March 2, 2021
By Evan Lepler
Without an ultimate season to prep for, the AUDL’s greatest champion has taken to, as he puts it, ‘riskier’ endeavors.
“Activities that if I got injured, it would be ok,” explained Beau Kittredge. “Like downhill skiing or kiteboarding or whatever; there’s a whole lot of sports you can do when you don’t have to worry about injuring yourself and ruining your season.”
Believe it or not, Kittredge was actually in between kiteboarding lessons on the tropical island of Turks and Caicos last week when I connected with him on the phone, and as usual with the quirky Kittredge, the conversation did not exactly unfold as I might have expected. Considering how ultimate has been such a significant focus of his life over the past decade, I wondered how he had handled the sport largely disappearing for a full year. But rather than wallow in its absence, he has instead discovered a whole new realm of adventures, a reality that leaves his future ultimate prospects very much in question.
“It’s been a really nice break,” confirmed the now 38-year-old Kittredge, who won at least one AUDL, world, or club championship in every year from 2009 to 2019, before the pandemic halted competition in 2020. “At first, I think I didn’t know what to do. Once I figured out I could spend all that energy and time on other things, it became a lot more [manageable and enjoyable].”
A year ago, in early March, the veteran superstar felt especially optimistic about the 2020 New York Empire, thinking they had a chance to be even stronger than the 2019 edition, which, you may recall, went a perfect 15-0 and won the franchise’s first AUDL title. But in the year and a half that has transpired since ultimate’s most successful vagabond hoisted the championship trophy for the fifth time, his perspective has shifted dramatically. Kittredge feels grateful for the extended break and uncertain about his future desires to keep competing at the highest level.
“Right now, I feel fine not playing,” he said, revealing the possibility that his ultimate career could be over. “I don’t know. Things change though. I may become inspired to put on the cleats again. The amount of commitment it took for the New York Empire, it’s a huge commitment. So if I’m gonna do that, I’d have to make sure it is what I wanted to do.”
While he asserts no decision has been made, the current contemplations are noteworthy but not entirely unprecedented. Back in early 2018—fresh off four consecutive AUDL titles with San Jose, Dallas, and San Francisco—Kittredge existed as a free agent who had no clue where his ultimate career would continue. Finally he signed a two-year deal with an Empire organization that had most recently missed the playoffs in 2018; Kittredge helped transform the Empire from underachiever into league champions.
But now he’s at a very different stage of his career. If he’s going to return in 2021 or beyond, it would have to be ‘the right situation.’
“I could [keep playing],” he said. “It’d have to pique my interest. I’ve kinda done it all, so it’d have to be something either for the people on the team or something new or unique. It’d have to be something that’d make me excited, which could be a lot of different things, so I’m not saying that it can’t happen.”
At the moment, though, Kittredge seems content embracing his more extreme athletic outlets. He’s gone rock climbing and mountain biking. He decided to run around the entirety of Manhattan back in May, a 38-mile, seven and a half hour odyssey that left him mighty sore for the next week. He ambitiously claims an interest in attempting his first ironman triathlon, even if he acknowledges it will be a really difficult challenge for him. In a way, the lack of ultimate has been a cathartic release, enabling him to push his body to the limits in ways he never has during his sprinting-based track workouts. He recently lost a toenail while kiteboarding, but still says he physically feels significantly healthier than at any other point in the past 10 years.
“I’m in really good shape, but not in good ultimate shape,” he said. “It would take at least a month or two to get back into ultimate shape.”
After a decade chasing championships, it’s clear that Kittredge’s passions and priorities have evolved. That does not necessarily mean that his ultimate days are done, but presently his focus barely includes any frisbee.
“Every time one opportunity stops, usually another one opens, so I always take things with optimism, and this was just another example,” shared Kittredge, elaborating on his lifestyle shift over the past 12 months. “Pandemics are pretty terrible situations, but it made me grow and taught me a lot of things, like how to have better relationships, how to treat my body better, how to be healthy, how to live for myself and not just ultimate. I was able to find a life that didn’t involve ultimate, which is something I’m not sure I would have been able to do had the pandemic not hit.”
Before wrapping up our chat, I asked Kittredge if he could put a percentage on the chances that he’ll play in the AUDL in 2021.
