Winnipeg info

PLAYER INFO-the cost for Winnipeg this year will be $200.00. This price includes the coach bus ride up and back, as well as back and forth to the field during the tournament, the hotel, breakfast, some field snacks, all tournament fees, and all coaches expenses. The tournament hosts a dinner on Saturday night, but we've found in past years that our players sometimes like to order pizzas or some other type of food later in the evening. They are also responsible for their dinner Friday night on the way to Winnipeg, and Sunday night on the way home. The bus will stop at a mall with a food court or a strip mall with a variety of fast food choices. They may also want some money for tournament gear(discs, shirts, shorts, etc). We will be bringing typical "ultimate" snacks to the field for each team, but if players have specific foods they like to have at every tournament, they should bring that themselves. PLEASE remember to bring at least one refillable water bottle; two would be better!

We will be leaving from the back of the Adath Parking lot, directly behind Lindbergh Center, at NOON; this means you need to be there at 11:30 to check in and load your things on the bus. The last few years we've gotten back to Adath between 12:00-12:45a.m. Monday morning.

I will need a copy of everyone's passport, as well as a signed parent permission slip(link) along with your check, no later than Tuesday, October 9th. This means you can mail  it all to me, or bring it to practice and give it to Erin/Wyatt, but in order to expedite the process of border crossing, I need to send all passport information to border control by Wednesday, so this is a FINAL date. Please do it sooner if possible. 

Make checks out to HOPKINS ULTIMATE 

mail them to - Sara Mekler

12410 Huntingdon Lane

Mtka, MN 55305

PARENT INFO-for the parents who wish to travel with us, the cost of riding on the bus will be $75.00. If you choose to drive, please know that this is not reimbursed by the team since you are not transporting any players, and have the option of riding on the bus!!! I will be driving, as I feel it's always important to have one car up there, so you won't have to rely on the bus to get to the fields and back for the games. But, it's really important to have parents on the bus so the coaches have some help with OUR children...

I will need passport info and birthdates from parent travelers by October 9th as well, being that everyone on the bus will be listed on a document sent to border control.

Winnipeg

We are working out the kinks in a new system for tournament sign-ups...it will be up and running soon. In the meantime, you should already know if you are hoping to go to Canada-

1: you have a passport!

2: you've been attending practice

3: you've helped out at Cub, or will be working a fundraising shift. 

4: your parents have already given you permission to go!!! Don't sign up if you haven't cleared it with them yet!

Check back later today for updates on the sign-up

HBTS update

Both Black and Silver played extremely well yesterday, in fairly typical Winnipeg weather conditions. The morning started out very cold, but with less wind; as it warmed up the wind picked up as well and definitely made some of the games a little more interesting!

Hopkins Black only allowed 5 points to be scored against them all day throughout 4 games, and had one shutout! They have a first round bye this morning and will be watching Silver as they wait to see who they'll play at 10:35.

Hopkins Silver played really well also, winning 3 of their 4 games, holding seed, and only allowing 8 points in the games they won! They only lost to the #1 seed in their pool!

The Championship game is scheduled to begin at 2:30 so we should be on the road @4:00 as in previous years. We'll update via the blog or twitter once we're back over the border.

Hold Back the Snow Departure Information

We will be departing from the back of the Adath parking lot on Friday AT NOON, which means you need to be there AT 11:30 to check in and load your gear on the bus.

If you haven't already turned your PERMISSION SLIP in, you must have this with you in order to get on the bus.

You must have your PASSPORT with you in order to get on the bus. Just because you sent me the number doesn't mean you're covered; you need the real thing to cross the border.

If you don't eat lunch before getting on the bus, bring something with you, as well as snacks for the bus; we won't be stopping until dinner time. Please be considerate when choosing food to bring on the bus and don't bring anything really messy or smelly.

The forecast right now is for highs in the low 50's, lows in the high 30's and a slight chance of rain on Saturday. Bring layers! If I see you out there shivering, without leggings or long sleeves, you will get no sympathy, because you have been warned!(okay, the mother in me will probably want to find you a jacket, but I won't be happy!). If you have any questions about what you need to bring, see Mia's post with information about what to pack or ask the coaches or captains at practice tonight.

If you haven't already paid Zach for your jersey remember to bring your $15.00 to practice tonight.

Parents; FYI, we are staying at the Viscount Gort Hotel in Winnipeg. It's equidistant from Assinoboine Park, where HBTS is held, as the Holiday Inn we've stayed at the last few years. They were doing some construction, so we needed to find another location.

Winnipeg misc.

