The BreakSide Podcast

Marking the 52nd episode of the BreakSide, one year's worth of new faces from around the world sharing their stories! Host of the BreakSide, David Adamitis shares his story with ultimate frisbee, begining in a small way in high school and then taking off at Ave Maria University. The BreakSide podcast was started shortly after graduating college in 2023 alongside Garrett. There has been such a joy in providing this platform for athletes to share their own joy and struggles, ups and downs with this sport! Thank you to all the fans over this past year! Your support has been incredible and truly felt! Check out the BreakSide Podcast on Instagram @breakside_podcast. Leave a review and comment

Introducing Derek Mourad of the Seattle Cascades and the mixed club team BFG. It maybe hard to find someone who is more determind to give everything in this sport then Derek. Derek Mourad is a name you want to keep an eye on this UFA season! Derek was first exposed to Frisbee when he a little kid by his dad and ever since he has dreamed of playing at the highest levels! This season he have been a major handler force for the Cascades, going 35-35 in a recent game. In addition, he was a key contributor on BFG and their bronze medal run in 2023 at Club Nationals! Check out the BreakSide Podcast on Instagram @breakside_podcast. Leave a review and comment

A big welcome back to Garrett Hallinan, making his second interview appearance on the BreakSide. Garrett is fresh off of playing a 5th season for Ave Maria University, this year as an MBA student. He breaks down the discipline and self sacrifice needed to put the team first and play at a high level! Garrett's college frisbee career can be characterized as one of giving. He has excelled no matter what role he plays on and off the field! Garrett has been instrumental in the growth of the BreakSide, helping start the podcast as a cohost. He now regularly appears as a cohost of the At the Whiteboard segments. The BreakSide would not be anything close to what it is today without the support of Garrett.

Introducing Aiden Landis from the University of Pittsburgh, where he captains their team En Sabah Nur. Aiden is currently finishing his Masters and his sixth year playing college frisbee. After winning their conference tourament, he leads his team to Regionals on May 4-5 where they fight for a chance to earn a bid to D1 College Nationals! Tune in as Aiden dives into what makes Pitt Ultimate, the blend of experience yet also allowing room for the development of new players and the future of the program! Check out the BreakSide Podcast on Instagram @breakside_podcast. Leave a review and comment

Introducing Drew Shepard, head coach of the Indianapolis Alleycats. Drew used to play for the Alleycats back in their very first season in 2012; he is now entering his 2nd season as head coach! Last season the Alleycats improved to a 9-3 record, Drew looks to build on that success this season. As the preseason and training camps come to a close the new focus is on the beginning of the season. Drew dives into the ins and outs of all the prep that goes into this process from a player and coaches standpoint. Drew is a well rounded coach, who understands his strengths and weaknesses, allows for a balanced coaching staff, and looks to make this team and its players holistically better. Check out the BreakSide Podcast on Instagram @breakside_podcast. Leave a review and comment

Introducing Kaela Helton, a star in the Western Ultimate League, playing for the San Diego SuperBloom. She is the league's back to back MVP, winning the award in both 2022 and 2023. This season she has helped lead her team to a hot start! Kaela thrives in an environment of hard work, commitment, and most importantly mutal trust between players and coaches. This is clearly shown not only in her efforts as a player but also as a coach. She is a major component of the coaching staff for the UFA team the San Diego Growlers and runs youth frisbee camps. Check out the BreakSide Podcast on Instagram @breakside_podcast. Leave a review and comment

A big welcome to Anthony Nuñez, head coach of the most dominate team in the UFA, the NY Empire. Anthony is entering his 4th season as coach of the Empire. He first experienced frisbee back in Maplewood, NJ, the birthplace of Ultimate when he was 14 years old. Since then it has remained a major part of his life. Whether he is coaching youth, college, club, or UFA, Anthony has loved his role of service and mentorship, and always gives of himself completely in his role. As the 2024 UFA season quickly approaches, tune in to hear Anthony discuss how the UFA look to take on new challenges, to set records, and become the best version that the team can be. Check out the BreakSide Podcast on Instagram @breakside_podcast. Leave a review and comment

