January 12th Update: Thank you for your patience as the board works to re-plan tryouts for a later date in light of the COVID-19 surge we've seen in the last week and our postponement memo from January 7th. Please read the following information regarding our new tryout dates and let us know if you have any questions or concerns! Postponement specific information and changes have been noted in green text.
Join the Utah Wild on January 22nd and 23rd in Salt Lake City, UT to play with the best women-matching players in the region! Whether you've been working towards a roster spot for our semi-professional team or you just want to experience some Big Sky Big Love, this event is for you! It's not too late to sign up!
Where/When/Who:
Location: University of Utah Crimson Field
Saturday 1/22, 2:00 pm - 8:00 pm MT
There will be a brief discussion before the tryout begins where the committee will explain the schedule and expectations. See below for more info!
Sunday 1/23, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm MT
Note: this is outdoors! It will likely be chilly, we don't yet know how chilly. Come prepared to be outside the entire time.
This is a two day tryout and all players are expected to attend both days; however, it is acceptable to attend only one day if you have a religious or other legitimate exemption.
If you cannot attend these dates, please fill out the form and indicate that you will not be attending. You will be asked to provide additional information and reference material for the Tryout Committee in place of an in person tryout.
If you would like to be housed in SLC by friends/members of the Wild, you must fill out the tryout form and request this before midnight on Wednesday 1/19/21!
Who:
If your RSVP status for tryouts is different from what you indicated on the initial tryout form (i.e. you can now attend or you can no longer attend), please email us directly. Otherwise, we will assume your RSVP status is the same for this new weekend.
We will also assume your housing status is remaining the same. If it's not, i.e. you don't need housing help anymore or you do need help finding housing now, please email us directly!
Players of all ages are welcome! Only players who are 18 years of age may be rostered to the Utah Wild, per the Western Ultimate League rules, but this tryout is open to those under 18.
This team and tryout is open to all people who play ultimate as defenders of women, or women-matching players. This may include but is not limited to cis women, trans women, non binary people, and gender nonconforming people.
How will I know I'm being fairly assessed?
We are having a tryout committee, led by the head coach, and composed of senior members of the ultimate communities that will make up the Utah Wild: Utah, Idaho, and Montana. All voting members will not be players competing for a roster spot.
If you have a bad day, ideally at least one person on the committee will know more about you as a player and be able to speak to your strengths and weaknesses beyond the single tryout.
The committee will be making an effort to seek out more information on players that are unknown to them if any exist.
We are considering parts of your tryout interest form in your tryout assessment so please fill out the form thoroughly.
If you have any edits to your tryout interest form, please email us and we will add them, please do not fill out the form multiple times.
Injured? You can still fill out the form and be considered for an Injury Reserve spot as a practice or roster player! We prioritize a safe return to play and do not want anyone to sacrifice recovery timelines for tryout attendance.
COVID:
In order to be a contracted player for the Utah Wild, you must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
You do not need to be vaccinated as of the date of tryouts, but should expect to be fully vaccinated by the end of January if you make the roster.
Proof of a negative PCR test is no longer required to attend tryouts. Due to the statewide shortage of PCR tests, it would be an undue burden to require these for this event and we believe the risk of exposure to be lower outdoors than in the fieldhouse.
If you have the time and ability to access a PCR test within 72 hours of tryouts or a rapid antigen test within 24 hours of tryouts, please do so for your own well being and for the well being of the community!
Find a place to get a free PCR or rapid test in SLC here! (Click 'State Sponsored Testing' so it's free)
You are encouraged but not required to get your COVID booster if you received the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines more than 6 months ago or the Johnson and Johnson vaccine more than 2 months ago.
Due to the increased spread of the omicron variant, masks will be required at all times throughout the tryout by all players and volunteers.
Buffs are not an acceptable form of masks. Please bring a well-fitting mask, or we will have surgical and N95 masks on hand to give out.
Spectators will be allowed at the fields for a limited portion of the day. They must be wearing a securely fitting mask over their nose and mouth throughout their entire time at the fields.
Sadly, there will not be any other Wild sanctioned social or fundraising events during the weekend to minimize the risk of exposure. Please do your part to minimize this risk by minimizing your gatherings and contacts in advance of and during the weekend.
Cost:
We will be having the same payment structure for postponed tryouts. If you've already paid, you're good to go! If you have yet to pay, please do so via one of the following methods.
The tryout cost will be $40 and includes a Utah Wild reversible pinnie
You will receive $5 off the tryout cost if you already have a Utah Wild pinnie that you can bring, and an additional $5 off if you are a current student.
If you pay day-of, prices will increase by $5.
This price has increased since our 2020 tryout due to the increased cost of fields (10 hours of full-size, indoor turf field in 2022 vs. 4 hours of non full-size, indoor turf field in 2020).
