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COVID-19 UPDATE: What the Red Level Restrictions Mean to TUC

Posted: November 20, 2020, 11:09 AM

Dear Fellow TUC Members,

 

TUC Leadership continues to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic locally, provincially, nationally and internationally.

 

On 3 November 2020, Premier Doug Ford announced the Province's new framework (COVID-19 Response Framework: Keeping Ontario Safe and Open), which afforded more flexibility and a targeted approach to balance public health and the economy.

 

This new framework has five (5) phases/levels: Green, Yellow, Orange, Red and Grey, with each level/phase having more stringent restrictions. Green being the equivalent of Stage 3, and Grey, being a lockdown, like Stage 1.

 

On 3 November, Doug Ford announced that Toronto would remain in modified Stage 2 until 14 November, at the request of Toronto Public Health. And that on 14 November, Toronto would shift to the new system in the Orange Phase. At that time, TUC leadership began to work with our venue providers to discuss the fall indoor season.

 

On Tuesday, 10 November, Toronto Public Health announced that Toronto would, on 14 November, move into the Red phase of the new framework and would remain in the Red phase for twenty-eight (28) days. In the Red phase, team sports are not allowed to play games or scrimmage, and can only train in groups of 10 participants (or less). In addition to the base restrictions of the Red phase, Dr. De Villa has strongly recommended that Torontonians limit all contact to those in their household.  

 

Unfortunately, in that vein, TUC activities will remain suspended to align with the new framework, and per our local Public Health authority's recommendation.

 

Lastly, we know that on Friday, 20 November (today), that Premier Ford will be announcing additional restrictions, and TUC leadership will review these measures and will advise how and if they affect TUC and its programming.

 

Kind Regards,

 

Jo Malisani

Executive Director

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ANNOUNCEMENT: New Board of Directors

Posted: November 12, 2020, 11:28 PM

On Wednesday, October 28, TUC held its Annual General Meeting virtually, where an election was held for the five open directors positions to complete our 2020-2021 Board of Directors.

TUC is pleased to announce our 2020-2021 Board of Directors:

  • Chelsea Jackson, President
  • Juliet O'Farrell, Vice President
  • Colin Mattison, Secretary
  • Andrew Hunter, Treasurer
  • Patrick Russell
  • Kaity Williams
  • Sanjay Parker

We would like to take this opportunity to welcome Kaity Williams and Sanjay Parker to the Board. We also would like to thank Lindsay Earle and Wesley Gardner for their contributions to the Board and the club during their years of service!

2020-2021 Committees and Advisory Groups

Provided below is the listing of committees and advisory groups that the new board has put in place for 2020-2021. 

For more information regarding our Board of Directors and TUC committees, check out the Board of Directors page, and if you are interested in getting involved with one of these committees, please contact Jo at ed@tuc.org and the Committee Chair.

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Toronto Ultimate Club Announces Staff Reduction

Posted: October 21, 2020, 7:38 PM

The COVID-19 pandemic has created an unprecedented impact on sport around the world. Over the last six months, TUC was forced to cancel the remainder of the Winter 2020 season and offer reduced Summer and Fall outdoor offerings (first with clinics, and then with small leagues). Also, Fall Indoor and Winter Indoor are anticipated to be run at a reduced capacity (if they even go ahead, given the anticipation of further restrictions). With a vast majority of the organization’s revenues generated through league/program fees, the organization is in a challenging financial situation.

To navigate these financial challenges, TUC has used the Canadian Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS), the Canadian Emergency Business Account (CEBA), the Commercial Rent Assistance Program (CECRA), and has drawn on financial reserves. Many amateur sport organizations across Canada, Ontario and Toronto have similarly been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and while some organizations have received direct financial support through Sport Canada, and/or through their Provincial Ministry of Sport or Provincial Sporting Organization, TUC is unfortunately not eligible to receive these funds.