“Maybe 30 percent,” he answered, matter-of-factly, without overthinking it.
This excruciatingly long offseason has already included the retirements of the league’s all-time leading scorer in Cameron Brock and the league’s all-time assist leader in Keenan Plew. Inevitably, the future of the league’s greatest champion is also up in the air.
With or without the two-time MVP, the AUDL is planning to move forward in 2021, embarking on a return to competition that cannot arrive soon enough.
For what it’s worth—not much, but I’ll put it out there anyway—my gut says Beau will be back.
*****
There’s plenty more preseason content in the works, but since it’s been so long since we’ve seen AUDL action, I thought a refresher on the franchises, their brief histories, and a headlining note or two on each would be wise.
Remember, the league announced divisional realignment back in December of 2019, roughly 4,000 months ago, so it hopefully will be helpful to see the teams and their primary competitors listed with some basic facts. Here we go.
Teams are listed alphabetically.
ATLANTIC DIVISION
Atlanta Hustle
Founded: 2015
All-time record: 35-35
Last Playoff Appearance: 2016
Championships: None
2019 Plus/Minus Leader: Eli Jaime
Bottom Line: The Hustle have been consistently competitive, with noteworthy buy-in and legitimate depth, but have lacked the top-end firepower to prevail in crunch time against their toughest opponents. Adding All-Star Antoine Davis is a step in the right direction, and Atlanta’s probably one or two key additions away from becoming more of a true contender instead of being simply regarded as a feisty challenger.
DC Breeze
Founded: 2013
All-time record: 58-46-1
Last Playoff Appearance: 2019
Championships: None
2019 Plus/Minus Leader: Rowan McDonnell
Bottom Line: With one of the league’s best all-around players in McDonnell, along with one of the nation’s most respected ultimate gurus in Head Coach Darryl Stanley, DC has participated in four straight postseasons, each of which has ended shy of the final four thanks to either Toronto or New York. But after moving to a new division without the Rush or the Empire, the Breeze finally have a new, potentially more manageable landscape to try and conquer.
Philadelphia Phoenix
Founded: 2012
All-time record: 38-74-1
Last Playoff Appearance: 2013
Championships: 2012 (Originally known as the Philadelphia Spinners)
2019 Plus/Minus Leader: Sean Mott
Bottom Line: The Philly franchise has gone from averaging one win a year from 2014-16 to better than four wins a year from 2017-19. There obviously still is room for significant growth, but the Phoenix have showed several signs of potentially being a stealth playoff party-crasher in 2021. Mott has averaged 54 assists and 31 goals in his last three seasons, got an All-Star nod in 2019, and a couple weeks back tweeted, “Just wait on it, the best is yet to come.”
Pittsburgh Thunderbirds
Founded: 2015
All-time record: 47-29
Last Playoff Appearance: 2019
Championships: None
2019 Plus/Minus Leader: Max Sheppard
Bottom Line: After qualifying for the postseason four times in five seasons as a member of the Midwest, Pittsburgh now looks to take the next step as the mystery contender in the new Atlantic quadrant. Yes, the Thunderbirds are the only team that changed divisions and found a completely new set of opponents, a dynamic that makes forecasting their results especially challenging. But with Sheppard and Thomas Edmonds working together on the O-line, Pittsburgh possesses the most dominant duo in the league outside of New York.
Raleigh Flyers
Founded: 2015
All-time record: 55-20
Last Playoff Appearance: 2019
Championships: None
2019 Plus/Minus Leader: Jacob Fairfax
Bottom Line: The Flyers no longer have to deal with Dallas in their division, a welcome reality considering the Roughnecks ended their season in each of the past three seasons. Raleigh owns an abundance of young talent and an infrastructure built upon steady success, suggesting the Flyers should absolutely be viewed as one of the league’s most complete teams and top contenders for the 2021 crown. I miss watching Raleigh’s O-line with Fairfax, Henry Fisher, and Terrence Mitchell all threatening downfield on the same point.
