January 6, 2025
By Ian Toner
After missing the playoffs for the first time in 2024, the Colorado Summit will sport different looks both on and off the field come 2025.
Tim Kefalas is now functioning in managing partner and general manager roles, in addition to serving as head coach. Mike Lun, who had coached with Kefalas since the Summit’s inception, may shift to a role more focused on player development, but he hasn’t made a final decision yet.
“I’m planning on deciding next week,” Lun said on December 30, 2024. “I’m leaning more in but may want to adjust.”
Veterans Sandy Brown and Matt Jackson will also assume player-coach duties with responsibility for Summit defensive strategy.
“I gave Sandy no context,” Kefalas said. “He came into that [offseason] meeting with two pages of notes, having watched Summit film the last few weeks. Sandy loves doing it all, getting into the nitty gritty and thinking critically about the game. Both Sandy and Matty have really good energy all the time so that’ll be fun.”
Kefalas plans to work more exclusively on offensive strategy in 2025 than years past.
“This season, folks are excited to play more vertically,” Kefalas explained. “We need to get our big boys out in space and give them room to make plays. Establishing ourselves in that space is a superpower for so many of our players.”
Colorado has started announcing some of its pre-signed players for 2025, and fans can expect former 2023 All-UFA selection Quinn Finer and 2024 All-UFA selection Alex Atkins to be key figures in the Summit attack. Other pre-signings include Brown, Jackson, Jay Froude, Noah Coolman, Saeed Semrin, Seth Faris…and Tobias Brooks—a huge get for the Summit and a massive loss for Carolina. Brooks tallied the fifth-most scores among all Flyers in 2024 despite appearing in fewer games than many other team leaders.
Former MVP Jonathan Nethercutt appears unlikely to compete with the Summit or in the UFA in 2025. While a major factor in Colorado’s run to Championship Weekend in 2022, he appeared in seven regular season games in 2023 and four games in 2024. In 2023 and 2024, the Summit offense struggled to match the explosiveness and consistency it displayed in 2022 with Nethercutt in the QB1 spot more regularly.
“Current plan is not to play,” Nethercutt explained, referencing his interest in prioritizing other competitive ultimate playing options. “There’s an off chance that changes, but I’m definitely not planning to play currently.”
Athletic defender Nick Snuszka had previously told Kefalas he was retiring, but Kefalas said he reached out inquiring about tryout information, so he can’t count him out just yet.
A New Face In New York
Empire fans have had plenty of reasons to smile with Ben Jagt, Jack Williams, and Liam Haberfield confirmed to return for 2025.
Everest Shapiro, the Los Angeles Aviators’ fourth-leading scorer in 2023 and 2024, has signed with the Empire, offering a new weapon for New York to add to its arsenal and a new reason for Empire fans to celebrate.
“2024 has been an interesting year for me,” Shapiro explained. “I’ve been reflecting on where I’m at in life, and thinking about where I want to be in the future, and I decided that I just need a change. LA is home to me, it’s comfortable, but every time I’ve travelled to or lived somewhere new it’s opened up my mind. I’ve played ultimate in the south when I attended Tulane University and the west. Now I’m looking forward to seeing what the east is like. I know that New York will offer me a new set of opportunities and experiences, in terms of both frisbee and life, and I'm nothing but excited to explore those avenues. I have friends and loved ones in New York that I’m looking forward to spending time with, and hopefully new fans to win over! Of course, I’ll miss my LA people and the frisbee community that shaped me into the player I am today. I have been extremely privileged to be able to play frisbee as much as I do, and I’m very grateful to the Stevens family and the team as a whole for giving me the opportunity to play my hardest and contribute to the Empire’s success.”
“My time in the LA frisbee community has been very formative for me, as I came out of college with energy and passion for frisbee, but not much refined skill,” Shapiro added. “I’m grateful to every single person I’ve played with and against for helping me become a better player and teammate. No one person did more to help me grow and develop my frisbee acumen than former Aviators head coach Jeff Landesman. I remember first meeting Jeff in December of 2021, introducing myself and him saying ‘I’ve seen you play, I hope you’re coming to Aviators tryouts!’ When I got the call that he wanted to offer me a contract, I was surprised to hear that he envisioned me as an offensive player. All through my time playing until then, I had only played defense. But Jeff encouraged me to explore the other side of the disc, and I’ve ended up being a semi-decent offensive player, in my opinion. Jeff always did an incredible job fostering a healthy and loving team dynamic, and the amount he has given to the frisbee community–not just LA’s–is deserving of all the recognition he can get. He reminded and even encouraged me to keep being a goofball, and to remember that I play frisbee for the love of the game and to make those around me proud. I’m looking forward to bringing that energy and good vibe to the Empire, even if it shakes things up a little. Thank you, Coach Landesman, for how you believed in me and helped me grow, and for always pouring your heart and soul into the LA Aviators.”
Look for more details about Chicago’s coaching changes and roster, how Carolina’s roster is shaping up and more on watchufa.com later this week!
