DEADLINE EXTENDED TO JANUARY 3!
Colorado Springs, Colo. (November 12, 2020) – The player application window for the 2021 U-24 U.S. National Teams is now open. Any athletes who will be 23 years of age or younger on December 31, 2021, are eligible to apply. Applications are due Sunday, January 3*, by 11:59 p.m. MT., and selected applicants will receive tryout invites in late January 2021.
Since joining the event in 2013, the United States has dominated the field at the World Under-24 Ultimate Championships, winning 11 gold medals and one silver medal in four trips to the international contest. All three teams (men’s, mixed and women’s) have swept their respective divisions the last two years. Bob Krier makes his fifth consecutive appearance as head coach of the men’s team and Nancy Sun returns from last year to lead the women’s team, while Patrick Sherlock makes his U-24 head coaching debut for the mixed team. Both Sun and Sherlock have also served as assistant coaches for the U-24 National Teams in the past and have helped lead their teams to gold medals.
Impact of COVID-19
This U-24 cycle is expected to be vastly different from any that have preceded it due to the impact of COVID-19, but USA Ultimate will put the safety of its members, staff and volunteers as its highest priority. Working within our Return to Play Guidelines, we intend to run the U-24 national team program to the best of our ability.
Tryout camps, one on each coast, are currently scheduled to be held in late March 2021 for invited applicants. In the event we are unable to hold in-person tryouts, the U-24 coaching staff will determine alternative means to evaluate players for the 2021 team. This may include requests for additional information, interviews and video submissions.
Additionally, WFDF recently announced its plans to hold the 2021 World Under-24 Ultimate Championships in Limerick, Ireland, from July 3-10, 2021. WFDF will confirm whether the event will proceed as planned by December 2020, as it is currently waiting for additional information regarding vaccine development progress and potential new restrictions being imposed.
Despite all of the uncertainty, USA Ultimate remains committed to being flexible and working with applicants to accommodate for unforeseen circumstances.
*original deadline was December 6
PDF versions – for review prior to submitting application:
