The next Hall of Fame Induction will take place on October 19, 2012. Specific details and ticket information will be posted on the 2012 TUC Hall of Fame Celebration page in summer 2012. For now, book the date!

Hall of Fame Policy & Nominations

Here is the TUC Hall of Fame Policy.

Did you want to nominate someone for the TUC Hall of Fame? Nominations for 2012 are now closed but stay tuned for the next induction ceremony and nomination period. Nominations must be done via the TUC Hall of Fame Nomination Form. You can submit as many nomination forms as you like. You can submit a nomination form by either of the following means:

• Complete the online nomination form (not currently available); or
• Print out the linked nomination form, complete the form legibly, and email to halloffame@tuc.org or fax to (647) 346-1932.

In addition to the Nomination Forms, we also have Candidate Questionnaires for potential inductees (Player, Builder, Special Merit). A Candidate Questionnaire is not initially required when nominating an individual, but it is welcome and it helps us be more informed about the individual. The Hall of Fame Committee may request questionnaires to be completed by, or on behalf of, potential inductees.

Categories of Induction

There are 3 categories for induction into the TUC Hall of Fame: Player, Builder, and Special Merit. Below is the criteria for each category:

Player Category

Guidelines for the Candidate Selection Process and for the Voters

Player Category Eligibility Criteria: Former players with a distinguished record of competitive achievement at the highest national and/or international levels, with additional consideration given to integrity, longevity, sportsmanship, and character.

To be eligible, players must be older than or near the age of 40 in the year of induction, and have regularly participated in TUC leagues.

Context: Candidates in the Player category will be reviewed at the same time as candidates in the Builder category.

Questions to Consider: Here are some questions (with no “right” answers) to ponder in considering whether the Player candidate merits TUC Hall of Fame recognition:

• Was the Player ever regarded as the best player in Toronto Ultimate?
• Was the Player the best player on his/her team?
• Was the Player the best player at his/her position?
• Was the Player the best at a particular skill (e.g., skying, popping, hucking)?
• Did the Player have an impact on a number of league, national and international tournaments?
• Did the Player display the Spirit of the Game by upholding the standards of sportsmanship and character contained therein?
• Was the Player a good enough player that he/she could continue to play regularly after passing his/her prime?
• Is there any evidence to suggest that the Player was significantly better or worse than is suggested by his/her statistics or popular perception?
• If the Player were the best player on his/her team, would it be likely that the team could make/win Nationals, League Finals?
• What players of the candidate's era and of the current era are most comparable?
  How is this player better or worse than those comps?
  Are those comps in the Hall (or worthy of being in the Hall)?
• Was the Player a team leader or strategist whose teams seemed to outperform their abilities?
• Was the Player held in high regard by teammates and opponents alike?
• Can the history of Toronto Ultimate be written without including this Player?

Typical characteristics of an “inner-circle” Hall of Famer:

• Can start on O at any position or on D against any opponent for any team
• Is among the best in the game in several specific skills (throwing deep, handling in the zone, skying)
• Is good at just about every specific skill
• Causes other teams to adapt their styles because of him/her
• Can stand out on a windy day, in a swill fest, and on a fast day
• Will still be a stud if one aspect of his/her game is taken away

Builder Category

Guidelines for the Candidate Selection Process and for the Voters

Builder: Individuals who have made exceptional contributions that have furthered the growth, reputation and character of the sport, in categories such as development, administration, media, and coaching.

Context: Candidates in the Builder category will be reviewed at the same time as candidates in the Player category.

Types of Builder Candidates: As a broad category, there can be many different types of contributions considered. Candidates may have made contributions in one or more of these categories. The following outlines several broad categories, although it is not necessarily all-inclusive.

• Founders and Developers: These candidates would have played a pivotal role in developing the league from its infancy, or making major changes in its approach to the sport and its players
• Administrators: These candidates would have made their impact on the administration of the sport. This could include the provision of watershed strategic leadership, the fostering of new divisions of play, extended and material contributions in the day-to-day administration, etc.
• Organizers: This includes individuals who have made their mark in organizing significant play related activities. This could include establishing and fostering the growth of significant summer leagues and clubs, organizing tournaments that defined the sport in their time, and generally promoting the growth of the sport by making something special happen.
• Coaches: In the first couple decades of the sport, player-captains served the role of coach, in defining new play strategy and putting together championship teams. As time goes on it appears there may be more true coaches whose role may be appropriately recognized in the Ultimate Hall of Fame.

Questions to Consider: Here are some questions (with no “right” answers) to ponder in considering whether the contributions of a Contributor candidate merit TUC Hall of Fame recognition:

• Can the history of Toronto Ultimate be written without including this candidate?
• Was the way the game was played in TUC significantly impacted by changes introduced by the candidate?
• Was the way the sport was administered or organized significantly impacted by changes introduced by the candidate or by their contributions?
• Did the candidate, or their accomplishments, make an impact over an extended period of time? Is that impact still being felt today?
• In addition to their “Builder” accomplishments, did the candidate have a significant playing career which, while perhaps not sufficiently outstanding to qualify for an Ultimate Hall of Fame spot solely on playing merits, nonetheless strengthens the overall candidacy?

Special Merit Category

Guidelines for Candidate Selection Process and for the Voters

Special Merit: This category will accommodate all other potential candidates not included in the first two categories, whether teams, equipment, groups, individuals, or whatever, that defined the nature of the sport or its competitive spirit, or contributed to make Ultimate special, in the context of their day.

Context: Candidates for Special Merit would be reviewed separately from candidates in the Player or Contributor categories. The Vetting Subcommittee would have the ability to recommend a Special Merit candidate if they so chose which would be approved only if they received no fewer than 90% of all the Ultimate Hall of Fame votes.

Types of Contributor Candidates: This is a catch-all category and we should ensure that a very high standard of “specialness” is met. As defined above, the initial Organizing Committee felt that this category might include teams, groups or individuals. The idea is that there are stories that need to be told to fully describe the Toronto Ultimate Club and its history that don’t get captured in an individual award.

Questions to Consider: Here are some questions (with no “right” answers) to ponder in considering whether a candidate merits TUC Hall of Fame Special Merit:

• Can the history of TUC be written without including this candidate?
• Was the Special Merit candidate recognized in their day as being “special?
• Can the story about Special Merit candidate be documented (in words and pictures) in a way that future generations can understand its significance?