When vision and means meet, a dynamic story unfolds. Sun Ultimate Frisbee, a 501(c)(3) organization established an endowed scholarship in February 2018 through the Truman State University Foundation, and their story strongly portrays this dynamism.
The vision began when a group of alumni friends gathered over a meal. The peers developed a friendship during the early 2000s while participating on the men’s (JujiTSU) and women’s (TSUnami) ultimate frisbee teams. The group saw a need for an organizing body of college-level ultimate frisbee tournaments. Soon after, Sensei Ultimate was born, which was later renamed Sun Ultimate Frisbee.
Glory Days is the non-profit’s signature event, and 2018 will mark its 13th consecutive year.
“It’s a fall-season – recruitment season – tournament aimed at providing college teams the type of experience that gets their newcomers out on the road, gelling with their new teammates and participating in an ultimate tournament they’ll not soon forget,” Bret Gramlich (’06) said.
Participants frequently quote the event as their favorite or most memorable tournament of the year. Glory Days averages about 50 collegiate teams, or around 1,000 athletes, in both open and women’s divisions, and is usually located around the Chicago area. The tournament is typically organized in the months before by a handful of alumni, but to properly host the event around a dozen more alumni – and family – attend to help during the tournament weekend.
“Now that many of us are participating in coaching our kids’ and neighbors’ athletic experiences, drawing upon our memories of the past only continues to increase in value,” Gramlich said. “So now, in a variety of ways, we’re simply trying to help as many others as possible become better people through sport.”
The Sensei Alumni Ultimate Frisbee Endowed Scholarship is designated to support students participating on either the men’s or women’s ultimate frisbee team with financial need who demonstrate leadership, inclusion, sportsmanship, selflessness and player/team development.
The non-profit was recognized during the spring Foundation Banquet on Truman’s campus for their generosity and induction into the John R. Kirk Memorial Society. Once the fund generates sufficient earnings on the principal, the scholarship will open for applications.
