New Player Info

NOTE: Fishers Baja is currently inactive

This page provides an overview of our program for new players and their parents.

If you’re completely new to the sport of ultimate, check out Ultimate 101.

Interested in participating? Please submit our Player Interest Form.

If you have any questions at all about the club, please contact us.

Players

Fishers Baja welcomes competitive high school age athletes (grades 9-12) that reside in the Fishers, IN area. Boys and girls are both welcome (see Teams section below).

Unlike some other sports, most ultimate players have not been specializing in the sport since birth! Fishers Baja has had many successful players that started their athletic career in other sports such as soccer, basketball, baseball, football, even hockey. Ultimate is a smaller, less structured sport that allows players and teams to stay together and form bonds over the years, develop family-like relationships, and have a lot of fun.

That said, ultimate is a highly competitive sport. Just like other competitive sports, players are expected to be fully committed to:

  • Learn the sport of ultimate and uphold the Spirit of the Game
  • Understand strategy and execution of plays
  • Attend all practices and tournaments
  • Work hard to improve individual skills and endurance
  • Display a positive attitude
  • Support their teammates and the club overall
  • Have fun while doing all of the above!

Teams

Fishers Baja has traditionally fielded one “A” team in the Boys division. Boys and girls are both eligible to play in this division and both are welcome to try out for a spot on the roster.

Given sufficient interest, practice facilities and coaching availability, the club would like to establish a developmental or “B” team. Turnout will determine whether a B team is a possibility, so we encourage all prospective players to express their interest regardless of their current level of skill.

Due to insufficient interest and a lack of competing teams, we do not anticipate starting a Girls division team in the near future.

Program Schedule

This section is intended to provide a general sense of the year-round schedule. Specific dates and other details can change from year to year and will be announced when they become available.

Fall Season (mid Aug to mid Oct)

  • 3 practices per week, typically Tue-Wed-Thurs after school
  • Tryouts (if necessary)
  • Boiler Breakaway tournament (W Lafayette), typically last weekend in September
  • Hoosier Homegrown tournament (Indianapolis), typically 2nd weekend in October which is the first weekend of Fall Break for HSE schools

Winter Season (Jan & Feb)

  • 8-week indoor league, 1 game per week & season-end tournament
  • Held at SportZone in NW Indy
  • Optional, but almost all players participate

Spring Season (March to mid May)

  • 3 practices per week, typically Tue-Wed-Thurs after school
  • 5 tournaments, two are out of state
  • Indiana Warm-Up tournament (Greenwood), typically 2nd weekend in March
  • Rivertown Throwdown tournament (Cincinnati, OH area), typically 3rd weekend in March
  • Indy Invite tournament (Indianapolis), typically 1st weekend in April which is the second weekend of Spring Break for HSE schools
  • Neuqua Knockout tournament (Montgomery, IL), typically 3rd weekend in April
  • Indiana State Championship tournament (Indianapolis), typically 1st weekend in May
  • If invited (only 16 teams in US receive bids), the High School National Invite tournament (Rockford, IL) is typically the 1st or 2nd weekend in June

Summer Season (mid May to early Aug)

Summer leagues and training are completely optional depending on a player’s availability and interest.

  • IUF Youth League – 1 evening per week (2 hrs), with instruction and games. Great for newer players and required for players that want to play at the Youth Club level. IUF website
  • IUF Youth Club – 1 day/evening per week (3 hrs), with more advanced instruction and potential opportunity to participate in the Youth Club Championships held in Blaine, MN in early August. Must participate in Youth League concurrently. IUF website
  • CUT Camp – Competitive Ultimate Training, highly recommended for players that want to take their skills to the next level. Instruction from elite college and club players at a week-long overnight camp held at several locations around the country. CUT Camp website

Tournament Logistics

Every tournament is a little different, but these are some general notes:

  • Tournaments take place on weekends. Plan to be at the playing fields all day both days, but it’s not uncommon to finish up by mid-afternoon on Sunday.
  • Games are played in succession, usually with just a short break (less than 30 minutes) between them. It’s common to play 3-4 games per day, 75-90 minutes each.
  • Sometimes there is a bye round or a scheduled lunch break, sometimes there is not. Sometimes a game will get finished early and create a break. Bring enough snacks/food/drinks to the field to survive the day or plan to have a parent run out and get something during a game.
  • Ultimate is played in almost all weather conditions, as long as the fields are playable. Be prepared for cold, wind, rain, snow, sun, heat, etc. at all times regardless of the forecast.
  • Out of state tournaments require at least a Saturday night stay, and most families choose to arrive Friday evening. Typically, hotel reservations are made individually using a group rate code. In the past it’s been common (but not required) for everyone to get together for dinner on Saturday evening at the hotel or a local restaurant.

Uniforms & Equipment

Required Items:

  • Uniform – 1 white jersey, 1 red jersey, 1 pair of black shorts. Uniform orders for new players are placed in late fall/early winter.
  • Disc – aka Frisbee, specifically a Discraft Ultra-Star (175g) of any color/design, available almost anywhere sporting goods are sold.
  • Cleats – all competitive players wear cleats. Most use soccer cleats, some prefer football cleats, and cleats designed specifically for ultimate are now available. Any color/design is acceptable.
  • Water Container – one bottle of warm Gatorade isn’t going to cut it. All players need to have a container or jug that holds plenty of water for practices and games. Tournaments often have refilling stations available.

Optional Items:

  • Gloves – some players like to wear ultimate gloves to improve grip. Some don’t. Some wear just one glove. Personal preference. Check out Friction Gloves or Layout Gloves.
  • Hucket Bucket – it’s literally a big white bucket, perfect for storing all your stuff and providing a place to sit when on the sidelines. Pro tip: take out the sweaty smelly gear you put in the airtight bucket after the last tournament BEFORE the morning of the next tournament! Hucket Bucket website
  • Base Layers – personal preference, depending on weather conditions. Items such as compression shirts, tights/leggings, etc. are worn by some players. Colors that coordinate with white, red, or black are preferred.

Locations

  • Practices are held at Roy G. Holland Memorial Park in Fishers.
  • Many tournaments (as well as summer leagues) are held at Indianapolis World Sports Park, 1313 S Post Rd, Indianapolis.
  • Other Indiana tournament locations include Maple Grove Elementary School in Bargersville (Greenwood) and Purdue University in West Lafayette.
  • Out of state tournament locations include the northern Cincinnati suburbs and Stuart Sports Complex in Montgomery, IL.

Costs

Good news: ultimate is very affordable compared to many other youth sports and activities. Details will be provided to prospective players and parents, but here are some general guidelines:

  • Tournament and winter league fees for the year total a few hundred dollars per player. Fees for Fall, Winter, and Spring are collected separately. Please note that Spring fees are collected in October.
  • Uniforms for new players add up to about $150.
  • Equipment costs can vary depending on preferences and optional items, but a disc, cleats, and a water container can be obtained for under $150.
  • A youth membership to USA Ultimate (required) is under $40.
  • Travel costs including gas, food, lodging etc. are not included in any of the above categories and will vary by family. For out of state tournaments, the club typically stays at hotels in the $100-150 per night range but families are free to choose other options.
  • The club may elect to conduct fundraising activities that would allow players to offset tournament fees and uniform costs.

Communication

  • Initial communication to/from the club will be handled via email.
  • Registered players and parents will be invited to participate in the club’s Google Group for communication throughout the year.
  • Players use the GroupMe app to discuss “various topics”.
  • Casual, non-critical communication may also be distributed via social media.

Baja Swag & Spirit Wear

Show your support for Fishers Baja!

  • Apparel can be purchased via SquadLocker
  • Garage signs (see below) customized with a player’s first or last name can be purchased at FastSigns (now at 96th & Allisonville). Ask for Fishers Ultimate Frisbee.