I'm still missing checks, passport numbers, birth dates and forms from MANY people. You will not be getting on the bus Friday if I don't have all of the above from you. If you haven't turned in your check or sent me your information please do so ASAP! If you aren't sure if I'm missing something, you can email me to find out~ semekler@gmail.com.

Parents; it's not too late for you to join us! If anyone still wants to attend, or if you're planning on coming and haven't already let me know, please do so ASAP also!

We'll post detailed information regarding departure and everything else you need to know soon!

Winnipeg permission slip

I need a signed permission slip from everybody traveling to Winnipeg. I'll put a link to the form in this post, and you can either bring it to practice or to the bus next Friday, but remember, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GET ON THE BUS WITHOUT IT! So, you may want to do it ahead of time :)

permission slip

Cub Foods Fundraiser

Parents; we still REALLY need some help at Cub tomorrow for the 10-2 shift. If anyone is available please sign up~the link to the calendar is on the right.

THIS IS ONE OF YOUR LAST OPPORTUNITIES IF YOUR PLAYER WANTS TO GO TO WINNIPEG AND YOUR FAMILY HASN'T WORKED A SHIFT YET!!!

THE SIGN-UP FOR HOLD BACK THE SNOW IS JUST A FEW POSTS DOWN FROM THIS...DON'T MISS OUT ON YOUR WINDOW FOR SIGNING UP IF YOU WANT TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS TRIP!

Planning ahead-Winnipeg trip

We are planning on sending 2 teams to Winnipeg to play in the Hold Back the Snow tournament once again this year. We will be leaving on Friday, October 14th and returning on Sunday, October 16th. We are limited by tournament rules as to how many people we can put on our roster, and last year weren't able to take everyone who wanted to go. Some things that may play a factor in decisions, you'll have no control over, such as taking older players over younger. But, that being said, you can prepare by doing some of the following;

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A VALID PASSPORT!! YOU WILL NOT BE GOING ON THE TRIP IF YOU DON'T HAVE ONE AND CAN'T PROVIDE SARA WITH THE INFORMATION THE MONDAY BEFORE THE TRIP.

ATTEND PRACTICE, AND LET YOUR COACH KNOW(ONCE OFFICIAL PRACTICES START)IF YOU WON'T BE THERE.

MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE WORKED AT THE CUB FUNDRAISER THIS SUMMER OR THAT YOU OR A FAMILY MEMBER ARE SIGNED UP TO DO SO~WE STILL HAVE 2 MONTHS OF THURSDAYS LEFT, WHICH REPRESENT A LOT OF MONEY TO THE TEAM...YOUR COACHES WILL BE CHECKING TO SEE IF YOU PARTICIPATED IN THIS AS WE TOLD YOU IT WAS REQUIRED LAST SPRING. ONCE SCHOOL STARTS THE AFTERNOON SHIFT CAN BE 3-6, SO PEOPLE CAN COME WORK RIGHT AFTER SCHOOL.

Parents, this is a great trip to come along on! We will once again be travelling by coach bus with wireless Internet, and the kids love to have a good cheering section during their games! We will have all the details including the cost for players and parents soon!

HBTS update

The sun was shining, and HURT was in good form as they played 4 games each today. Hopkins Black easily won all 4 games, only allowing 4 points all day. Hopkins Silver played hard against some really good teams,even scoring a few points against the second seed, and won their last game 12-0 with the Varsity team cheering them on from the sidelines! It was a great end to a wonderful day of Ultimate! Once again our players showed what great spirit they have by ending their cheer for the losing team by singing "Oh Canada" to them...I was pretty impressed that they knew the words! They are enjoying the bbq at the field right now, and I'm sure will come back to the hotel ready for showers, hot baths, or ice baths depending on their aches and pains, but I'm guessing they'll all sleep well tonight! We'll try and put some pictures and or video up later tonight!

Winnipeg Registration materials and travel info

PLEASE, if there is any part(check, authorization form, passport number and birth date) of your registration that I don't have, bring it to practice TONIGHT! These were due yesterday! I need to send the passport information up to the border control ahead of time, and I have other things to do besides calling individual players to track this stuff down. If you want to get on the bus Friday, be responsible now. Thank you!

As an addendum to Haley's post, I spoke with our sales rep at the Holiday Inn this morning who told me that the forecast for this weekend is for weather in the 60's! If you were in Winnipeg last year you know that this is like a heat wave! It could still be very chilly in the morning and forecasts aren't always correct, so please pack for all conditions. We are bringing field food, but if there are specific things you always eat at games you may want to pack them.

We will be collecting and holding onto your passports when you board the bus.

What to bring to Winnipeg

I know there are plenty of people where this will be your first ultimate tournament or possibly first out of town tournament. In order to help you out a little I will give you what to bring/ what I bring to tournaments. Do with this information, as you want.

