Much of Heather Ann’s passion lies in coaching and she has never had a more powerful coaching experience than at Camp UP in 2016. She was so inspired by the campers, LITs, coaches, and staff at UP – it was remarkable to share and to learn from an incredible and diverse group of people. Moments of pure heartwarming joy were captured in the in betweens and truly family-like connection formed throughout camp. Since Camp UP 2016, Heather Ann has been involved in supporting the US LIT program – inspired by the passion that these young people had for UP and continuing to learn and grow as a result of their experiences at camp. She was very excited to have the Ingraham Ultimate team where she coaches in Seattle host the LITs on the UP Friendship Tour in 2017 – seeing the players connect off the field, sharing in the presentations by LITs, and watching new friendships and connections grow during the Seattle visit was just the best!
Heather Ann has coached elementary through college ultimate on both coasts, including 10 years coaching teams that have traveled to the USA Ultimate Youth Club Championships. She currently serves on the USA Ultimate Board of Directors and serves on the Equity and Diversity Working Group. Heather Ann has served in a variety of other volunteer positions including: the Atlantic Coast College Women’s Regional Coordinator, as vice president for the Triangle Youth Ultimate League, as the Regional Youth Director for the South, and as Regional Youth Director for the West. She led development of a Learn to Play elementary clinic series in the Triangle. Heather Ann coached the DiscNW U17 Girls’ YCC team for the past four years, working with the players on the team to run a number of girls’ focused clinics. Heather Ann has presented on coaching techniques and girls’ specific coaching at the Youth Ultimate Coaching Conference and RISE UP Ultimate Coaching Conference.
Heather Ann was one of founding co-chairs for the Girls’ Ultimate Movement (GUM) with Zara Cadoux and Mike Lovinguth. GUM, was a USA Ultimate initiative established in 2014 to make “dream big” ideas for girls’ ultimate come to life. Together the women, girls, advocates, and coaches passionate about this topic brainstormed ways to empower girls to have a voice, become young leaders in our community, and discover the joys of ultimate. In the last year, Heather Ann has been focused on getting more programming and support available to girls everywhere through her role as the GUM Chair. At the local level, she pilots new GUM clinics and generates ideas to develop more female role models for young girls playing our sport.
Heather Ann believes so strongly in the mission of UP – “building friendship, trust, and leadership between youth who live in communities divided by conflict, using the values-based sport of Ultimate as its tool” – it is truly a mission of love. In 2017-18, Heather Ann has been involved in a new organization called HOME. which is focused on making ultimate a home for all people through sharing and celebrating differences and is a good extension to her work with UP. She has been so inspired by the connection and community driven by the young people that she was surrounded by as a coach at Camp UP, she looks forward to returning to the incredible UP community in 2018.