With the CECRA and CEWS programs winding down, uncertainty around the community's comfort level regarding return to team sports as well as public health restrictions ebbing and flowing with respect to team sports, the organization has made the difficult decision to reduce the number of permanent paid staff by 66%. The staff has been transitioning out over the past few weeks and will continue to do so till the end of October.

As we move forward, TUC will continue to work with the greater Ultimate community, as well as the general sporting community in Ontario and Toronto to support a return to play. Please continue to check the website and social media for upcoming communications.

“It is with great regret that we make this announcement today,” said Toronto Ultimate executive director Jo Malisani. “Our staff has invested so much into the growth and development of the sport and our community, and we thank them for their countless contributions.”

“With financial realities setting in and return to sport slower than anticipated, the Board of Directors had to make this difficult decision about staffing to ensure the long term viability of Toronto Ultimate Club,” said TUC president Chelsea Jackson. “Our staff are dedicated, hard-working professionals which made this decision extremely difficult. We want to extend our thanks to all our staff for their service. Your hard work and dedication have strengthened and enriched our Ultimate community."

For more information, please contact executive director Jo Malisani at ed@tuc.org.

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TUC Fall Outdoor Programs Cancelled

Posted: October 4, 2020, 12:15 PM

Good Morning Athletes, Parents and Coaches,

Over the past 3 days, the TUC staff have been watching press conferences, reading bulletins, and discussing and creating what-ifs plans regarding case numbers and infection rates.

We’ve set up our own evaluation system to determine whether we feel comfortable running, and unfortunately, we have surpassed those thresholds. While the City of Toronto has not banned outdoor sports, we know that Toronto Public Health has ceased contact tracing in light of overwhelming case counts. Toronto's Medical Officer of Health, Dr. DeVilla, has also recommended “as much as possible that we only consider leaving our homes for essential activities.”

In our eyes, running an ultimate program is not a risk we’re willing to take when the public health system is strained, and the health of so many people is on the line.

We’ve also had a number of parents and coaches inform us they would not be able to attend today (while the weather has not been a significant factor in our decision, it has likely been a consideration for many who have already opted out of today’s programs).

In light of all of the above, we are making the difficult decision to cancel today’s session.

This will unfortunately conclude our Fall Outdoor season. It’s not the way we wanted it to end, but, given the summer that we had, it was a tremendous joy to get out and see everyone enjoying the sport over the past 3 weekends.

I want to thank all of you for trusting us to make ultimate as safe as possible under these conditions, and an extra big thanks to all of our coaches who donated their time, and took the brave steps back onto the field to make these programs so amazing. I can’t say enough about all of you, and I really wish we could take the field one last time so that we could give you all the big round of applause you deserve.

Because this was not a mandated closure, but one we chose to enact ourselves, we will be automatically applying a credit of $12.50 to everyone who registered for the class. TUC has been under significant financial strain over the past 7 months, and so:

 a) if you require a refund, rather than a credit, please let us know, and we will do our best to accommodate you.

 b) If you would like to donate your credit to the club, please let us know, and we’ll mark it as such.

Once again, thank you, and we hope to see you all on the fields very soon!

Stay safe,

Jamie, on behalf of the TUC Staff

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ANNOUNCEMENT: FALL INDOOR REGISTRATION DETAILS

Posted: September 16, 2020, 3:47 PM

15 September 2020

We are excited to announce the details of our Fall Indoor League Offerings.  

But before we share that information, we wanted to thank those who participated in our latest survey regarding the Fall Indoor Season for their feedback. Based on the feedback, particularly concerning the length of the programs, which indicated you, our membership, preferred the 8-week offering to the shorter 4-week offerings, we have switched gears and will be offering 8-week programs for Fall Indoor!

We also received many questions through our latest survey about indoor spaces and protocols.  

We have spoken with our venue providers to discuss their protocols for our use of the space:

  • How many participants are allowed on the field? And who is considered a participant?
  • How are they handling multiple user groups in the same space?
  • How often is the air filtered, and completely exchanged with new fresh air?