Friday: Wear comfortable clothes for the bus. Bring homework, movies, pillows, blankets and snacks. It's an 8-hour bus ride and you want to be comfortable! You also need on the bus your wallet, with id and passport. I would bring your [reusable] water bottle onto the bus also.

Saturday: Prepare for every type of weather.

Socks, non-cotton if you have, and lots of them.

Cleats, possibly two pair if you have them for back up

Shoes to wear to the fields

Sweats to wear to the fields and during your Bye round

Long under armor pants (cold gear)

Compression shorts

Regular shorts

Dark and white shirt- we are making jerseys that we will be wearing but brings these anyways

Long under armor shirt

Windbreaker/rain coat

Gloves

Hat/headband for when it's cold

LOTS OF LAYERS- if it gets cold you will want them

Ultimate bag with a disc, water bottle and your own snacks. If you like granola bars bring those, if you like salty things bring it.

A big garbage bag to put your ultimate bag in if it rains

Saturday Night-

At the hotel we are staying at there is a pool and hot tub. If you are interested bring a swimsuit.

PJ's

Toiletries

Sunday-

Same clothing as Saturday and a change of clothes to wear home from the fields if you please.

If you have any questions please let me know, also if you are a returning player and have advice on something else to bring please let everyone know also.

--

Want these posts delivered to your email?
Your email:

Need to talk to a coach?

Winnipeg chaperones

Parents, we still have seats available on the bus and would love to have you join us! There is a $65.00 charge for the round trip transportation, just to cover the cost of our bus. We will be traveling in a comfortable coach bus equipped with wireless Internet. A number of you have expressed an interest, but we now need a firm commitment. Please let me know ASAP if I don't already have you confirmed; I need to let the Holiday Inn know how many rooms to hold for us. The group rate they have extended to us is $135.00 per night which includes all taxes. They will hold the room for you as part of our booking, and then put it on your credit card at check in.



If you have any questions about traveling with us please contact me and I'll be happy to talk to you about it. If you don't know much about the game, this is a great way to learn. I didn't know a huck from a layout, had no idea how long games lasted, what a soft-cap was, or even who was supposed to be doing what on the field at any given time. Then I went to Chicago. Todd Leonard saw how confused I looked and gave me a little tutorial on Ultimate. I was hooked! I guarantee if you come to a tournament someone will be happy to teach you everything you need to know to be an informed spectator. Some might consider me a glutton for punishment because I continue to travel to every tournament I possibly can! But I can honestly say, that despite the sometimes poor weather, you'll never find better entertainment, and you will most definitely find yourself proud of and impressed with the way our kids play this game! It's also very refreshing in this day and age, when many sporting events seem to be filled with fighting and yelling, to see our players discuss the issue when a foul is called and work through the problem. How many other sports do you know of where they cheer for the other team after the game, or give an award to a player they think displayed the most spirit? They learn about a lot more than Ultimate out on those fields.

Please email me at semekler@gmail.com
or call me-
cell 612-817-7997
home 952-935-8357

I need to know by Wednesday, October 6th if you are planning on coming. I will be finalizing the numbers with the hotel first thing Thursday morning.

Winnipeg travel details

17th Annual Hold Back The Snow Ultimate Tournament
October 16th and 17th, 2010
Assiniboine Park, Winnipeg, Manitoba


Tournament Fees
This year's trip will cost $30.00 less than last year thanks to our fundraising efforts this summer.

Athletes: $165.00(includes: coach bus ride, 2 nights lodging, coaches' rooms and per diem expenses, buffet breakfast Saturday and Sunday morning, field food snacks, and tournament fees)

Parents/Chaperones: $65.00 for roundtrip coach bus trip(and you are also welcome to join us at our private buffet breakfast!)

Payment
Please make checks payable to "Hopkins Ultimate". Checks should be mailed to Sara Mekler, and must be recieved by October 10th.

Sara Mekler
12410 Huntingdon Lane
Minnetonka, MN 55305

Departure on Friday, October 15th
12:00 p.m. We will start loading the bus in the Adath Jeshurn Congregation parking lot. We will leave for Winnipeg at 12:30 SHARP!!

There will be one stop enroute to the US-Canadian border for dinner(player responsibility)
We should arrive at the hotel between 9-10 p.m.

Hotel Information
Holiday Inn Winnipeg-Airport West

This is the same hotel the team has stayed at for the last three years. It is located about a mile west of Assiniboine Park, where Hold Back The Snow is played.

Parents wanting to reserve rooms at our rate, please let me know; I believe it will be
$135.00(CAD) including all taxes for up to 4 people. I will be able to confirm this shortly. We will reserve the room for you and you will be able to put it on your credit card upon arrival.