Even players who are not pursuing a spot on the roster or players who will not be present in SLC for tryouts are expected to pay the tryout fee.
We do not want finances to be a barrier to entry for any potential tryout player, please indicate in the form if you would like to request a waived or reduced tryout fee!
Payment Options Include:
Venmo: @Utah-Wild
Paypal: utahwildultimate@gmail.com
Credit Card: Pay on our Shop page!
2022 Season Expectations and Timeline:
Our season will run from the end of January to the end of May, and will consist of the following events (subject to change). All players, both in-state and out-of-state, will be held to the same expectations.
Virtual team kick-off meeting in January
2-3 team practice weekends
February 5-6: Practice weekend in Boise, ID
Optional due to proximity to tryouts and the roster decision, but highly recommended.
February 26-27: Practice weekend #1 in SLC, UT
Required attendance for all rostered players!
March 12-13: Practice weekend #2 in SLC, UT
Required attendance for all rostered players!
Regional pod practices every week
3 home games in SLC, UT and 3 away games from March - May
Home game weekends will also have practices, clinics, or other events that will be required - expect to be in SLC for the majority of those weekend(s)
This schedule is expected to be set by 1/12/22 and the deadline for accepting your roster spot will ideally be a few days after this date so you can consider conflicts before accepting your spot.
(If we qualify) WUL Championship Weekend in May (likely the weekend before college nationals, subject to change)
Fitness and lifting workouts outside of practice.
The Wild proudly partners with Strive and Uplift to provide rostered players access to a variety of strength and wellness programming.
Learning team playbook and WUL rules
Participation in community outreach events such as fundraisers, clinics, volunteering, etc.
Participation in WUL Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion training modules
Practice Player Expectations:
Expected to attend all (or close to all) regional pod practices
Not expected to attend team practice weekends
Practice players will not have the opportunity to be pulled up to a roster spot
No financial compensation, but they will be able to purchase a Wild jersey with name and number at the wholesale rate instead of the retail cost
Will be featured on Wild social media
They are allowed to be on the sideline of any Wild game with the team, although no travel reimbursement will be provided should they choose to travel and they must comply with all WUL COVID-19 restrictions at the time of each game
Other Information and FAQ:
Pre-Tryout Meeting:
Please arrive at the field promptly at 2:00p on Saturday 1/22 for sign in!
Parking options outlined on this map!
You will need to complete the following tasks:
Pick up pinnie (if applicable)
Sign waiver (or do it in advance, see below!)
Confirm that you've paid
Take a headshot in a Wild jersey
Try on Breakmark kits for sizing if desired
At ~2:30pm there will be a brief introduction presentation
Please bring: a water bottle, cleats (outdoor turf surface), a securely fitting mask, and any snacks/fuel you’ll need.
Please step off the turf to eat.
There are 30 potential roster spots up for grabs + additional practice player spots.
These practice player spots will be distributed amongst each community representing Wild roster players to ensure that pod practice numbers are viable in each location.
How much will the season cost players?
The goal of the Wild is cover as many costs as possible for players. Each rostered player will receive the following financial accommodations:
A small baseline salary for the season + compensation for each game played
All hotels and housing accommodations covered
All rental car and gas reimbursement covered
Minimum 50% of flight costs reimbursed/covered, ideally 100%
All jerseys (light, dark, shorts) covered
There will be no team dues
We do not want finances to be a barrier to entry! Please let us know if you feel limited by the financial burden of playing or trying out and we can make accommodations!
How often should I be working out on my own if I make the roster?
Regularly. It is expected that all rostered players are lifting, running, and throwing on a weekly basis in order to compensate for the lack of team practices.
We hope to once again be partnering with Strive and Uplift to provide programming to players who do not already have a lifting and running regimen.
If you already have a gym or trainer that you like and work with, you are not expected to participate in Strive and Uplift strength and conditioning programming.
They have a ton of other programming regarding mental health, programming built around menstruation, and recovery tactics. We hope to utilize this as a team!
We are hoping to institute pod workouts or options for group activities depending on the geographic distribution of Wild players.
What are you looking for in a Utah Wild player?
Someone that values promoting ultimate for people of all genders and the progressive mission of the Wild and WUL.
People who are committed. Given the limited nature of the season (2-3 practices, 6 games), we need people that will prioritize attendance at these events.
Flexible and experienced players - there won't be a lot of time to build chemistry. Players who can work within many systems and are easily coachable are desirable.
Do you offer feedback from tryouts?
Our tryout committee will have many people to watch and evaluate over the weekend. They have been encouraged to take notes in order to provide feedback but we cannot guarantee that every person will have detailed feedback provided to them. If you are interested in feedback after the tryout and have not already expressed this in your tryout form, feel free to reach out to utahwildultimate@gmail.com and we will do our best to gather feedback from the committee.
Relive 2020 Tryouts:
Photography by Aaron Coleman