CHS Ultimate Celebrates Founders Day 2025 with Community and Competition

On November 29, 2025, over 250 players, alumni, families, and fans gathered at Underhill Sports Complex in Maplewood to celebrate CHS Ultimate Founders Day.

 

This annual event commemorates the invention of Ultimate Frisbee in 1968 by three Columbia High School students and highlights the sport's enduring legacy in the community.

 

Five original CHS Ultimate pioneers—Paul Schindel, Jan Russak, Ed Summers, Joe Barbanel, and Geoff West—traveled from as far as Arizona to reunite with today's generation of players.

 

West humorously noted, "I want Marques or Nuñez to teach me how to flick!"

 

Marques Brownlee, a CHS alum, World Champion, and renowned tech creator, along with CHS alum Anthony Nuñez, headlined the day's youth clinic.

 

The celebration began at 9:30 a.m. with a youth clinic for athletes aged 11–18.

 

Over 50 participants trained under esteemed 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 faced off against current players in the traditional Alumni vs. Current Players game.

 

The 90-minute match, accompanied by music from DJ Lou Smith and lively commentary from CHS competition chair Jason Weinstein, concluded with the alumni squad victorious, approximately 21–9.

 

Professional photographer Jennifer Voce-Nelson, official photographer for the New York Gridlock, documented the matches and generously shared her photos, which are available for purchase.

 

Trophies for G.O.A.T. (Greatest of All Time) were awarded to standout performers:

 

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

 

After the ceremony, players formed a unified spirit circle, honoring Ultimate's foundational values of sportsmanship and respect, before gathering for a group photo.

 

The festivities continued 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, providing 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 tireless 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."

 

Spectacular images from the day—shot by Jennifer Voce-Nelson, official photographer of the NY Gridlock—are now available for purchase.

 

Her work captures the energy, camaraderie, and spirit of the event.

 

CHS Ultimate Frisbee is a volunteer-run nonprofit serving nearly 200 youth annually in South Orange and Maplewood—the birthplace of Ultimate Frisbee.

 

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.