Introducing Bradley and Ethan Phillips, the co-captains of the University of Central Florida's frisbee team, the Dogs of War. The Dogs of War are fresh off of winning the D1 Tally Classic. This victory has produced a level of confidence that the team is in the condition at the right time, as the college scene if fast approaching sectionals and regionals. Brad and Ethan breakdown the highs and lows of this season as well as going indepth in their comeback tourament victory. This team is definitely a team to watch as the season is quickly coming to a close! Check out the BreakSide Podcast on Instagram @breakside_podcast. Leave a review and comment

Introducing James Pollard, star of the Philadelphia Phoenix. James shares extensively on what is special about the Phoenix. Simply put it is a culture of service. James and the Phoenix are incredibly committed to the community of Philly and at large. Whether that is running youth camps, being role models, or James coaching college Frisbee. Their goal is to see this sport grow in the right way. Tune in, also, as James shares all the hard work and effort that goes into prepareing for the begining of season. Just a few weeks out from the start of the 2024 season, James takes this challenge head on! Check out the BreakSide Podcast on Instagram @breakside_podcast. Leave a review and comment.

Introducing Jack Stephenson a senior and captain playing for the team Jojah from the University of Georgia. Jack and Jojah are fresh off of winning D1 Florida Warmup as well as finishing 2nd at the Smokey Mountain Invitational. Tune in, as Jack dives into what makes the team at UGA click, their practices, mentality, game readiness, and so much more! Jojah is a prime example of a team that works hard and strives for excellence on and off the field. Jack continues to pour himself into this group, seeking to bring home the orgnizations first National championship! Check out the BreakSide Podcast on Instagram @breakside_podcast. Leave a review and comment.

Welcome to At the WhiteBoard, where David and Garrett break down different of elements of the Ultimate Frisbee experience. This episode covers the topics of Hex Offense and Flex Defense, two less common frisbee schemes. David and Garrett share how these formations have the potential to elevate a team's play! Make sure to give this podcast a follow and a review. Also, check us out on Instagram at breakside_podcast.

The creator of Ulti_breakdowns, Tim Barzcak, joins the podcast this week to share the power of analyzing film. Film is one of the greatest tools in growing one's frisbee game. Yet it can also be challenging in how to view it through an educational and growth mindset. Tim discusses how one can truly grow through this powerful asset. He also shares the fruits of it in his own personal game as well how it has benefited the team he coaches. Make sure you check out @ulti_breakdowns on instagram and Youtube! Tim has posted many great clips that any level player can learn from! Check out the BreakSide Podcast on Instagram @breakside_podcast. Leave a review and comment.

A big welcome to Sam Murphy from across the pond. He is one of the best Ultimate Frisbee players in Ireland and was ranked in the top 15 in Europe in 2023 by Ultiworld. Sam has been with his Dublin based team, Ranelagh, since 2016. He is known for helping lead this team from a small local Irish team to one that challenges for the European Ultimate Championships. He brought home Gold at that tourament in 2022, winning tourament MVP and Offense Player of the Year. He has traveled across Europe and North America playing and learning this great sport, offering a fantastic insight into what it means to have a good community and to work hard. Check out the BreakSide Podcast on Instagram @breakside_podcast. Leave a review and comment.

A big welcome to Dena Elimelech, a star in the Western Ultimate League, playing for the San Diego Super Bloom. Not only that, she is a D1 college champion and a 2x Team USA Gold medalist. She was ranked in the top 10 for female matching players by Utliworld. Tune in as Dena shares the importance of role models in sports. She is now beyond grateful to be playing with some of her own role models and has reached a point where she has become one in turn. Dena takes on the next challenges in frisbee as she prepares for the up coming season of WUL and being a college coach. Check out the BreakSide Podcast on Instagram @breakside_podcast. Leave a review and comment.

Introducing Isaac Kaplan from the University of Massachusetts, team captain on his team, ZooDisc. Isaac's story is one resilience! In the begining of his college career he got cut from the team. Now he has help lead the team from being unable to qaulify for USAU Nationals to the 2023 runners-up at the USAU championships! Tune in to hear how Isaac has had an impact on this team, and learn what types of things helped turn this team around! This 2024 season, the goal is not to be tied down with expectations and to compete for a National title! Check out the BreakSide Podcast on Instagram @breakside_podcast. Leave a review and comment.

