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.
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School News

List of 3 news stories.

  • 'They're creepy, they're kooky,' they're on stage at USN

    USN Peabody Players present "The Addams Family: School Edition" on Thursday, November 19 through Sunday, November 22 in Durnan Auditorium. Click here for tickets. This musical is appropriate for K-12 audiences.
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  • Music Night REMIX tickets on sale

    Join USNA on Saturday, January 30, for all the nostalgia, none of the teenage drama. This adult-only concert will feature USN's faculty house band, The K-12 Situation, with proceeds benefiting the school. Click here for tickets.
    Read More

  • Diplomacy wins for USN at Model UN

    High School students traveled to Murfreesboro last weekend for the Model UN conference last weekend, which provided opportunities for leadership and collaboration across grade levels. They had the highest number of resolutions per capita in the General Assembly, had the highest-ranking resolution presented to any committee, and earned awards for Outstanding Statesperson & Outstanding Resolution.
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Archive

Athletics News

List of 3 news stories.

  • Mountain Bike Team Takes on “Electric" State Champs Trails, Dehner Snags Overall Podium Medal

    Steve Smail & MTB Team Coaches
    With trail names like Megawatt, Electric Avenue, High Voltage and Livewire, the mountain bike team knew it was time to pedal out some extra watts for their NICA/TICL State Championships at Raccoon Mountain, and survive the technical trails above Chattanooga full of boulder gardens, rock drops and sandy rubble.
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  • Mountain Bike Team Takes on Winged Deer Trails, HS Makes Podium Appearance

    Steve Smail
    Winged Deer Park and trails in Johnson City hosted our 4th race on Sunday October 11th, and despite a bit of hurricane outwash winds and showers - and reduced team numbers due to fall break and distance from Nashville - our racers utilized all available skills and speed which helped “wing" Sophomore Claire Dehner to a 4th place podium spot, our first podium appearance and medal for the season.
     
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  • HS athletics recaps for September 11-17

    Tiger golfers have officially qualified for the region tournament, and our other teams are not far behind. Volleyball sits near the top of the district, finishing up regular season play next week with Senior Night. Girls soccer continues to hold first place in the district after another 9-0 win, and our cross country runners are chasing after some school records. To round it all out, our mountain bike team traveled to Oakfield to continue to improve on their times for the season. There’s plenty more where that came from- so be sure to come out to the River Campus, Sperling Gym, or out on the road to cheer on our Tigers before their seasons end.
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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

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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.