August 19, 2026

The Ultimate Frisbee Association (UFA) and BE Ultimate have named Jake Rubin-Miller of the Chicago Union as the recipient of the 2026 “BE The Change” award. Nominated jointly by Union co-owners, Jake is recognized for his transformational youth sports development and off-the-field leadership.

"Jake is the absolute embodiment of 'BE The Change,'" said the Chicago Union owner CJ O’Brien. "His relentless drive to expand access to ultimate frisbee has left an indelible mark on thousands of young athletes across Chicagoland."

Expanding Access

As the founding Youth Director and Head Coach of Chicago Union Cares (CUC), Jake directly impacted more than 7,200 youth between November 2023 and July 2025. Leveraging his background as a therapist for students with autism, he introduced ultimate to K-12 PE classes across Chicagoland, focusing heavily on underrepresented communities. He also established key partnerships with local non-profits—including The Bloc, Kuumba Evanston, and Lost Boyz—to integrate ultimate into their youth programming.

Empowering Educators and Coaches

To build a sustainable pipeline, Jake leads the CUC Coaching Fellowship, providing mentorship and grants to coaches of girls' teams. He has delivered PE curriculum training across several school districts, presented at the IAHPERD conference, and co-created Teaching Ultimate Frisbee, an open-source library of drill guides and lesson plans used globally. Starting in the 2026–27 school year, he will also mentor future PE educators through a partnership with the Golden Apple Foundation.

Leadership On & Off the Field

On the field, Jake earned a spot on the 2024 UFA All-Defensive First Team following a return from a knee injury and was named the Union's Fan Favorite in 2025. Beyond the UFA, he coaches voLTage at Lane Tech High School, leads USA Ultimate YCC teams, and will represent Chile's Red Wolves at the 2026 World Ultimate Club Championships—all while pursuing a Master’s in Social Work at UIC starting in Fall 2026.

The "BE The Change" Award honors UFA players who demonstrate exceptional dedication to community service, inclusivity, and equity. Previous recipients include Malachi Raymond (2025), Terry Gaither (2024), Rafael Castro (2023), Joe Anderson (2022), and Dylan DeClerck (2021).

2026 “BE The Change Award” Finalists:

• Ben Baird, Madison Radicals

• Brendan McCann, Boston Glory

• AJ Merriman, D.C. Breeze

Previous "BE The Change" Award Winners

• 2025: Malachi Raymond, Boston Glory

• 2024: Terry Gaither, Detroit Mechanix

• 2023: Rafael Castro, Oakland Spiders

• 2022: Joe Anderson, Colorado Summit

• 2021: Dylan DeClerck, Minnesota