Tampa Bay Cannons
Founded: 2015
All-time record: 33-37
Last Playoff Appearance: 2017
Championships: None
2019 Plus/Minus Leader: Bradley Seuntjens
Bottom Line: The Cannons have a solid brand (Boom!), a splendid superstar (Andrew Roney), and feistiness that genuinely makes them fun to follow. But what they still don’t have, after five seasons in the league, is a postseason victory. Uniting all of the top Florida talent has long been a goal of many Sunshine State disc devotees, and I certainly won’t be surprised if Tampa Bay puts together a 2021 roster that can compete for a playoff spot. If nothing else, make a point to catch a Cannons-Hustle game this summer; it’s quietly become one of the craziest rivalries in the league.
CENTRAL DIVISION
Chicago Union
Founded: 2013
All-time record: 50-51-1
Last Playoff Appearance: 2019
Championships: None
2019 Plus/Minus Leader: Pawel Janas
Bottom Line: Chicago may have a new nickname, logo, and brand, but the Union will look just like the Wildfire in terms of their reliance on Janas to pilot the team’s offense. The steady, dedicated, and loquacious handler has led the AUDL in assists for three consecutive seasons, a tribute to his dynamic throwing ability, his remarkable consistency, and also Chicago’s lack of other options to anchor the O. With an improved supporting cast, the Union could be in a position to do something the Wildfire never could: win a playoff game (Chicago’s 0-4 all-time in the postseason).
Detroit Mechanix
Founded: 2012
All-time record: 16-98
Last Playoff Appearance: None
Championships: None
2019 Plus/Minus Leader: Andrew Sjogren
Bottom Line: The whole ‘it’s been this many days since…’ trope can ring a little hollow considering our perspective of time during the pandemic and the reality that the New York Empire, who went 15-0 in 2019, still haven’t won a game in 569 days. Consequently, it’s tough to find the proper perspective for Detroit’s incomprehensible 1,403 day drought, a byproduct of back-to-back winless seasons in 2018 and 2019. The Mechanix have not won a game since they beat Chicago 23-14 on April 29, 2017, long before any of us had ever heard of Covid, Tik-Tok, or the great Amanda Gorman. That’s 38 straight losses for Detroit, but hey, at least Mechanix handler Joe Cubitt tasted triumph in the 2019 All-Star Game with Team KPS.
Indianapolis AlleyCats
Founded: 2012
All-time record: 68-54
Last Playoff Appearance: 2019
Championships: None
2019 Plus/Minus Leader: Travis Carpenter
Bottom Line: Cameron Brock and Keenan Plew have retired, and Eric Leonard, who coached the 'Cats to Championship Weekend in 2019, also has moved on, but the cupboard is not completely bare in Indy. Carpenter, Rick Gross, and Keegan North are all dynamic playmakers when healthy, and the AlleyCats had a knack for coming through in the clutch during their magical Midwest run a couple years ago. I expect Indianapolis to take a small step back in 2021, but I also believe they have the potential to be one of the most exciting teams in the league this summer.
Madison Radicals
Founded: 2013
All-time record: 92-21
Last Playoff Appearance: 2018
Championships: 2018
2019 Plus/Minus Leader: Sterling Knoche
Bottom Line: The Radicals finally experienced championship glory in 2018 after a half-decade of unfulfilling final fours, and then fell flat in their title defense, barely limping to a .500 record and missing the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. A few familiar names—Kevin Pettit-Scantling, Kevin Brown, Colin Camp, among a handful of others—remain from title run, but the Radicals are going to require an infusion of new contributors in order to rise back where they believe they belong. Having qualified for six Championship Weekends in seven full seasons, expectations remain high in the place affectionately referred to as the ‘Capital City of Ultimate.’
Minnesota Wind Chill
Founded: 2013
All-time record: 52-49
Last Playoff Appearance: 2018
Championships: None
2019 Plus/Minus Leader: Bryan Vohnoutka
Bottom Line: There’s no doubt that Minnesota was entering 2020 as the Central Division favorite following a slew of key free agent signings in the lead-up to the eventual canceled season. A year later, the hype is not quite as bright, considering the uncertainty of whether or not the Wind Chill will again be able to import their half-dozen Canadiens into the fold. The Winnipeg crew was mighty impactful in 2019, and Minnesota needs to pull that talent back to the Twin Cities in order to maximize the franchise’s overall potential.
