To the Bay Area Ultimate community –

Since the founding of Bay Area Disc in 2008, we have endeavored to strengthen our sport through new and improved playing opportunities for youth, club and adult athletes. Through much of our short history, volunteers have driven these efforts forward alongside a single full-time employee, our Youth Director Valerio Iani, who has dramatically grown our reach and impact among young players through camps, leagues, clinics and more.

Michael McGuirk, Bay Area Disc Association Executive Director

Today, we are excited to announce a major step forward with the hiring of our second full-time employee and first Executive Director, Michael McGuirk. On the field, he is affectionately known to many as “Prof”. He has brought his handling skill and inclusive, warm spirit to teams such as American BBQ, the San Francisco Dogfish, Team USA at WCBU 2011 and Team Kenya at WCBU 2015. Off the field, Mike has built a great career as a non-profit organizer, fundraiser and leader creating a lasting social impact across a variety of causes. At The Clorox Company he led the company’s Safe Water Project to provide safe drinking water to resource-poor communities in South America, work that he later continued on the ground in Kenya with the NGO Evidence Action. Mike has also worked in fundraising and marketing at two health-focused non-profit organizations, SEE International and Kids’ Care Everywhere. While living in Kenya, he volunteered his time to work with local Kenyan Ultimate players to found the Kenya Flying Disc Association, secure official membership with the World Flying Disc Association and rally the global Ultimate community to fund the national team’s first-ever trip to the world championships.

Mike worked to help found the Kenya Flying Disc Association

We are fortunate to bring Mike’s experience and skill set into Bay Area Disc. His task is simple – to ensure that Bay Area Disc represents, serves and interacts with all of the Bay Area’s Ultimate players across all levels of age, experience and skill. He will focus on creating more great playing experiences, starting with the Fog Burn beach tournament this fall and continuing into 2016. He’ll also be working on ways to reach new players through programs that focus on underrepresented youth, low-income populations and girls and women’s programs. The growth of our sport in recent years is exciting for all of us – recent estimates put the number of Ultimate players in the U.S. above 5 million – but there is still so much more potential for growth ahead. Bay Area Disc will continue to fuel the development of the sport here in our local community through better instruction for new players, access to opportunities inclusive of all skill levels and hosting high-quality events that showcase the wealth of talent that makes the Bay Area a hotbed for Ultimate.

We will celebrate Mike’s addition to Bay Area Disc and our collective vision for our future this December at our annual community-wide event. More event details will be announced, so keep your eyes out for that news. In the meantime, please join me in welcoming him and in celebrating this wonderful step forward for our organization and our community!

Cheers,

Adam Farren
President, Board of Directors
Bay Area Disc Association