Introducing Jacques Nissen a USAU champion with Truckstop and a U24 world champion for Team USA. He currently plays for Brown University. Tune in for a deep dive into Jacques current frisbee goals playing with Brownian Motion. Fresh of the Florida Warm-up, Jacques shares where the team is now and what it will take it bring home the hardware this spring at College Nationals. Brown University is truly one of the best programs in the country, and Jacques is great example of the hard work and dedication that is associated with his team. Check out the BreakSide Podcast on Instagram @breakside_podcast. Leave a review and comment.

Introducing Pawel Janas, who currently leads the UFA win assists with 463 thrown! He is a dominate force on the field, whether playing for the LA Aviators or Chicago Machine! Pawel shares his story from the very beginning when he was first introduced to frisbee to prepping for this upcoming season, and everything in between. This is a story of continuously seeking excellence and of making an impact! Check out the BreakSide Podcast on Instagram @breakside_podcast. Leave a review and comment.

Rowan McDonell! Team USA gold medalist, USAU Club champion with Truckstop, the man who can throw the disc in any number of ways! Tune in to hear about Rowan's most recent travels around the world promoting Ultimate Frisbee! Whether he is putting on training camps in China, working with athletes using Excel Ultimate, helping lead the DC Breeze, posting Youtube vidoes, or sharing his vast knowledge on his podcast, One Throw At a Time, Rowan is this sports ultimate ambassador. Check out the BreakSide Podcast on Instagram @breakside_podcast. Leave a review and comment.

A big welcome to Kevin Quinlan of the Montreal Royals, tied #2 all time in assists! Kevin is gearing up for his 12th season with the Royals. He is a strong vetran presence on the team, leading theteam in assists, completions, and games played. Tune in for a dive into the team that won the Canada Cup! One of Kevin's main goal is to be a leader for the young guys on the team, as they seek to put together some good wins this upcoming season. And of course, we have to hear about the AUDL's rebrand to the UFA! Check out the BreakSide Podcast on Instagram @breakside_podcast. Leave a review and comment.

Welcome to At the WhiteBoard, where David and Garrett break down different of elements of the Ultimate Frisbee experience. This episode covers the topic of Spirit of the Game. This is a critical element of what makes Ultimate special. David and Garret break down such things as refs vs observers, players making their own calls, leaving everything on the field, and the role of captains and coaches. Tune in to hear some great take away that you can bring back to your team! Make sure to give this podcast a follow and a review. Also, check us out on Instagram at breakside_podcast.

This episode's guest is Kip Curtis, former AUDL Alleycats player and now head of the University of Missouri's ultimate frisbee team! Kip's team is gearing up for an exicting action packed spring semester. The goal of which is to earn a bid to nationals! The team will be traveling around the country, not only battling against stiff competition but also against a "poverty of imagination". Kip's goal is to create players that become the best version of themselves. Check out the BreakSide Podcast on Instagram @breakside_podcast. Leave a review and comment.

Welcome to At the WhiteBoard, where David and Garrett break down different of elements of the Ultimate Frisbee experience. This episode covers college frisbee, specifically looking the major differences between the fall and springs semesters and the different emphasis that should placed on each. Tune in to hear some great take away that you can bring back to your team! Make sure to give this podcast a follow and a review. Also, check us out on Instagram at breakside_podcast.

Introducing Anthony Gutowsky from storied AUDL team the Madison Radicals. Anthony was a rookie sensation this past season, leading his team in goals scored and in receiving yards! He was honored with his name on the AUDL 2nd team All Rookie. Tune in to hear about the elements that make Madison one of the most difficult stadiums to play in for visiting teams. This franchise is one of the special in the AUDL. Anthony shares how exicting it is to play in one of the most electric Ultimate Frisbee hubs in the nation! Check out the BreakSide Podcast on Instagram @breakside_podcast. Give the podcast a follow and a review!

Introducing one of the smoothest handlers in the USAU D3 Southeast Region, Connor Rigby. Connor is a Junior at Union University in Tennessee, where he is the captain of their Ultimate Frisbee team, Jaxx. Hear about one of the friendliest teams in the nation. Connor shares how this unique characteristic propels his team towards success. Connor hopes to lead his team to earning a Nationals bid, this will surely lead to epic matchs up with other strong D3 teams in the region, Ave Maria and Berry College. Make sure you give the podcast a follow and a review. Also, check us out on instagram @breakside_podcast

Welcome to At the WhiteBoard, where David and Garrett break down different of elements of the Ultimate Frisbee experience. This episode covers the topic of the Redzone. Simply put, if you cannot operated in the redzone you will not win a game. What to become the best you can in the endzone? This episode shares some tips and strategies that will elevate your game. Make sure to give this podcast a follow and a review. Also, check us out on Instagram at breakside_podcast.