EAST DIVISION
Boston Glory
Founded: 2020
All-time record: 0-0
Last Playoff Appearance: n/a
Championships: n/a
2019 Plus/Minus Leader: n/a
Bottom Line: I’m kinda done making relatively uninformed prognostications about how this expansion team is going to fare. More than anything, I’m just damn ready to see Boston take the field and compete in the AUDL. Of course, I intentionally used the qualifier ‘kinda’ to give myself some leeway in the months ahead, knowing that further speculation is inevitable. But seriously, what more can I say about I team that has never played before? We know the city of Boston has a great track record in ultimate, and we know this team will have a bunch of talented players. Until they actually suit up and show us, all these words are just bluster. It’s go-time, Boston.
Montreal Royal
Founded: 2014
All-time record: 40-44
Last Playoff Appearance: 2017
Championships: None
2019 Plus/Minus Leader: Quentin Bonnaud
Bottom Line: Goodness, the Royal have always been fun, with their international flavor, their ambidextrous flare—salute to Quentin Roger, the AUDL’s best kept secret—and of course their plentiful, enthusiastic, and lively fans. Montreal had won either six or nine games in every one of their seasons before dipping to 4-8 in 2019, despite a monster Bonnaud campaign complete with a league-leading 83 goals. So that’s where the Royal are. Interesting? Absolutely! Entertaining? No doubt! Playoff bound? Eh, I hope so, but probably not. How do you say ‘prove me wrong’ in French?
New York Empire
Founded: 2013
All-time record: 73-38
Last Playoff Appearance: 2019
Championships: 2019
2019 Plus/Minus Leader: Ben Jagt
Bottom Line: Credit to the Empire, they absolutely re-wrote their organizational narrative with the way they competed down the stretch in 2018 and into 2019. Since starting 4-5 in the ’18 season, the Empire have gone 21-2 in their last 23 games, a run highlighted by three straight wins over Toronto—the team New York had gone 0-17 against previously—and of course the championship triumph over Dallas a couple Augusts ago. With reigning MVP Jagt, along with fellow stars Grant Lindsley and Jeff Babbitt, the Empire are still overflowing with talent. Harper Garvey might be the flashiest handler in the league when he's hot, and he pares perfectly in the backfield with the ever-crafty Ben Katz. Led by an experienced and accomplished Head Coach in Bryan Jones, New York has all the tools to become the AUDL’s first repeat champ since the 2014 and 2015 San Jose Spiders, regardless of whether kiteboarding Kittredge rejoins the ride or not.
Ottawa Outlaws
Founded: 2015
All-time record: 22-46
Last Playoff Appearance: None
Championships: None
2019 Plus/Minus Leader: Alec Arsenault
Bottom Line: The victories have not been abundant through the years—though the Outlaws did go 14-14 in their first two seasons—but opposing coaches are always fearful of Ottawa’s premier playmakers. From Derek Alexander creatively dishing dimes to Arsenault skying the pack for another score, the Outlaws have steadily been a team with a few Team Canada stars that have the potential to take over any game. Looking ahead, Ottawa needs to keep developing its young talent as a foundation for the future. Furthermore, the fact that the today’s ultimate youth can watch reels of Alexander’s throwing prowess is a net-win for everyone.
Toronto Rush
Founded: 2013
All-time record: 94-19
Last Playoff Appearance: 2019
Championships: 2013
2019 Plus/Minus Leader: Cameron Harris
Bottom Line: Toronto’s in an interesting predicament heading into 2021. All-time, the Rush have more wins than anyone, but they only have one title, and that was eight years ago. They have beaten New York 17 times in 20 meetings since 2013, but by now you know Toronto is winless against the Empire since shockingly dropping the 2018 East Division final. Right now, the Rush’s makeup is somewhat reminiscent of the Radicals from recent years, and it can go one of two directions; either the pieces are going to align for one last great run, or the transfer from one era to the next could unfold a bit uglier than expected. Discussion of their demise is probably premature due to mainstay anchors like Harris, Andrew Carroll, and Thomson McKnight, but at some point those vets are gonna have to hand the team over to the next generation, a group that has shown immense promise but also features several pressing questions.
