November 20, 2025

We hosted the 15th Annual Vancouver Ultimate Awards on November 15th in Chinatown, and it was an afternoon to remember. The event brought together players, volunteers, and leaders for a warm celebration filled with reflection, camaraderie, and community spirit. We honoured the individuals whose passion and dedication help make Vancouver one of the biggest and most vibrant Ultimate communities in Canada—on the field and behind the scenes.

We began with recognizing our league and tournament champions over the last year:

Our congrats to our summer club teams for their performance at the Canadian Ultimate Championships in Edmonton, AB:

*Independent senior team

We’re proud to name the following award winners:

Captain of the Year	Yohann Lavoie	Yohann began playing ultimate in 2002 in Quebec City and joined the VUL in 2014. Only a year later, he captained his first VUL team—and since then, he has been captain over 60 times. A dedicated and enthusiastic player, he’s often on the field three to five nights a week. Yohann is committed to growing the sport, promoting ultimate wherever he goes. A few years ago, he started an indoor league in Port Coquitlam, and last year he launched the PCUC Peacocks.
Volunteer of the Year	Simon MacNair	Simon has been a steady and influential presence within our North Shore Canyon club, coaching Canyon Women’s for several years. Where Simon goes above and beyond is his contributions as an organizer in supporting the lead coordinator team. Simon has invested countless hours into strengthening the community, ensuring our teams run smoothly, and fostering a supportive culture for our young athletes. Beyond his work with Canyon, Simon also coaches at Handsworth Secondary and brings valuable experience from his time coaching at the University of Wisconsin. His playing roots run deep as well—going back to his days with Furious George in 1995.
Committee Volunteer of the Year	Chelsea Dumasal	Chelsea is an exceptional contributor to the EDI Committee and brings joy to any room she enters. She started playing ultimate in 2016 as a junior on Toro, and would go on to play in indoor leagues at the Toronto Ultimate Club. After an ACL tear sidelined her from ultimate for a few years, she found the sport again in Vancouver, playing in our outdoor leagues and joining MolaMola in 2022. Since then, she’s been a regular participant in our leagues year round.
Youth Coach of the Year	Blake Merilees	This summer, Blake was head coach for Canyon Junior Open, which had an impressive track record with a 2nd place finish at Misfit Cup, a first place finish at BC regionals, and a third place finish at Canadian Nationals. Blake prides himself on fostering a connected and creative space for his athletes where they can challenge themselves. He’s confident that his team built many life long players that will continue to play at a high level. Blake has been playing ultimate since 2013, has coached youth teams since 2016, and has been lead coordinator for the Canyon program since 2024.
Laurel Stroppa Atwood Spirit Award	Adina Mah	Adina is relatively new to our community, picking up the sport in 2022 with her company’s VUL team. Since then, Ultimate became her favourite passtime, and she’d go on to meet her current boyfriend, Mason, at a VUL game. She continues to show her dedication to uplifting others and growing the sport with a beginner team she started in 2024.
William Art Hawkins Spirit Award	Walter Chung	First joining the VUL through Misfit Club in 2015, Walter has played on more than a dozen teams over the past eight years. Walter consistently earns high spirit scores on game nights and is often recognized for the positive energy and sportsmanship he brings to the field.

We were honoured to induct William Arlotta to the Vancouver Ultimate Hall of Fame alongside his family and former teammates. Will was the VUL’s Youth Programs manager from 2011 to 2023, though his contributions began decades earlier. For more than thirty years, he has been at the heart of youth ultimate in Metro Vancouver—building pathways, developing communities, and ensuring that young players can find their place in the game. His work transformed the VUL from an organization that served only adults to one that now sustains one of the largest and most vibrant youth ultimate communities in Canada. Under his leadership, youth membership at the VUL grew from zero to now over 1400 players in 2025.

Read more about Will on our announcement page. 

We thank London Pub for helping us host this year’s event. The London Pub is Main Street's best venue for sports, bar games, and a great post-ulti drink. VUL members will receive 10% off pitchers or glasses upon confirming their membership with the VUL. 

Thanks to VC Ultimate for producing our award discs. If you’re looking for a creative gift this holiday season, VC's discs are printed in Canada, and have no order minimums. It's never been easier to get a custom disc for your friends! Learn more at vcultimate.com.