A big welcome one of the stars of the Austin Sol, Kyle Henke! He was named 2nd team All AUDL this past season and helped lead the team to an history season, making it to Championship weekend. Kyle shares the brillancy of head coach Steven Naji, how he has transformed that organization. There are big things happening in Austin; the Sol have dreams and Kyle is leading the way in accomplishing them! In addition, cheer on Kyle as he begins the try-out process for Team USA. Check out the BreakSide Podcast on Instagram @breakside_podcast

Welcome to At the WhiteBoard! The newest segment on the BreakSide Podcast, deadicated to breaking down key elements of the sport of Ultimate. This episode: Avoiding Burnout, hosts David and Garrett share how burn out can negatively effect someone playing frisbee and how one can be proactive in keeping a positive mindset. After listening to this episode, you will walk away with concrete tips on how to improve this area of your frisbee experience. Make sure to give this podcast a follow and a review. Also, check us out on Instagram at breakside_podcast.

You know him! You love him! A big welcome back to the former co-host of this podcast, Garrett Hallinan! Garrett is fresh off of coaching the fall semester at Ave Maria University, where he has helped lead the team to a 7-0 start. From his first days in college, Garrett has a been a leader in the frisbee world, from playing, captaining, and coaching. He offers a great experiences in how to build a college/club team. From practice structure, drills, culture, and community, Garrett knows know to build a successful a team! Follow the BreakSide Podcast on Instagram at breakside_podcast

A big welcome to Connor McHale of Team Great Britain! Conner was recently named the 2nd best male matching player in Europe by UltiWorld. He offers an entirely new perspective on Ultimate, unheard before on this podcast. Conner is fresh off of playing a stellar 2023 season of Ultimate, earning a bronze medal at the Worlds Beach Tournament and a silver medal with Chicago Machine at USAU Championships. In addition, he has been a lethal weapon for the London based team, Clapham. He breaks down the many battles on the field from this past year, European vs American Ultimate, and starting his own coaching program. Make sure to check out the podcast on Instagram @BreakSide_podcast

Introducing Quinn Finer, captain of the top talent USAU Club team Johnny Bravo and recently named 2nd team All AUDL for his play on the Colorado Summit. Quinn has been around the sport of Ultimate for years, reaching to the heights of competition in Club and AUDL play. Tune in to hear a recap of ups and downs of this past Club season. As well as, the growth of one of the AUDL's newest team, the Summit, and their hopes of an eventual championship! Also, make sure to check out the podcast “pod practice pod” where Quinn is a cohost. Make sure to give the BreakSide Podcast a follow on Instagram @breakside_podcast

What kind of mindset does it take to excel at the sport of Ultimate? The 2023 USAU Callahan Award Winner, Justin Burnett, answers this question. The mindset of an athlete of crucial to the success of the individual and the team. Justin also is an elite player for the team Atlanta Hustle, being named 1st Team All AUDL Defense this past season. He shares his goals for next pro season. In addition, he plays for the Club team the Nashville Shine. Justin offers a world wide expierence of Ultimate Frisbee. He has excelled at the college, club, and pro scenes and in turn offers an exciting story and fantastic advice! Check out The BreakSide on Instagram at breakside_podcast

Introducing Tulsa Douglas, your 2023 USAU Women's National Champion with Boston Brute Sqaud! Tulsa shares her experience playing Brute Sqaud, something that began when she was still in college. She shares what makes her team special and the long battle it is getting to Nationals and competing at such a high level, find a light at the end of the tunnel. Not only has she won on the Club stage but also while playing for the St. Oalf College Vortex and with the USA U24 team. She is a champion to the core!

What does it take to excel in a new environment? Be a sponge! Introducing Sam Berglund, All-AUDL rookie from the Minnesota Wind Chill, in addition to being a valuable veteran of the mixed club team Drag'n Thrust. Sam shares how one can thrive in uncomfortable and situations in Ultimate Frisbee. Keys for how one can be a high impact player for one's team. Also, Sam breaks down playing at Club National with Drag'n Thrust, rule changes in the AUDL, and keys to success on a new team.

