high school coaches

nick paternoster

ASSOCIATE CLUB DIRECTOR + HIGH SCHOOL COACH

PLAYED FOR ANN ARBOR PIONEER FLICKITY SPLIT TEAM FOR 4 YEARS IN HIGH SCHOOL. WAS CAPTAIN FOR THE TEAM FOR 1 YEAR
PLAYED 4 YEARS FOR CALVIN NIGHTS. CAPTAINED THE CALVIN UNIVERSITY ULTIMATE TEAM FOR 3 OF THOSE YEARS
PLAYED 1 YEAR ON TOAST! WEST MICHIGAN’S MIXED CLUB TEAM
ASSOCIATE CLUB DIRECTOR + HEAD OF COACHES AT ZIG ZAG!
HAS COACHED FOR NUMEROUS ZZU TEAMS + ANN ARBOR PIONEER FLICKITY SPLIT
2 YEARS OF COACHING 3RD-8TH GRADE AND HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETES
COACHING PRIORITIES: ENCOURAGING SPORTSMANSHIP AND TREATING TEAMMATES WELL, HAVING FUN, IMPROVING INDIVIDUAL ABILITIES, FOSTERING CHEMISTRY ON A TEAM LEVEL

ZZU CLUB DIRECTOR + HIGH SCHOOL COACH

Has around 20 years of coaching experience
Has coached HS boys, HS mixed, Club men's, and many international teams and clubs, including coaching the Indian Team at the World Ultimate Club Championships.
“I love Ultimate for the open and welcoming international community and for the opportunities it provides me as a female athlete and coach”
Played or coached Ultimate in over 40 different countries!
Founder of The Ultimate Athlete Project, a business that helps players and coaches become the best they can be.
Assistant Coach for the Davenport University Men's Ultimate Team.
Coaching priorities: help develop good instincts and high Game IQ in athletes with a constraints-led learning approach

HIGH SCHOOL COACH

Assisted with coaching the GVSU Women’s team since Fall 2023
2nd season coaching with ZZU. In 2023, she helped White Lightning place 3rd at States!
A Team Captain for the 2023 Grand Rapids Ultimate Spring + Summer League
Placed 1st @ Huckfest in 2024
[2021-2022] - GVSU Club Ultimate Frisbee Women’s Team
[2022-2023} - No longer a Women’s GVSU Team, Alyssa joined the Men’s team to keep advancing her skills!
Coaching Priorities: fostering growth and development of lifelong skills in athletes

HIGH SCHOOL COACH

Learned how to throw a forehand by watching Brodie Smith videos on YouTube before playing with any team
Played 4 years with the White Lightning team, was captain of the team for 2 years
Played 3 years at Cornerstone University & acted as captain for 2 of those years
Has played at various ZZU tournaments and leagues since 2013
Refereed an AUDL (now UFA) game in college
Has been coaching ZZU middle school and high school teams since 2022
Coaching Priorities: working with individual players to raise their skill levels and prepare them to work together in team environments

HIGH SCHOOL GAME COACH