The Latest
FALL 2026 REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!
Elementary School
For any 4th and 5th graders. We welcome all local elementary schools to learn about and play ultimate. CHS Ultimate is offering a new learn-to-play series on Friday afternoons 4 – 5:45 for all genders. The fee is $25 and includes a free frisbee.
Middle School
Boys/Open:
For rising 6th – 8th graders. We welcome both new and returning players to join us this fall! This is open to players in the 6th through 8th grades and we welcome all genders and gender identities. The skill range is broad, but this is not the best for complete beginners. Our travel team will participate in several New Jersey area tournaments and we may travel farther.
Girls/Non-binary – “Glitter”:
For rising 6th – 8th graders. We welcome both new and returning players to join us this fall! CHS Ultimate is again offering a learn-to-play series on Wednesday afternoons for Gxrl and Non-Binary players. There is no charge to players and all skill levels are welcome.
High School
Girls/Non-binary – “Sparkle Motion”:
For rising 8th – 12th graders. We welcome new and returning players to Sparkle Motion, our a competitive program for high school girls and non-binary players. Sparkle Motion has consistently been one of the top teams in New Jersey, winning the state championship for the last five years. Registration is free, and dues are $210 for fall. This will only billed at the end of September for those who commit to the fall season. Low risk. Give it a try!
Boys/Open:
For rising 9th – 12th graders. We welcome both new and returning players to join us this fall! We anticipate fielding three teams: two competitive teams (Varsity and JV) and a developmental team (68s). Interest in the program continues to grow, and we expect a large number of players competing for a limited number of roster spots. As a result, tryouts will be competitive.Placement on Varsity and JV is based on performance, commitment, and team needs. While experience with the program can be valuable, roster spots are earned each season and are not guaranteed based on grade level or prior team placement.
2025-2026 Season
Video created by Jessica Gidal with footage from Welcometothelot.com and USA Ultimate.
NEWS
CHS Ultimate Wins State Championship in Thrilling Universe-Point Finish
The Columbia High School Varsity Ultimate team captured the 2026 New Jersey State Championship on May 29, defeating Westfield 13-12 in a dramatic final at Underhill Sports Complex in Maplewood on May 29. The championship game – a collaboration between CHS Ultimate Frisbee, the Delaware Valley Youth Ultimate League (DEVYL), and the Columbia High School Athletics Department – was hosted in the birthplace of Ultimate, bringing the state’s top event home to Columbia’s historic field. The title game’s return to Maplewood carried special significance for Columbia and the broader community, whose students are credited with inventing the sport in 1968.
Columbia High Ultimate Frisbee Earns National Invite
In recognition of their performance and season-long excellence, the Columbia High School Boys Varsity Frisbee team has been officially invited to compete at the 8th Annual High School National Invite (HSNI), hosted by Ultiworld and Competitive Ultimate Training (CUT). The tournament will take place June 12–13, 2026, at Pioneer Sports Park in Salem, Oregon, bringing together the top high school teams from across the country.
CHS Ultimate Celebrates Founders Day 2025
More than 250 players, alumni, families and fans braved colder than normal fall weather last week to celebrate Ultimate Founders Day 2025—officially recognized by both South Orange and Maplewood as the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
The annual event, held this year on November 29, 2025, 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.
CHS Ultimate Alumni Featured on NBC’s Today Show!
Ultimate Frisbee pioneers and CHS alumni Joe Barbanel and Ed Summers—both members of the Ultimate Hall of Fame two of the “Johnny Appleseeds” of ultimate—were recently featured on NBC’s Today Show with correspondent Sam Brock.
In the segment, Joe and Ed took to the field to share the story of Ultimate’s roots in Maplewood and showcase why the sport continues to resonate with players of all ages. What began as something of a lark in 1968 has grown into a global sport played by millions worldwide—and Joe and Ed are still lacing up and playing every week!
As Seen in the NY TIMES: The Parking Lot Frisbee Game That Started in 1968 Is Still Going Strong
In the New Jersey parking lot where high school students invented Ultimate Frisbee nearly 60 years ago, some of the original players are still throwing the disc every week.
Sparkle Motion Receives Special Commendation from Essex County Commissioners
The Sparkle Motion girls’ and non-binary ultimate frisbee team from Columbia High School was honored on Wednesday, June 11, with a special commendation from Essex County Commissioner A’Dorian Murray-Thomas at the Essex County Hall of Records in Newark. The award recognized Sparkle Motion’s outstanding achievement in winning the New Jersey state championship for four consecutive years (2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025).
CHS Ultimate Frisbee Receives a Grant from The Maplewood Foundation
We’re excited to announce that CHS Ultimate have been awarded a $5,000 program grant from The Maplewood Foundation. The generous grant will support all of CHS Ultimate’s middle school and high school programs, which are serving over 250 kids from our neighborhoods. We at CHS Ultimate are incredibly proud not only to maintain a strong connection to the birthplace of the sport, but also to continue to cultivate young leaders through the Spirit of the Game.
CHS Ultimate Alum, Marques Brownlee on NBC News
The internet’s favorite tech reviewer is also an elite ultimate frisbee player. YouTube star Marques Brownlee, with nearly 20 million subscribers, will play for Team USA at this week’s 2024 World Ultimate Championships.
The disc was badly thrown, and Jack Hatchett knew it the second it left his fingertips.
Playing for the New York PoNY in the 2022 World Ultimate Club Championships, he described his pass from midfield as “a million feet in the air.” The disc hung there for nearly 10 seconds before it made its descent into the end zone. Three players — two for Japan’s Buzz Bullets and one for PoNY — jumped at the same time. …
About us
inclusive sport for all
students
Ultimate is an inclusive sport for all students where they can grow in athletic skill, promote good sportsmanship, forge friendships and build character, through positive encouragement with respect for all players.
Our mission is to continue the legacy of the Columbia High School Alumni who founded the sport of Ultimate in 1968, by promoting the sport, teaching, training, and raising the necessary funding to compete in USA Ultimate-Sanctioned tournaments in and out of state while continually demonstrating “Spirit of the Game”.
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