Introducing Ben Feldman, head coach of the AUDL team Minnesota Wind Chill. Ben comes to this role with a wealth of experience and knowledge dating back over two decades in this sport. From playing Ultimate in High School, two college national championships, a U-19 World Championship, and 10 trips to the national championship weekend for USAU, and that is excluding his AUDL experience! In the AUDL, he has played for the Wind Chill before becoming General Manager, part-owner and now Head Coach since 2019! He hopes to use all this knowledge to help bring a championship to Minnesota. Tune in for this exicting episode covering everything Wind Chill!

"It takes a village", it takes a team with world class talents to produce something special. This is what the AUDL is doing! Introducing Adam Ruffner, the main man behind the AUDL's media effort over the past nine years. Adam has transformed a small start up organization's social media into a well oiled process that produces world class content. Tune into this episode to hear how the AUDL is carving their market out from the heavly staturated sports world. Adam shares about the growth that the AUDL has experienced and how they continue to grow and push boundaries.

Today on The BreakSide Podcast is Bryan Walsh of the Detriot Mechanix and Club team Omen. Bryan has been around Frisbee since 2012, playing for Whitworth University and then for the old AUDL team Cincinnati Revolution. On this episode, Bryan shares the recent highs and low of his Club team Omen, from the high of qaulifying for Nationals last year to falling short in Regionals play this year. Bryan has battled injury and a difficult schedule of also playing in the AUDL, but he continuously gets ready to play for his team. Bryan also plays for the AUDL team Detriot Mechanix. He faces difficult travel situation on a weekly basis just to ensure he can be with the team. Tune into this episode to hear what pushes Bryan to repeatly put himself through physical exhaustion for this sport.

Brett Hulsmeyer of the Atlanta Hustle received 1st Team All-AUDL honor this past season, recording 27 goals, 24 assists, 18 blocks, and the highest receiving yards on the team! He is a dominant, high impact player, no matter what side of the disc he plays. Tune in to hear Brett’s thoughts on this past season and how one can recover mentally from disappointment and see how the Atlanta Hustle continue to grind in the offseason, striving for greatness.   Brett breaks down what he believes makes a great player in the AUDL, how to push in the offseason with sights on an AUDL championship. Also, hear about what his biggest dream is in the sport of Ultimate.

What characteristics fit the model teammate? Montana Millward, Ave Maria University graduate of 2020, is the model teammate. Montana has one of the highest frisbee IQs out there. He understands the game like no other. The secret to his success? He will rerun games and plays in his head over and over again. After graduating in 2020, Montana has gone on to play for two club teams in Southwest FL, The Snowbirds and El Nino. In addition, he has helped coached the Ave Maria frisbee team in their year as a varsity sport. Tune in to hear how to overcome the heartache of leaving your college and adjusting to frisbee in the post college worlds. Montana also shares how important a team culture is and how it can make or break a team! Use code BREAKSIDE for 10% off when you purchase your own Ultipack: theultipack.com

Introducing Justin Shelby creator of Tobu Fitness. Justin comes into this episode offering a wealth of knowledge regarding specific workouts tailored for frisbee players. He offers insight on how to properly train and get your body healthy in and out of season! With a background in exercise science, he is able to provide quality content, keeping athletes healthy. Tune to learn some of Ultimate Frisbee players' biggest training mistakes and how to fix them! Also, check out Justin Shelby and Tobu Fitness on Instagram to learn fantastic tips and tools to improve your frisbee game.

