The Ultimate Trailblazers: From Change Project to Championship Contenders

What began as an eighth-grade initiative has evolved into a powerhouse sport. The Ultimate Frisbee team, now a launchpad for talent with many alumni playing in college, draws national attention at the annual River Campus Classic hosted at University School of Nashville. Guided by dedicated alumni coaches, the boys and girls teams consistently win state championships, embodying a legacy of excellence and innovation.
The story of Ultimate Frisbee at University School of Nashville is something straight out of a PG sports film: Middle Schoolers discover the sport, build a ragtag team, learn the game on their own, and, after a few dreadful years, go on to win a national championship. 

You could even add a sequel where the legacy they built endures nearly 30 years later as their children take up the sport. The girls and boys Ultimate Frisbee teams both won state championships in 2024. It was the third title for the girls, and a back-to-back title for the boys. The teams consistently look promising.   
Where it leaves the Hollywood script behind, though, is the trailblazers’ grassroots-style undertaking. They learned as they went and made do with what they had. At that time, there was no official USN-sanctioned team.

The story of Brutal Grassburn, as they are known, happened at all because of the culture at USN, one where students think nothing of forging their own paths.

“I want people who read this to know that this would not have happened at another school,” said James Harper ’99.

The team achieved success because of its willingness to self-motivate for love of the game, and because these student-athletes had their parents’ trust. They were eighth graders, after all.
“I think that’s a good lesson, to let your kids’ passion drive where they’re going,” said Nathan Terry ’99. “We did it because we loved it. We wanted to have these experiences for ourselves.”


About Ultimate Frisbee 
This flying disc game is a seven-on-seven match-up on a field about the size of a soccer pitch. Athletes play for 75 minutes per game as they try to throw the Frisbee to each other, advancing down the field to throw to a player in the end zone. It is an extremely high-paced and exciting game to watch. Over the course of USN’s two-day River Campus Classic tournament, players run roughly 10 to 15 miles of sprints.
Back

School News

List of 3 news stories.

Archive

Athletics News

List of 3 news stories.

  • HS athletics recaps for September 3-10

    The Tigers have come back strong after time away on retreats & a holiday weekend. While golf is nearing the end of its season, cross country and mountain biking are still at the beginning. Both teams are heading away to races this weekend. Girls soccer and volleyball are about halfway through their regular season competition, both teams with exciting district wins and more games to be played determining their standings for post season competition. 

    Please join us at our home volleyball games Thursday, September 17, where our teams and school community will come together to honor the legacy of late Fitness Center Director William B. Scott. There will be space to share memories, be in community with one another, and remember a beloved member of the USN community. We hope to see you all there.
    Read More

  • MS athletics recaps for September 3-10

    Our Middle School teams have been crushing the courts this week. With strong performances by all volleyball teams and wins for both boys and girls tennis, the Tigers aren’t slowing down as they reach the midpoint of their seasons. Mountain biking will hit the trails for race No. 2 this weekend, and cross country runners crushed their first home meet. 

    Please join us at our home High School volleyball games on Thursday, September 17 in the Sperling Gym, where our teams and school community will come together to honor the legacy of late Fitness Center Director William B. Scott. There will be space to share memories, be in community with one another, and remember a beloved member of the USN community. We hope to see you all there.
    Read More

  • Mountain Bike Team Race #1 Report - Chickasaw Trace Trails

    Steve Smail
    The Mountain bike team began its 13th season as it almost always does, with anticipation high and mindful of the high heat on the trails on the banks of the Duck River at Chickasaw Trace park outside of Columbia, TN. Over 650 mountain bikers in grades 5-12 from across the state competed at this first race of the NICA-TICL season.
    Read More

Contact

Edgehill Campus
2000 Edgehill Ave.
Nashville, TN 37212

Phone:  615-321-8000
Fax:       615-321-0889 
Email:    info@usn.org

River Campus
1200 County Hospital Road
Nashville, TN 37218

Resources

USN Mission: 
University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.