Cross Creek Gets the Ultimate Experience
Cross Creek Charter Academy had the opportunity to host a coaches training session that featured a special guest for the flying disc game known as “ultimate.”
Coaches and players from throughout Grand Rapids listened to coaching theories and ways to get players mentally and visually prepared beyond the Xs and Os from coach Valerio Iani, who has spent 25 years coaching kids and adults in the U.S., Italy, and Spain.
“It was a really cool experience to hear somebody who nearly won the world championship as a coach, to come teach our coaches how to coach better,” said Brad Agee, Cross Creek’s achievement and behavior support specialist and athletic director. “I think we picked up a Frisbee for an hour total of the whole time."
Iani is the coach of Belgium’s U24 National Ultimate Team that took the silver medal at the World Championships this year. He also started OAK Ultimate (U17 and U20 teams) that made it to the finals at Youth Nationals last summer in Colorado, in which Agee’s high school team from Grand Rapids also participated.
Iani stressed the importance of connecting participation, progression, and performance for players at every ability level to maximize their growth individually and as a team. Coaches and players who took in Iani’s knowledge included those from:
- Cross Creek Charter Academy
- Walker Charter Academy
- Vanguard Charter Academy
- West Michigan Aviation Academy
- West Michigan Academy of Environmental Science
- Grandville
- Hudsonville
- Davenport
- Catholic Central
- Calvin University
- Forest Hills Northern
Agee, who has played ultimate for 25 years, said about 300 kids from National Heritage Academies (NHA) schools play in a club league on Friday nights. As students at Cross Creek either discover or continue to develop their skills in the sport, he hopes it will open them up a community that has given him friends and teammates across the country.
“This was a great opportunity for Cross Creek to improve our experience and skills in ultimate,” Agee said. “My hope is that this will trickle down to many students in our building to develop their skills in ultimate that will carry on to other aspects of their sporting careers.”