WEST DIVISION
Austin Sol
Founded: 2016
All-time record: 21-34
Last Playoff Appearance: 2018
Championships: None
2019 Plus/Minus Leader: Kyle Henke
Bottom Line: Austin’s an awesome city with great ultimate fans and an obvious talent pipeline, but the Sol have struggled to capitalize on these favoring dynamics. Through the years they have occasionally picked up former Roughnecks, but watching key members of the Sol defect to Dallas has been a much more common and disappointing trend. Competing in the West Division will be a new opportunity compared to their four seasons in the South, so the Sol certainly have a new chance to make a splash.
Dallas Roughnecks
Founded: 2016
All-time record: 54-11
Last Playoff Appearance: 2019
Championships: 2016
2019 Plus/Minus Leader: Carson Wilder
Bottom Line: Initially, the Roughnecks were the franchise that spent more money than anyone, formulating one of the league’s all-time juggernauts to dominate their inaugural season with an undefeated championship in 2016. Since then, Dallas has nearly maintained its rate of success while strategically shifting its style into a player development factory, churning out new stars annually to complement the established veterans. The Roughnecks now have a sizable core of experienced and skilled dudes in their athletic primes, situating the organization well in order to keep competing for titles. Of course, the Roughnecks still enter 2021 with lingering frustrations, having fallen short in back-to-back championship games against Madison in 2018 and New York in 2019.
Los Angeles Aviators
Founded: 2015
All-time record: 45-29
Last Playoff Appearance: 2019
Championships: None
2019 Plus/Minus Leader: Sean McDougall
Bottom Line: Los Angeles has impressively won at least nine games every season since 2016, highlighted by a 11-3 campaign in 2018 that culminated with the Aviators’ first and only Championship Weekend experience. But after losing several key players following their run in ’18, combined with McDougall’s likely retirement and the West becoming more challenging as a result of the Texas teams’ arrival, LA will be a trendy pick to regress in 2021. With that said, I’m super excited to see what this team will look like under the Landesman regime. After 18-year-old Danny Landesman shined as a rookie in 2019, his father Jeff now takes over as head coach.
San Diego Growlers
Founded: 2015
All-time record: 34-37
Last Playoff Appearance: 2019
Championships: None
2019 Plus/Minus Leader: Travis Dunn
Bottom Line: The Growlers are the obvious favorite among the original west coast quartet, anchored by a steady culture and well-developed depth. Furthermore, most of the San Diego vets remember their franchise’s early struggles, a stabilizing reminder of their journey that should serve them well as they try to repeat in a division that will look drastically different in 2021. In the realm of ‘be careful what you wish for,’ the Growlers have been yearning for a rematch with the Roughnecks after Dallas edged San Diego in the 2019 semifinals, and these regular season duels will absolutely be among the most anticipated showdowns of the upcoming season.
San Jose Spiders
Founded: 2014
All-time record: 52-38
Last Playoff Appearance: 2017
Championships: 2014, 2015
2019 Plus/Minus Leader: Keenan Laurence
Bottom Line: No team in the league had a younger plus/minus leader in 2019 than San Jose, with 19-year-old Laurence earning the respect of his teammates and opponents alike throughout his rookie season. Laurence represents a great building block for the Spiders as they try and recapture their staggering early success—the Spiders went 29-5 in their first two seasons, but are just 23-33 since. Under new leadership in 2021, San Jose will attempt to coalesce the best Bay Area talent in a region that traditionally has produced some of the sport’s best players. It’s a plan that could quickly vault the Spiders back into the league’s elite if it’s executed well.
Seattle Cascades
Founded: 2014
All-time record: 36-40
Last Playoff Appearance: 2016
Championships: None
2019 Plus/Minus Leader: Jay Boychuk
Bottom Line: Speaking of areas typically known for churning out top players, Seattle’s another dark horse choice to contend in 2021. The Cascades have not made the playoffs since 2016, but I had this group pegged for significant improvement in 2020 before the season got squashed. I gotta believe that Seattle will benefit from the past growing pains and blossom back into an above .500 outfit, capable of competing with the West’s best. Mark Burton, the franchise’s all-time leader in assists, goals, and completions, has repeatedly contemplated retirement, but the self-described ‘Peter Pan of ultimate’ presumably will be as eager as ever to shake off the pandemic rust, return to the field, and refuse to grow up for at least one more year.