Introducing Dave Woods, head coach of the AUDL team Chicago Union. This the first professional coach to be interviewed on the BreakSide Podcast, so sit back and enjoy a brand new type of content. Woods offers a wide breath of experience from playing, captaining and coaching at Missouri State, playing for Kansas City Prairie Fire and finally playing for Chicago Union before becoming Head Coach. Woods share how he challenges his team with his three Cs: competition, communication, and community. After a highly successful first couple years as head coach, the Union recently come from a down year, hear how Woods seeks to get his team ready for next year in the AUDL offseason. See how Dave Woods builds community, seeks balance between Frisbee and life, as well as how to prepare for success early on. Use code BREAKSIDE for 10% off when you purchase your own Ultipack: theultipack.com

Welcome to Oren Binnun of the Toronto Rush! He is coming off his rookie year, which saw him already have an impact on his team, leading the team in callahans. In addition, Oren has a wealth of experience playing Ultimate in other avenues, including earning himself a Canadian Club National Championship and a spot on Team Israel at Worlds! Oren offers great insight on what it means to represent a country in sports. Also, he shares how to adjust to new teams and make a strong impact. Use code BREAKSIDE for 10% off when you purchase your own Ultipack: theultipack.com

Introducing Coach Walter Ellard of the Berry College Bucks in GA, fresh off the team's 4th consecutive birth to Nationals, the longest active streak in DIII Ultimate! Walter shares what it takes to keep a team at such a high level, plans for the fall semester, and looks back at this past April and how the team overcame adversity at the Southeast Regionals. Hear Walter's great insight as he has gone from a player to a coach and how he hopes to instill in others the idea that we are made for more. Use code BREAKSIDE for 10% off when you purchase your own Ultipack: theultipack.com

Check out this week's episode with Evan Lepler: The Voice of Ultimate. He has defined the ultimate frisbee sports broadcaster and analyst role for years, working for ESPN and AUDL. Listen in as Evan shares his story on becoming involved in media through an unconventional path, along with his take on the current Ultimate Frisbee level of play and community.

Tune into this week's episode with guest Ryan Liberman cohost of "I'M OPEN: An Ultimate Podcast". Ryan shares the highs and lows of hosting a podcast, his love of the AUDL, and his hopes the growth of Ultimate Frisbee. In addition, Ryan shares his experience of helping his college team at Tulane University compete at Nationals for the first time in program history! Learn all about the great content from another Ultimate Frisbee podcast!

Introducing Sean Reischel, former Salt Lake Shred player and developer of the Ultipack. Join David and Garrett as they break down the newest product in the sport of Ultimate. Sean shares his dreams for the Ultipack, from the idea, to design, development, and now on the market. The Ultipack is truly pushing the sport in a new way! Use code BREAKSIDE for 10% off when you purchase your own Ultipack: theultipack.com

Back on the Break Side with veteran Cam Brock of the Indiana AlleyCats. Brock, in his twelfth season in the AUDL, holds the career long record for number of goals, with 576 and counting. He is a lethal cutter, with a great sense for the end zone. Tune in to hear Brock's wealth of knowledge on the sport of ultimate. A big welcome to Cameron Brock!

This episode, Garrett and David share the floor with Ryan Osgar, a member of the AUDL’s  New York Empire. Osgar, the reigning MVP of the league, is an all around player, who is specifically known for his smooth flick and ankle breaking cuts. Having just completed a 12-0 season with the Empire, Osgar shares his thoughts on the team’s mindset as they prepare for another championship run. Also in this episode, Osgar dives into the Empire’s culture, his team’s overall love for the game, and the sheer competitive nature of ultimate frisbee.

As July comes to a close, Garrett and David wrap up the month discussing frisbee with JP Duerr, a graduate student at Franciscan University of Steubenville. There, he plays for the school’s ultimate frisbee team, known as Franciscan Fatal. In this episode, JP shares his thoughts on the Ave Maria vs Franciscan matchups over the years, the success of Fatal’s program, and his goals going into his final season for Fatal Ultimate.

Recently on the Break Side, Garrett and David talk frisbee with AUDL star Jordan Kerr. He is a product of BYU’s Chi Ultimate Frisbee Team, where he won the the D-1 Men’s Player Award from UltiWorld in 2020. After graduating from BYU in 2022, Kerr joined his first AUDL team, the Oakland Spiders. Currently, Kerr plays for the Salt Lake Shred, who are at the top of the Western Division, with an 11-1 record. Tune in as Kerr shares his thoughts on the team’s mindset as they prepare for the 2023 AUDL playoffs.

This week on the Break Side, Garrett and David share the floor with Bryant Grafton, a recent Florida Gulf Coast graduate. There, he received his degree in Integrated Studies and Spanish and played five seasons with FGCU’s club frisbee team, known as the Eagles. Grafton has since made the transition to club frisbee, as he competes with El Niño based out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. A big welcome to Bryant Grafton!