)
3 years Dallas Roughnecks (2018-current)
Coaching experience:
3 seasons Lakewood Deep (2020-current)
1 season Colorado Cutthroat U-20 boys (2020-current)
U20 MIXED
ARI NELSON
For coaching, I’ve coached youth ultimate in two major environments: one was as a coach for the Disc NW Youth Camps in Seattle, WA, and one was as a coach at Ultimate Peace in Israel. Both of these taught me a ton about teaching different individuals from different backgrounds and how to incorporate lessons into ultimate! I’ve also been a part of a group in Boston that runs women’s clinics every year, and have coached at those clinics with other club players for a few years. For playing, I’ve been playing for ~10 years. I began playing in Seattle and after moving to Boston played for both my men’s and women’s college team. In club, I played for three years with the Boston Mixed elite team Boston Slow White, and in Colorado will be competing with Denver Molly Brown. I also was a part of the 2019 U24 Womxn’s Team that won gold in Germany.
LISA PITCAITHLEY
Playing for over ten years. Coached lots of CUT camps and for DEA (girl’s high school team out of Durham, NC!)
THOMAS ECHOLS
Thomas has played for LSU Men’s Ultimate for 5 years, Sub Zero for 2, and Windchill for 2. Thomas coached at Catholic High in Baton Rouge (won a national championship), LSU women’s, and Hopkins High School. Thomas currently coaches at East High School in Denver and is an owner of CUT Camp.
U17 BOYS
JASON BRASK
Player: Started with Florida State in 1989, Phoenix, Johnny Bravo, Johnny Encore, Johnny Walker, Johnny Cashed and Misc. Coed teams. 2 National Championships, 1 World Championship, 1 Beach Championship, numerous tournament championships.
Coach: Broomfield High School 1999-2015, USA Ultimate Summer Camp Director which switched over to AYU for the past ~10 years. Century middle school Frisbee club director since 2010. YCC Girls coach early in the YCC process, Coaching U17 with Justin Salvia for the past few years. Can’t say I’ve ever won a championship as a coach, but I’ve coached kids who have.
JUSTIN SALVIA
Justin Salvia (AKA Rabbit) is a homegrown Colorado Ultimate player. He learned to play at Loveland High School and then went on to play for CU-Boulder Mamabird from 2002-2007. After that he competed with Johnny Bravo for six years and continues to represent the state with the Master’s Team Johnny Encore. He began coaching Colorado Academy in 2009 and has been a High School Coach ever since. Coach Rabbit’s goal with every team is to produce players that love the sport, love their team, and are equipped with the skills and knowledge to continue their playing journey up the ranks of elite ultimate!
TED BARNETT
Started playing my freshman year in college and have played open and mixed interchangeably ever since. I have been lucky enough to play on several national level teams and numerous national teams for international competitions.