Answers:

  • There will be dedicated entry and exit points to separate incoming and outgoing user groups at Monarch.
  • There will be 5 to 10 minutes allotted between user group end times and start times, and or staggered start times depending on the facility.
  • The number of participants (players, coaches, officials) allowed on the field will vary depending on the venue. Downsview will have a maximum of 25 and Monarch the maximum is 50. These capacity numbers include spectators (Parents, caregivers, etc.). Our venues are also recommending no spectators, and if there are spectators (parents/guardians of minors), they will be required to wear a mask per City bylaws and practice physical distancing at all times. 
  • The ventilation system, specifically at Monarch; all the air inside the dome, every 30 minutes will circulate through the furnace and filter systems. And every 3.5 hours all the air will be removed and exchanged with new fresh air. This air change rate meets the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers standards for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality for Sports Arenas and Stadiums, and significantly exceeds the standards for Educational Facilities, Office Buildings, Restaurants, Public Assembly Spaces and Retail Spaces.

 

Fall Indoor League Registration Dates

This year, for Fall Indoor, we are doing pre-registration based on a first come first serve (no payment required) basis.  Once leagues are confirmed, those in the league will receive an email and will have 48 hours to confirm their spot with payment before it becomes available to someone on the waitlist.

Registration (pre-registration) for all TUC Fall Indoor Leagues will open on Monday, September 21st at 10:00 a.m.

 

Adult League Offerings

This year, we will be offering four (4) leagues. These leagues will be small, consisting of 4 teams (or 48 individuals) in each, and as such we expect demand will be high and that we will have teams/individuals on the waitlist. We will do our best to attempt to procure additional field time to accommodate our membership on waitlists, however, no guarantees! 

Here are the leagues will be offering: 

  • Tuesday 5-on-5 High Int/Comp League @ Monarch 7pm - 9pm
  • Thursday 4-on-4 Rec/Low Int @ Monarch 8pm – 9pm
  • Thursday (5-on-5) HAT League @ Downsview 8:35pm – 11:50pm
  • Sunday Masters (5-on-5) League @ Monarch 2pm – 4pm

For more details, check out our Fall Indoor Adult League page!

 

Junior Program Offerings

This year, we will be offering 3 Junior programs. These programs will consist of up to 32 individuals per program cohort! 

We will be offering the following to our Junior Membership: 

  • Thursday U19 Program @ Monarch 7pm - 8pm
  • Sunday U12 Program @ Monarch 1pm to 2pm
  • Sunday U16 Program @ Monarch 2pm to 3pm

For more details, please check out our Juniors (Pre-Teen and Teen) pages! 

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Announcements: TUC AGM Announcement, Summer League Registrations and Fall Outdoor League Planning Information

Posted: July 31, 2020, 5:38 PM

2020 Annual General Meeting - SAVE THE DATE!!!

The Toronto Ultimate Club is pleased to announce that our Annual General Meeting will take place on Wednesday, September 30th, 2020 at 7:00 P.M. Details regarding the virtual platform we will use to host the AGM will follow in late August.

TUC Board of Directors - Call for Nominations

We are looking for individuals to join the TUC Board of Directors. We have five (5) positions on the Board of Directors open for election, and we are seeking individuals who have experience in accounting, human resources, advertising/marketing, operations/rules and or legal with a background working with non-profits.

If you wish to be considered and run for election to the Board of Directors, please submit nominations and resumes to Jo Malisani via ed@tuc.org.

Stage 2.5 Return to Play - Pick-up Event Thursday, August 6th - Registration Open Now!

We are pleased to offer our first 5v5 pick-up game of the year! It will take place on Thursday, August 6th, 2020 at Runnymede from 7:00 to 8:15 P.M.! This event will be limited to 20 participants!  

TUC Staff will be onsite to lead and guide participants through our Safe Return to Play Guidelines, as well as our Return to Play Rule Modifications.

