Tournament Dates: Saturday, May 3, and Sunday, May 4, 2025
The 2025 Amherst Invite will again be located on the UMass playing fields in Amherst!
Click here to submit your bid
We are excited to announce that the Amherst Invite is a 2025 High School National Invite qualifying tournament. The HSNI qualifying tournaments provide a way for teams to qualify for HSNI earlier in the season and start planning for their trip earlier. The winners from the Amherst Invite Gx Division 1 and Open Division 1 will be invited to participate in the 2025 High School National Invite.
- selected teams
- frequently asked questions (including How To Pay)
- location & directions
- schedules
- received bids
Selected Teams
Teams will be selected in February 2025
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the tournament?
The tournament will take place on Saturday, May 3, and Sunday, May 4, 2025 on UMass fields in Amherst.
How much does it cost?
The entry fee for the tournament is $550.
How do I pay?
Who is allowed to play in the tournament?
We will (for the most part) be using the USA Ultimate Youth Competition Guidelines to determine if your team and players are eligible to attend our tournament. HOWEVER, in our tournament ALL members of a team must attend the same high school.
Do we need to be USA Ultimate members?
We encourage all players to be USA Ultimate members. USAU is strongly committed to the growth of high school Ultimate, and becoming a member will support their efforts. You can sign up on the USA Ultimate web page. (note: make sure you are signing up for a 2025 membership.)
Do the teams need Certificates of Insurance or Liability Waivers?
Yes. Accepted teams will get instructions in February.
Who is in charge of this tournament?
The directors (TDs) of the Amherst Invitational are Jim Pistrang (coach, Amherst Regional Middle School) and Dan Kaplan (coach, ARHS Girls Varsity) and Josh Seamon (coach, ARHS Boys JVA) and Joe Costello (coach, ARHS Boys Varsity). All decisions regarding eligibility, acceptance of bids, seeding, and rules will be made by the TDs.
How do you decide which bids to accept?
We expect to receive well over 40 bids, and we only have room for 32 teams (including the six Amherst teams). We will use the following criteria: Open I and Gx I: we will give preference to the most competitive teams who apply from around the country. Open II and Gx II: we will give strong preference to developing teams and teams who apply from the Northeast Region, particularly New England. Important: For all divisions, we want a sense of how you have contributed to the growth of juniors ultimate in your school, town, or area.
Are there good parties at the Amherst Invitational?
We are quite sure that you will have a wonderful time at the tournament. However, all drugs, alcohol, and tobacco are strictly forbidden, both on and off the field. In addition, teams staying with a host family must abide by all rules and curfews that are set by the host. Failure to follow these rules will result in the expulsion of your team from the tournament (and we won’t want you back next year either).
What do we get for our money?
Some of the money goes for things that you will see: trophies, team boxes, the printing of the program, port-a-johns, and on-field trainers. We also have unseen costs such as custodial fees and field fees.
Where will we stay in Amherst?
We will attempt to provide housing for all teams that have requested it, but this is not guaranteed. If we provide housing your hosts will be Amherst Ultimate team members and their families. Teams must indicate in their Registration Form whether or not they need housing, and how many people are on the team. Some teams will be able to stay together at one house, others may be split between two houses. At least one adult chaperone must stay with the team. Visiting teams must bring sleeping bags, pillows, etc. Most likely you will be sleeping on a floor. After you are accepted into the Tournament (in February) you will be contacted by our Housing Director.
Do we need an adult chaperone?
Absolutely. You must have an adult chaperone if you want to play in the tournament, and the chaperone must be with your team for the entire weekend. Failure to have a chaperone may result in expulsion from the tournament.
How do I know if my team belongs in the A Division or the B Division?
The Registration Form includes a place where you can describe your team and give us some info from your seasons last fall and spring.
Questions? Contact Jim Pistrang
Location and Directions
to be updated in January 2025……
Schedules
to be updated in February 2025……
Received Bids
refresh the page to get the current list
- Amherst HS BxJVA Open Div. 1 only
- Amherst HS BxJVB Open Div. 2 only
- Amherst HS BxV Open Div. 1 only
- Amherst HS GxJV Gx Div. 2 only
- Amherst HS GxV Gx Div. 1 only
- Amherst MS Open Div. 2 only
- Arlington HS Open Div. 1 only
- Arlington Ultimate Gx Div. 1 or Gx Div. 2
- Bethlehem Central HS Open Div. 2 only
- Brooklyn Tech HS Open Div. 1 only
- Columbia HS JV Gx Div. 2 only
- Columbia HS Varsity Gx Div. 1 only
- Columbia HS Varsity Open Div. 1 only
- Four Rivers HS Gx Div. 1 only
- Four Rivers HS Open Div. 1 only
- Fryeburg Academy Open Div. 2 only
- Lexington HS Gx Div. 1 only
- Lexington HS Varsity Open Div. 1 only
- Lincoln Sudbury Warriors Bx Div. 2 only
- Montclair HS Open Div. 1 only
- Monument Mountain HS Open Div. 2 only
- Needham HS Open Div. 1 only
- Newton North HS Gx Div. 1 only
- Newton North Open Div. 1 only
- NMH Gx Div. 2 only
- Northampton HS Gx Div. 1 only
- Northampton HS GxJV Div. 2 only
- Northampton HS BxV Open Div. 1 or 2
- Pennsbury HS Open Div. 1 only
- Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School Open Div. 2 only
- PVPA Open Div. 1 or 2
- St. John’s Prep Varsity Open Div. 1 only
- Strath Haven High School Open Div. 1 only
- Wellesley HS Open Div. 2 only
- Winchester Boys Open Div. 2 only
- Winchester Girls Gx Div. 1 or Gx Div. 2
- Xaverian Brothers High School Open Div. 1 or 2
This page last updated on Mon Jan 20, 2025