Return on Sunday, October 17th/Monday morning October 18th
If timing is similar to the last few years we should be on the road by 5 p.m. Allowing for a brief dinner break and border crossing, we should arrive back at the Adath Jeshurun Congregation parking lot between 1-2 a.m. Monday morning.

Want these posts delivered to your email?
Your email:

Winnipeg trip

If you are planning to travel to Winnipeg and play in Hold Back the Snow, October 15-17, please post a comment as soon as possible so we can get an idea of who is interested in attending. Remember, we are limited to 36 players. I will post all details tomorrow; I just wanted to get this posted so you could start signing up

Want these posts delivered to your email?
Your email:

HBTS Results

HURT Black wins HBTS!

YouthUltimate.com has the coverage.

Congrats to all on a successful tournament!

Mikey K

Arrived safe and sound

The trip went smoothly. It took about 50 minutes to pass through the border. We watched action-packed movies throughout the trip -- Ironman, Indiana Jones and selected Ultimate tournament highlights.

After our 7 a.m. breakfast, both teams will bus to the fields for four games today. The weather should be in the 50s.

What's left to get to Winnipeg?

Departure is nearing. You've all been busy pulling together the stuff we need. I'm trying to get all the passport numbers. By turning them into the border early, it can speed up our crossing. I already have most of the numbers. If I request your passport # below and you're bringing a certified birth certificate, just let me know that. (email: hopkinsexec@gmail.com)

Here's what I still need from the following people:

C.Camp – Notarized permission from mother got it

J.Dailey – Notarized permission from mother

A. Gotlieb – Notarized permission from both parents, passport #, payment got it

E. Leonard – Notarized permission from father, passport # got it

A. Mastbaum – Notarized permission from mother got it

J. Raisanen – passport # got it

T. Rosengren – passport #

R. Shapiro - Notarized permission from both parents, passport # got it

J. Sussman – Notarized permission from mother, passport # got it

A. Werner – Notarized permission from father got it

I need these items as soon as possible.

Team registration required to board the bus

See the list of players under the comments for this post for those who have not completed Hopkins Ultimate Club registration and can't get on the bus to Winnipeg until they do.

Winnipeg Rosters

The Black and Silver Rosters are set and can be found in the comments section.

We are looking for parents to chaperone, so if you would like to come along to Winnipeg, please email Coach Jake and Doc Schock ASAP! (click my link on the right to get ahold of me)

Thanks,
Coach Jake

Hold Back the Snow/Winnipeg Oct 12-14

Hold Back the Snow is the first tournament of the year (07-08). This is a mixed tournament and we will be sending two co-ed teams to play. In each of the past 4 tournaments Hopkins has won three and placed 2nd in one.
Details: HBTS will cost players $200.00 and chaperons will be charged $100.00 for the bus ride and $100.00 per night for the hotel room. We will travel by bus, MN coaches, Inc. is the carrier. The team and chaperons will be staying at the Holiday Inn/Airport in Winnipeg. The hotel is 1/2 mile from the playing fields. We leave from Adath parking lot at 2pm on Friday and return to same by around 1 AM Monday morning.
Who is going? We still have room on the girls roster so please notify the captains (Erica, Kari, Erin) if you are planning to go. We are likely to have more boys sign up than can go. Coach Jake will notify the boys who are able to play at the tournament.
Payment: You can pay either by check (payable to Hopkins Ultimate) or pay from your Paypal account. If you use Paypal, you will need to add $6.00 (3%) to a $200.00 transaction, to pay for the ease of use. We have used Mike Schock's paypal account last year and will use that account again this year (docschock@comcast.net).
Mail checks to:
Mike Schock
4316 Glencrest Road
Golden Valley, MN 55416
At the border: Players who are travelling without their parents on the bus will need to have a notarized permission document plus either a valid passport or drivers license/permit/Minnesota ID card and copy of birth certificate. We will have a copy of the document on the blog in one week.

Below is a Q & A fragment taken from the US state department web site re: necessary documentation.

Do I need a passport to go on a cruise or to travel by vehicle across the land border to Canada or Mexico?

No, but it is recommended that U.S. citizens carry and present government-issued identification when requested. Although not currently required to present a document, U.S. citizens arriving by land and sea must still establish to the satisfaction of the inspecting officer that they are U.S. citizens.

Tournament costs:

Bus $3580.68 +tip

Hotel: Each room is $104 CA

Extra: Coaches costs room, travel, per diem for food

Extra: Late night snacks, field food (not generally necessary)

Extra: $215.00 CA for meeting room on Friday pm to orient players to rules/ norms and game play for week-end.

Thanks,

Mike Schock