MAPLEWOOD — More than 250 players, alumni, families, and fans braved the crisp fall weather on Saturday, Nov. 29, to celebrate Ultimate Founders Day 2025—officially recognized by both South Orange and Maplewood as the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
The annual event honors the creation of Ultimate Frisbee, invented locally in 1968 by three Columbia High School students, and celebrates the sport’s lasting legacy in the community.
This year’s gathering welcomed five original CHS Ultimate pioneers: Paul Schindel, Jan Russak, Ed Summers, Joe Barbanel, and Geoff West, who traveled from as far as Arizona to reunite with today’s generation of players. West quipped in his sign up form, “I want Marques or Nuñez to teach me how to flick!” Marques Brownlee, the CHS alum, World Champion, and internationally recognized tech creator and pro coach and CHS alum Anthony Nuñez, headlined the day’s youth clinic.
The celebration began at 9:30 a.m. with a youth clinic for athletes ages 11–18. More than 50 participants trained under legendary coach Anthony Nuñez and an elite roster of athletes, including:
Marques Brownlee — Pro player, World Champion, Tech creator
Dexter Clyburn — U24 World Champion, 2025 Callahan Award winner
Nikki Hair — Pro player, NY Gridlock
Sydney Mannion — U20 World Champion
Molly Sandler — Pro player
Tristan Yarter — Pro player, U24 World Champion, 2025 Callahan Award nominee
Skylar Yarter — Coach, 2025 Donovan Award nominee
Following the clinic, alumni spanning five decades returned to face off in the traditional Alumni vs. Current Players game. The 90-minute match—accompanied by music from DJ Lou Smith and colorful play-by-play announcing from CHS competition chair, Jason Weinstein—ended with the alumni squad victorious, approximately 21–9.
Trophies for G.O.A.T. (Greatest of All Time) were awarded to standout performers for each “Defender of Women” (DoW) and “Defender of Men” (DoM):
Varsity Team
DoW G.O.A.T.: Lillian Pankow
DoM G.O.A.T.: Simon Collins-Siegel
Alumni Team
DoW G.O.A.T.: Irene Chen
DoM G.O.A.T.: Jason Cooney
Following the ceremony, players formed a unified spirit circle—honoring Ultimate’s foundational values of sportsmanship and respect—before gathering for a group photo.
Community Hat Tournament Welcomed Players From Across the Region
The festivities continued throughout the afternoon with a public hat tournament organized by CHS Open Coach and alum Sean Lorre. The event drew players from across New Jersey and beyond, including Montclair, Hoboken, Closter, Philadelphia, Jersey City, Milltown, Livingston, East Brunswick, and Somerville.
The day concluded with a relaxed beer-and-pizza gathering hosted by Alumni Coordinator Thomas Coutinho at Pallet Brewery, giving alumni and community members an opportunity to reconnect and celebrate the shared history of this homegrown sport.
After the game, organizers caught up with Paul Schindel, CHS Class of 1973. Schindel played Ultimate from 1970–1973 and served as the team’s General Manager in 1972–73, coordinating competitions across New Jersey and beyond.
Schindel grew up on Richmond Avenue and was part of the influential Richmond Avenue Gang (“The RAG”), the group that followed the original founders and helped transition Ultimate from a casual pastime into a nationally recognized sport. The RAG included Larry Schindel, Paul Schindel, Ira Kalb, Ed Summers, Robert Evans, and others.
Larry Schindel, the team’s GM beginning in 1970, wrote thousands of letters to schools and colleges, circulating official rules and encouraging competitive play. He later founded the Washington Area Frisbee Club and, alongside Paul, ran the Smithsonian Frisbee Festival—later the National Frisbee Festival—from 1977 to about 1986.
Larry Schindel and Irv Kalb were inducted into the inaugural class of the Ultimate Hall of Fame in 2004, and again in 2014 with the other “Johnny Appleseeds.”
CHS Ultimate Frisbee is a volunteer-run nonprofit serving nearly 200 youth annually in Maplewood and South Orange. The organization is committed to supporting youth development, community building, and the Spirit of the Game through inclusive programs for players of all ages and skill levels.
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