Sign-up today!

Stage 3 Return to Play Offerings for Individuals - Summer Registration Opens August 3rd!

We know many of you are excited about the City of Toronto entering Stage 3 of the Province of Ontario's Reopening Framework today, as are we!

We are excited to announce details of our offerings for August!

We will be offering Adult Pick-up Leagues for those whose summer teams are not participating in our 4-week summer adult leagues. These Pick-up Leagues require sign-up and will be limited to 50 participants to adhere to Government Return to Play Guidelines. These leagues might be the only way to play twice per week in Ontario!

All Adult Pick-Up League registrations will open on Monday, August 3rd, 2020, at 5:00 P.M.

In addition to our Adult Pick-up offerings, we are also pleased to announce the following Junior Offerings:

More details about our Junior Summer 2020 Program can be found here.

All Junior Summer Program registrations will open on Monday, August 3rd, 2020, at 5:00 P.M.

Fall Outdoor League Plans

Lastly, we wanted to share our plans for the Fall Outdoor Season.

We anticipate that the City of Toronto will still be in Stage 3 and as such, we are planning to run a 4 to 5 week Fall Outdoor Season. We will have a week off between our summer season and our fall season so that we have a 7-day "isolation" period so that we can reset the league and change up the small groups (cohorts/pods). Please note, so of our usual outdoor venues, like Lamport, will not technically be outdoor, as they were unable to take down their domes.

We anticipate announcing our Fall Outdoor offerings in the coming weeks, and we look forward to seeing more of you on the ultimate field!

Kind Regards,
TUC Staff - Jamie, Jo, and Matt.

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Celebrating Our LGBTQ+ Community

Posted: June 17, 2020, 1:08 PM

CELEBRATING OUR LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY – IHUC’S STORY

June is Pride Month, and to celebrate TUC wanted to share stories of our LGBTQ+ community, specifically, IHUC and their teams that partake in TUC's programming and with whom TUC leadership partnered with for feedback on our Inclusion Policy.  They have graciously agreed to share their story, and we want to thank IHUC's Executive for providing us with the following article.

 

IHUC’S STORY

Submitted by IHUC Executive

IHUC exists to provide an inclusive space for the queer community to become kick-ass at ultimate frisbee while having fun and being part of a team!

Its long and storied history dates back to 2015 when it was a casual pickup “league”.  Things got serious in 2016 when the league got its first field permit, and the name was changed to IHUC (which doesn’t officially stand for anything, but unofficially stands for Incredibly Homosexual Ultimate Club).

The league is open to all players and all skill levels.  In fact, many players have no experience playing ultimate at all.  The focus is on having fun, learning the sport, and building community.  Over the past four years, queers and allies have congregated in Riverdale Park East on summer Wednesdays in what is probably the most colourful game of ultimate in Toronto. 

Part of IHUC’s success is its wonderful sponsor bar, the Old Nick on Danforth Ave.  After every game, almost the entire league can be found in the back patio meeting new friends and occasionally singing along to Disney!

As the “sport” side of the league has grown, some IHUCers have started playing in TUC and TSSC leagues during the winter season (you may have noticed more bright coloured shirts at Monarch Park and Lamport Stadium – we have an affinity for hot pink).  As well, for the past few years several players have gone to the world’s largest (not that it’s that big) queer ultimate frisbee tournament in Las Vegas in January (part of the Sin City Classic).  The tournament has been a great way for the broader queer frisbee community to connect.

IHUC is also super excited to partner more closely with TUC, as the league grows.  We were happy to give feedback on TUC’s Inclusivity Policy earlier this year.

Because our field permit only runs until the end of July, IHUC has already made the sad decision to cancel the 2020 season.  We are all really missing the beautiful queer frisbee community, and we hope to be back on the field soon.

IHUC maintains a web presence on Facebook.  Check out our videos!

