Competition | Respect | Inclusion

Drag’n Thrust is a mixed ultimate team based in Minneapolis/St. Paul committed to creating a culture of competition, respect, and inclusion. Playing for Drag’n goes beyond teammates; we’re friends and family pushing each other toward our goals. We recognize that in order to reach our potential, we must allow every athlete on our squad to shine.

Competition:

We know that success comes through hard work; today’s mistakes become victories tomorrow. Therefore, we must continue to grow as individuals and as a group with a strong work ethic and an eagerness to improve.

• Goal 1: Continue our tradition of success on the national level
  • Action Steps: I will…
    • Prioritize attending practices and team events
    • Show up with focus and an intent to learn
    • Recognize mistakes and adjust accordingly

Respect:

Drag’n Thrust strives at all times to respect each other, all opponents, and the game itself.

• Goal 1: Respect all teammates and opponents
  • Action Steps: I will…
    • Actively listen to teammates and opponents on and off the field
    • Respect physical boundaries set by teammates and opponents on and off the field
• Goal 2: Respect the game of ultimate
  • Action Steps: I will… 
    • Stay up to date on ultimate rules and regulations
    • Hold myself and my teammates accountable for calls

Inclusion:

Individually and collectively, we are committed to educating ourselves and taking action towards gender, racial, and financial equity, on and off the field. We will accomplish this through specific goals and associated action steps listed below. 

We acknowledge that we are not experts and have constant room for growth.

• Goal 1: Make deliberate efforts to learn, on an ongoing basis, about systematic inequalities, intersectionality, discrimination, and microaggressions.
  • Action Steps: I will… 
    • Engage in liaison-facilitated conversations
    • Read and reflect on resources shared by the team
    • Work to understand my privilege

We acknowledge that our teammates, and athletes across the sport, do not shed their identities as they step on the field.

• Goal 2: Make the team a more inclusive and safe space for people of all identities and work to grow ultimate in a way that promotes gender, racial, and financial equity
  • Action Steps: I will…  
    • Work to remove gendered language and microaggressions on and off the field (e.g., man defense, guys, etc.)
    • Use correct gender pronouns for all players
    • Continue the use of the terms “Psion” (replacing woman-matching roster-spot eligible) and “Nova” (replacing man-matching roster-spot eligible) to describe eligibility without the use of gendered language
      • I understand these terms are exclusive to the context of ultimate
    • Keep teammates and others accountable for continued growth in a constructive way
  • Action Steps: Drag’n Thrust will…  
    • Offer financial assistance to ensure cost is not a barrier to potential players
    • Continue coaching youth and college sports with a deliberate focus on increasing gender, racial, and financial equity on their teams

While we are an ultimate team, we acknowledge that there is work to do outside our sport.

• Goal 3: Give back to our local communities 
  • Action Steps: I will… 
    • Participate in one or more of the below team action steps
  • Action Steps: Drag’n Thrust will… 
    • Identify and partner with established local organizations which focus on gender, racial, or financial inequity to 
      • Participate in volunteer opportunities
      • Donate money

Failure to uphold these values may result in player removal from the team and overall program.

• If you believe someone’s actions violate Drag’n Thrust’s stated values or Code of Conduct, please fill out THIS ANONYMOUS FORM which current team captains and coaches will review.*
• If you believe a captain or a coach’s actions violate Drag’n Thrust’s stated value or Code of Conduct, please fill out THIS ANONYMOUS FORM which the current equity committee will review.*

If you have questions, concerns, or comments regarding Drag’n Thrust’s values, please direct them to dragnthrustcaptains@gmail.com.

*Caleb Denecour manages and has access to both forms

2022 Code of Conduct

Financial Aid

The following are the approximate costs to play a season with Drag’n Thrust. These costs include tournament bid fees, hotel costs, rental car costs, and gas costs. This does not include travel costs for flying to tournaments as necessary.  Flights for the season can vary greatly, but typically range from $500 – $1000 for the season:

Late July Team Dues 1 ~$200
Covers:

• 7/9-7/10 Local Tournament ~$115
• 8/5-8/7 US Open ~$90

Late September Team Dues 2 ~$400
Covers:

• 9/3-9/5 Pro Championships ~$155
• 9/10-9/11 Sectionals ~$20
• 9/24-9/25 Regionals ~$115

Early November Team Dues 3 ~$500
Covers:

• 10/20-10/24 Nationals ~$485
• Practice Field Rentals for the season ~$70

Drag’n Thrust understands that the costs to play a club season are not feasible for everyone that may be interested in playing for our team and is committed to providing financial aid to anyone that requires it to participate in team activities (tryouts, tournaments, dues, etc.) with no questions asked. Ideally, this targets historically underrepresented people and/or those struggling financially. It does not discriminate on any basis of race, gender identity, sexuality, citizenship status or nationality, age, appearance, physical ability, religious identity, cultural identity, or socioeconomic status.

Drag’n Thrust believes it is essential to be transparent about where our financial aid funds are coming from. Our pool of financial aid funds is comprised of fundraising activities, alumni donations, current team member donations, leftover funds from previous seasons, team and tryout dues, tournament winnings, and sponsorship donations.

To request partial or full financial aid throughout the season, use this google form. In this google form you can expect to see approximate costs for tournaments and team dues, select what expenses you are requesting financial aid for, and the method for which you are requesting the aid (to have funds paid upfront by Drag’n Thrust or to be reimbursed via Venmo, Paypal, Cashapp, etc.). If you are requesting to be reimbursed by Drag’n Thrust, you can expect to be reimbursed within two weeks. This is a living google form, meaning for each expense you would like financial aid for, please fill out the form again.

If you are receiving financial aid, leadership would encourage you to give back to the team in a non-monetary way, some options include doing Drag’n Favors– a compiled list of favors current and previous Drag’ns need to be done for monetary compensation which will be placed in the financial aid fund pool. Another option to give back to the team is to work on one or more of the various team committees, particularly the fundraising, finance, travel, and/or equity committees during the season.

If there are any follow-up questions, please feel free to contact anyone in leadership at dragnthrustcaptains@gmail.com.