"The Hatchery": Where Pittsburgh Ultimate Players are Born!

Brought to you by Pittsburgh Ultimate Community Member Shani Rosenthal and Better Build Physical Therapy LLC

Launching November 15th at Carnegie Mellon University Soccer Turf (5199 Forbes Ave)

The Hatchery is a collaborative open training environment built for motivated athletes across all Pittsburgh ultimate programs. ​Consisting of 7 sessions led by Shani Rosenthal and Better Build Physical Therapy LLC, these community workout pods are open to anyone looking to take their game to the next level and prepare for the Pittsburgh Thunderbirds tryouts on January 17th at South Pointe Field House, or any club team you may be aspiring to join. 

Each week, athletes will meet at the Schenley Oval to train, compete, and push each other, laying the groundwork for the 2026 UFA and Club seasons. It’s about more than just fitness, it’s about culture, connection, camaraderie, chemistry, and a commitment to excellence.

The Leaders of 'The Hatchery'

• Shani Rosenthal, PT, DPT (Better Build Physical Therapy LLC) is a Licensed Physical Therapist. She attended Carnegie Mellon University, where she earned her degree in Mechanical Engineering creating training plans, sharing injury prevention techniques, and joining sessions to keep athletes performing safely and at their best. In high school, she played on a California state-championship basketball team, and to this day, is highly involved in competitive Ultimate Frisbee in Western Pennsylvania.
• Reid Duncan (University of Pittsburgh) is only 21-years old and is already a 3-year veteran in the Ultimate Frisbee Association. He is entering his junior year at the University of Pittsburgh, leading group workouts and fostering that “mob mentality” energy that’s already thriving in Pitt’s pod sessions. Last year at the Thunderbirds combine, Duncan dominated - taking home the triple crown (fastest 40, fastest shuttle run, and was the Frisbee sky champion).
• Marcel Oliart, DPT, (University of Pittsburgh) is a current first year Bioengineering PhD Student at the University of Pittsburgh He initially obtained his BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh in 2022. He was then admitted to the dual-degree DPT-PhD Program at the University of Pittsburgh, a program designed to create outstanding clinician-researchers in the field of Bioengineering. He graduated from the DPT Program in 2024 and began his PhD studies in the spring of 2025. A 2-year veteran of the UFA, Oliart led all Thunderbirds in scoring (30 goals and 12 assists) en route to winning the 2025 Thunderbirds Offensive Player of the Year Award.

Who Can Join?

Everyone. Whether you’re a college player, club veteran, recreational player, or rising athlete dreaming of wearing black and gold, The Hatchery is for you. There are no registration fees, no exclusivity, just a shared commitment to show up, work hard, and make Pittsburgh ultimate stronger. All you need to do to join is fill out this form >> HERE << so our leaders can properly structure each Hatchery session to achieve maximum results. 

Location: Carnegie Mellon University Soccer Turf (next to Gesling Stadium)
Dates: Saturdays: Nov 15^th, Nov 22^nd, Dec 6^th, Dec 13^th, Dec 20^th, Jan 3^rd, Jan 10^th
Times: 10AM – 11AM

Building Your Brakes

Learn how to control your speed, stop efficiently, and reduce injury risk through proper deceleration mechanics. These sessions focus on developing strength, stability, and movement control to build the foundation for powerful acceleration and change of direction.

Change of Direction 

In this session, you’ll train how to cut, plant, and explode in new directions. Learn to stay balanced and react faster. Train different techniques for changing direction so you have more strategies in the toolbox come gametime. 

Acceleration and Sprinting

You’ve built your brakes — now it’s time to hit the gas. In this session, you’ll train to explode out of your stance, accelerate with power, and practice reaching top speed quickly. 

Ready for Game Speed

This session brings all your prior training together. You’ll focus on full speed change of directions and conditioning, getting you ready for the upcoming tryouts. 

For more information, please contact General Manager Andrew Gardner at agardner@pghthunderbirds.com or Shani Rosenthal at shani@betterbuildpt.com