 

2020 TORONTO VIRTUAL PRIDE EVENTS

While the 2020 Toronto Pride Festival Weekend, has been cancelled, Toronto Pride has put together Virtual Pride, a series of events, including, weekly events, BIPOC programming, and a Virtual Pride Parade and Marches. Click here to see a listing of all the Virtual Pride events happening throughout June.

Egale also has a 2020 Pride Inside Guide on ways to celebrate Pride.

 

LGBTQ+ INCLUSIVITY RESOURCES

TUC has also compiled a listing of resources on ways we can support our LGBTQ+ community members through allyship and creating inclusive, safe, and brave spaces for everyone:

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IMPORTANT MESSAGE: TUC Winter Leagues Cancelled

Posted: April 8, 2020, 3:08 PM

Dear Members,

The Toronto Ultimate Club continues to monitor COVID-19 developments in Toronto, within Ontario, across Canada and around the World. We remain committed to providing you with the latest information and how it affects our events and league operations.

On Tuesday, March 31st, the Province of Ontario extended the Emergency Declaration to stop the spread of COVID-19, and the City of Toronto and Toronto Public Health also extended social distancing measures. As a result, Ontario schools remain closed until May 4th, and in Toronto, all mass events (ex. Toronto Jazz Festival, Luminato, Toronto Pride, etc.) through the end of June have been cancelled or postponed.

With this announcement, and after consultation and deliberation, we no longer have the ability to resume our Winter Leagues via extending the Winter Season into early May as we had originally hoped. While not unexpected, we regret to inform you that TUC Leadership has decided to officially cancel all of TUC's 2020 Winter Leagues.

To ensure we continue to provide our members with value for their registration fees, TUC will be issuing pro-rated credits for the April and May portion of the Winter League Fees. Please note, we are still working with our facility vendors for credits for our March payment for facility use before we can provide credit for those missed dates.  

Credits will be pro-rated as follows:

  • Monday Lamport: 2 missed dates out of 10-week season (20% refund of fee),
  • Tuesday: 5 missed dates out of a 14-week season (35% refund of fee),
  • Wednesday: 6 missed dates out of a 14-week season (43% refund of fee),
  • Thursday: 6 missed dates out of a 14-week season (43% refund of fee),
  • Sunday: 4 missed dates out of 12-week season (33% of refund of fee).

Credits will be issued as follows:

  • For Team Registration Fees, the credit will be applied to the team captain's Zuluru profile.
  • For Individual Registration Fees, the credit will be applied to your personal Zuluru profile.

Please note that these credits will be issued in mid-April.

TUC will not be issuing cash refunds.  

TUC is a not-for-profit, and our revenue generation is through membership and league fees. Not-for-profit models are designed to break-even year-over-year, and as we have communicated out over the past 18 months, we have been running at a deficit and leveraging the field fund to cover the deficit. Strides have been made in the last 18 months to reduce the deficit through increasing league fees to have leagues run cost-neutral, however, we are still in the transition phase towards reducing this operational deficit. Without revenue, our business operations cannot be maintained to provide services to the club (liaising with venues to get the league going when we resume play, scheduling and maintaining our online presence and community during this break in play, etc.).

TUC Leadership is sensitive to the unprecedented times we are in, and ask that if your circumstances are extenuating, that you reach out to us and we will work with you on a case by case basis.

Lastly, we have such a unique community built by each and every one of our valued members.  It is hard times like these that call on the strength of community to pull us all through.  If players and teams wish to help support the club and fellow membes, they can e-mail back their credit as a donation to help support TUC during this difficult time so that we may continue to enjoy ultimate in Toronto once we get through this unprecedented situation.  If this is something you would like to do, please send us a message at adults@tuc.org. 

Though the indoor season is over, we are still very hopeful that we will be able to play outdoors come summer! We will continue to provide information on our summer plans as it becomes available.

Thank you all for your kindness and support. 

We look forward to taking the fields together again soon!

TUC Leadership

 
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