Clemson University has partnered with USA Ultimate, the national governing body for the sport of ultimate in the United States, on a study looking to increase participation of young female athletes in ultimate beginning later this spring. Ultimate is a non-contact, self-refereed team sport that uses a flying disc.
The study will be led by Clemson University’s athletic leadership program in the Department of Educational and Organizational Leadership Development in the College of Education. The study will provide insights and outcomes to help address a nationwide concern with female participation in ultimate, which has declined since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Coinciding with the launch of the study is National Girls & Women in Sports Day, an annual movement celebrated February 5 to honor the achievements of girls and women — student-athletes, champion athletes, coaches, administrators, lawmakers — in sport. By partnering with Clemson and funding this study, USA Ultimate shows that providing access for girls and women in their sport is a priority.
Clemson has experience with women’s ultimate already, fielding a club women’s team, the Tiger Lilies, where girls and women of all skill levels join as students.
“It’s been great seeing media exposure and coverage increasing for women’s sports,” former club member Sarah Helms said, “because I think it’s important for young girls to see athletes like Simone Biles, Caitlin Clark and Serena Williams achieving amazing things, hopefully inspiring them that they can reach their goals too. Even if not aspiring to be the next Olympian, there is a strong correlation between women in leadership positions and having played sports in their youth.”
The collaboration
“With local organizers expressing concern over the recent stagnation — or in some cases, a decline — in girls’ participation, USA Ultimate is excited to work alongside Clemson to perform the research needed to better understand the root causes,” said Dan Raabe, director of youth programs for USA Ultimate. “In approaching Clemson last fall, we hoped to identify issues so that we could evaluate and implement actionable solutions at the programmatic level in order to reignite and stimulate the growth of girls’ ultimate.”
“In recent years, we have seen increased interest in women’s sport and women’s sports participation,” Clemson Associate Professor and Faculty Investigator Sarah Stokowski said. “Clemson’s Robert H. Brooks Sports Science Institute has research fellows who study women’s sports and have an understanding of this population. I’m excited to see how we can take work that we’ve done with other athlete populations and apply such principles to ultimate.”
The study will be conducted in two parts, going into the Fall Semester. In the spring, faculty will engage in a social issues class. In the fall, a research methods class will assist with the investigation, culminating in recommendations to increase female participation in ultimate.
“A partnership between Clemson and USA Ultimate offers an exciting opportunity to explore what motivates women and girls to participate in ultimate, providing insights to foster inclusivity and grow the sport,” Stokowski added.
The investigation will identify current and former participants, build and send surveys, conduct interviews and make programmatic recommendations to increase participation at a national level.
John DesJardins, professor of bioengineering and interim director of the Robert H. Brooks Sports Science Institute commented, “We are honored to receive this funding from USA Ultimate. Through this partnership and matching funding from RHBSSI, we are excited to enable this important research by our Clemson faculty.”
About Athletic Leadership at Clemson University
The athletic leadership program within the Department of Educational and Organizational Leadership Development at Clemson University offers an online Master’s, online certificate and undergraduate minor in athletic leadership. The Department is recognized for excellence across the nation, focusing on developing educational and organizational leaders using high-quality research, teaching and outreach. They prepare future student affairs personnel, higher education professionals, P-12 educators and other organizational leaders to expand the talents and performances of individuals and organizations in ways that enhance their capacity to make a difference, including in sports.
About USA Ultimate
USA Ultimate is a member of the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee and serves as the official national governing body of the sport of Ultimate in the United States. The nonprofit membership organization governs aspects of the sport in the United States and hosts major events annually. Founded in 1979, USA Ultimate is the largest flying disc organization in the world, and is proud of the sport’s heritage and continued practice of being self-officiated.
About the Robert H. Brooks Sports Science Institute
The mission of the Robert H. Brooks Sports Science Institute at Clemson University is to support and promote the work of Clemson faculty, students and staff towards enhancing the athletic experience in mind, body and place. Founded in the mid-1900s by Robert Howell Brooks, a man whose philanthropy and love of Clemson University inspired him to give generously to his alma mater, the Institute offers funding and growth opportunities for Clemson personnel engaged in the academic pursuit of sport.
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