Goat finished 2nd at the Chicago Heavyweight Championship this past weekend. We lost to Subzero in the finals. There are two galleries in the photo section of some pictures from the weekend.

Thanks to Keegan Uhl for permission to post these pics on the site. All photos copy write by Keegan Uhl
(http://zaps21.com/photo/frisbee.htm)

Syracuse, NY

Saturday pool play:
4 wins
0 losses

Sunday:
won Quarters
won Semis
won Finals (vs. Pheonix)

Final Ranking: 1st

SUMMER:
---------------
Cut, Syracuse June 4-5
Boston Invite June 25-26
No Borders, Ottawa July 16-17
Motown Throwdown, Detroit July 30-31
CDN Nationals, Winnipeg Aug. 11-14

FALL:
--------------
May 28 Tryout in Ottawa
June 12 Tryout in Toronto

Sept 10-11 Chicago
Sept 17-18 Sectionals (second day is a practice)
Oct 1-2 (or 8-9) Regionals
Oct 15-16 Practice Camp
Oct 27-30 Nationals Florida

* additionally there will most likely be one or two fall squad training
camps over the course of the summer – dates TBA.

Thanks to all the guys who came out and played hard all weekend for the first round of tryouts. An email has gone out today to those who are being invited to the next round of GOAT/GT tryouts.

The Next round of tryouts is by INVITATION ONLY.

May 7/8 Tryouts (by invitation only). ***Please note the new time: from 10am-2pm.

The tryout is Saturday May 7th and Sunday May 8th from 10am-2pm @ Diamond Beach fields in Etobicoke. See following link:

http://www.slopitch1.com/map/etobicoke/diamondbeach.html

Thanks for the emails asking about GOAT Tryouts for 2005. Here is the info:

Note:
Toronto will again have three men's touring teams that are committed to practice hard, play hard and develop (while obviously having a good time).   The three teams combining their efforts to develop this "farm-team" system will be:

a. GOAT : The best players in the city who are able to make the high level of commitment required to play elite level ultimate.

b. Grand Trunk : The next best players in the city. Team goals are to finish in the Top 8 at 2005 Canadian Ultimate Championships, and to compete in the UPA fall series; and

c. CorduROY : The next best players in the city. Team goals are to qualify for 2005 Canadian Ultimate Championships.

2005 Tryouts -will be split into two weekend sessions.

a. April 30th/May 1st (open tryouts).

This tryout is entirely open to anyone and everyone wanting to tour with a Toronto Men's ultimate team. The goal of this tryout will be to direct the players towards which teams their skills and abilities are most suited for.   In order to do this, a selection committee made up of a variety of GOAT, GT and ROY players, will pick a number of guys who will then be invited to tryout for GOAT/Grand Trunk ( on May 7/8 ). The remaining players will then be trying out for ROY, with the possibility of using TUT as a final cut (maybe two teams).

-This tryout is Saturday April 30th and Sunday May 1st from 10am-4pm, Location TBA.

b. May 7/8 Tryouts (by invitation only).

This tryout will consist of any players invited from the first tryout as well as all Grand Trunk 2004 players, all GOAT 2004 players and any players that GOAT may have personally invited. The goal of this tryout will be to have two teams (GOAT and GT) based on the descriptions above.   Any remaining guys not chosen among these two teams will then be guaranteed a spot on ROY and would be slotted to play in the roster(s) in TUT for ROY's final tryout cuts.

-This tryout is Saturday May 7th and Sunday May 8th from 10am-4pm @ Diamond Beach fields in Etobicoke (see following link)

http://www.slopitch1.com/map/etobicoke/diamondbeach.html

c. The number of players each team is planning on taking is not set in stone, it will be entirely based on the talent at each tryout, optimal distribution of players between the 3 teams, and other factors such as team chemistry, overall team goals and expectations.  

d. Hopefully, this will mean all 3 teams will be finalized by the second week of May (after the TUT tournament).

e. If you are not able to make the try-outs please contact the selection committee (emails listed below) to see about making alternative arrangements.

Danny - djose AT globalstar DOT com

Sam - sam.finkleman AT gmail DOT com

John - jghassell AT hotmail DOT com

Andy - aouchterlony AT hotmail DOT com

Recognizing the depth of talent in Toronto and a need develop a larger Toronto core, GOAT has merged with GT. The teams will compete as GOAT with the intention of achieving strong results in the Canadian and the American championships. Approximately 22 players will be selected from Toronto through open tryouts, with no spots held. All are welcome and encouraged to tryout. Tryout dates will be confirmed shortly, but likely will be in the first week of May. Team selection will be done by Sam Finkleman, Andrew Ouchterlony and John Hassell. Leadership will naturally spread as the summer evolves. The roster will be supplemented, in addition to the 22 player core - based on need, by out of town players who have traditionally been key contributors in GOATs success. Again all interested should get in touch with us. The team will hold intense, mandatory practices twice a week and will enter the normal summer tournaments (to be posted soon). Expect 2-3 weekends a month.

GOAT is committed supporting the strength and dept of ultimate in Toronto. The team intends to shift to become a Toronto-based team in 2006 supplemented by pick-ups for select tournaments in the summer and the fall. In 2006, there will be additional openings for a number of new Toronto players. Thus, this summer represents a transition towards consolidation in Toronto and GOAT will be working contribute more effectively to growth of ultimate in Toronto. On that vein, GOAT is or will be in contact with leaders of other Toronto teams to create a stronger system and ties for growth. The merger with GT will better unify Toronto ultimate and hopefully allow for greater connections to be made with other Toronto teams such as ROY and Joystick who both had strong showings last summer.

Traditional GOAT players from Ottawa will compete with Phoenix over the course of the summer. Later in the summer (date yet to be decided) there will be a tryout for the fall squad, to compete as GOAT but more balanced between Toronto and Ottawa. The squad of 30 players will be selected will be from (1) the rosters of Phoenix and the Toronto GOAT squad, (2) people from out of town who have ties with GOAT, and (3) any walk-on players. The fall GOAT squad will be selected again by a committee of three: Derek Alexander, DJ and John Hassell. The fall squad will hold a couple developmental camps over the summer, compete at Jazz fest and then train intensively following Canadian nationals in preparation for the fall UPA series. The arrangement with Phoenix is for one year to develop experience in both cities and make a run at the UPAs. It then sets-up the base for future city-specific teams.

The plan promises to field a vastly improved team typified by intense inter-squad competition. All interested and committed players should come out and expect to be pushed hard. The team is motivated by qualifying for Florida last summer, but not content with the overall achievements of last season. The two merges and some hunger carried over from last year will lead to strong results.

Specific dates will be posted soon.

To contact GOAT:

Sam Finkleman: sam.finkleman AT gmail DOT com
Andy Ouchterlony: aouchterlony AT hotmail DOT com
John Hassell: jghassell AT hotmail DOT com