More programs, eight new varsity teams, state leagues, more tournaments, and an increase in girls programs indicate the growth of the sport at independent day and boarding schools in the North East.

+ NEW STATE LEAGUES
+ MORE VARSITY TEAMS
+ GIRLS TEAMS
+ SECOND SEASON OF HVAL ULTIMATE
+ NEW TOURNAMENTS

+ NEW STATE LEAGUES
While BUDA's High School league is approaching its tenth year in existence, and the NEPSUL is entering its third season, leagues are planned for Connecticut and Vermont.

Teams from independent, public, and parochial schools will be eligible, and state championship tournaments are planned so teams from these states can put in bids for the Eastern High School Championships, an annual tournament featuring the best teams from the East Coast.

CTUL:
At a recent scheduling meeting hosted by Trevor Charles, the Middletown HS coach, and co-league administrator Kim Wysong of Miss Porter's, eight of the 12 schools in the league gathered to set schedules. As of 4/8, the 10 CTUL schools for the inaugural season include:
Amity HS (Woodbridge, CT)
Chase Collegiate School (Waterbury, CT)
Choate Rosemary Hall (Wallingford, CT)
East Catholic HS (Manchester, CT)
Glastonbury HS
Middletown HS
Miss Porter's School (Farmington, CT)
Ridgefield HS
The Gunnery School (Washington, CT)
The Hotchkiss School (Lakeville, CT)

For more information about the Connecticut league, visit:
http://www.ctultimate.com

For more information about the Vermont league, visit:
www.vyul.org

+ MORE VARSITY TEAMS
The Compass School (VT) will field a varsity team this spring, in their third season of interscholastic play. Over 30% of the students at the school are playing Ultimate!

The Marvelwood School (CT) is one of the Hudson Valley Athletic League schools, and have also decided to make their third season their first as a Varsity team.

Miss Porter's School (CT) begins their first season of interscholastic ultimate at the varsity level, giving a well-received boost to the growth of girls ultimate frisbee.

Phillips Academy Andover (MA) joins the ranks of varsity programs, and will once again host the NEPSUL tournament on Sunday, May 14, 2006.

Poughkeepsie Day School (NY) adds to the growing number of HVAL schools with Varsity programs in their second season.  

St. Johnsbury Academy's (VT) third season of ultimate will be their first as a varsity program, and they will field both an open and girls varsity team.

In an interesting side note, many schools with programs at all levels are providing team pages and on-line schedules for their Ultimate teams. Some of the schools include Cheshire Academy (CT), Concord Academy (MA), GANN Academy (MA), Miss Porters School (CT), Phillips Academy Andover (MA), Poughkeepsie Day School (NY), and the Storm King School (NY).

+ GIRLS TEAMS
In addition to Miss Porter's and St. Johnsbury, NMH has designated a coach for their girls program. Phillips Academy Andover looks to schedule games for their girls - and they have an experienced college women's ultimate player to guide them.

At last year's St. Johnsbury Girls Tournament, NMH, Darrow, and Beacon (NYC) all fielded teams. They were joined by teams from national powerhouse Amherst RHS (MA), Stuyvesant (NYC), Montreal, and Andover HS (MA). Look for more teams this spring!

As far as girls tournaments, there are six already scheduled (more info on dates to come):
St. Johnsbury (Girls Invitational)
Northfield Mount Hermon 4/29/06 (Girls Division)
Amherst Round Robin (Girls Teams)
Amherst Invitational 5/6-7/2006 (Girls Division)
UPA Youth Eastern Championships 5/13-14/2006 (Girls Division)
BUDA HS New England Championships (Girls Division)
 
+ SECOND SEASON OF HVAL ULTIMATE
Spring 2005 was the first season of interscholastic ultimate play in the Hudson Valley Athletic League, with six of the ten schools fielding teams. Chase Collegiate of Waterbury, CT, (in their last season as St. Margaret McTernan) posted the best record in the group, which included The Darrow School (NY), The Marvelwood School (CT), Oakwood Friends School (NY), Poughkeepsie Day School (NY), and The Storm King School (NY).

+ NEW TOURNAMENTS
++For complete information, see the article on the 2006 Schedule, located on the NEPSUL home page++

With the creation of the Connecticut High School League, Connecticut teams will have three more tournaments to choose from this coming season. Tentative plans are for tournaments on April 9 in Ridgefield, May 7 at The Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, and May 28 at Chase Collegiate in Waterbury.

St. Johnsbury of Vermont looks to repeat their two home tournaments this spring, and open and a girls event. Plans are also in the works for a Vermont State Championship tournament, to accommodate the growth in teams.

Finally, Oakwood Friends in Poughkeepsie, NY, has an 8- to 10-team tournament in the works. Further information will be posted on this site.