Coaching Staff

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Brad Agee

I started playing Ultimate at Ball State University in 1999 by accident.  After a failed college baseball tryout, a buddy on my floor invited me to tryouts for the Wizardz.  It didn’t take long for Ultimate to become a major part of my life.  

I have been playing for 24 years and continue to do so as much as possible.  I have played for teams in Florida, Texas, Indiana, Michigan, and Colorado.  The travel involved in Ultimate is what makes it so much fun.  I have played ultimate in 22 states.  A few summers ago, I was able to add Alaska to my list!  While living in Mexico for nearly a year, I had a blast introducing the sport to the neighborhood kids and families. 

My captain/coaching experience spans numerous teams from the list above.  Some of the highlights include:

• Ball State Wizardz - Muncie, IN - 5 Years

  • Regional Finals

• Disc-Connected/Fossil - Tampa, FL - 5 Years

  • Multiple trips to Club Regionals, including Finals

• Mix Tape/Dragon Army/All Jeeps, All Night - Boulder, CO - 8 years

  • Regional Finals a few times

• Old Rush - Boulder, CO - 2 years

  • Nationals both seasons

Most recently, I assisted in the startup of Ultimate for National Heritage Academies at several schools including Cross Creek Charter Academy in Byron Center, where I work.  In my professional life, I am a Behavior Specialist and Athletic Director.  As a prior Science Teacher and Middle School Dean, I have been coaching youth in all aspects of their lives for the last 16 years both on and off of the field.  I have coached volleyball, basketball, baseball, golf, soccer, and ULTIMATE to kids from preschool to seniors in high school!  

Finally, my mission as a coach.  Ultimate is the best sporting experience I have ever had.  The relationships developed through the game have provided friendships around the world!  Fun fact, my wife and I stopped to play in a tournament on the way to our wedding!  Winning will happen and losing will happen.  Either way, we will build on our experiences to make us better players and contributors to Ultimate and Spirit of the Game.

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Noam Gumerman

Hi y’all! My name is Noam Gumerman, I’m a first year Davenport grad student. Ultimate has always been a huge part of my life, and my experiences in youth ultimate have shaped who I am today. Here is my Ultimate history: 

 

-Started playing more seriously in middle school

-2 years YCC (Youth Nationals)

-Captained Chapel Hill High Ultimate for 2 years

-Captained University of Brandeis for 3 years. We didn’t have a coach so I took that role - consistently coaching brand new players and experienced players all the way to Nationals twice. 

-Played on Adult Club teams

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James Hanisch

James Hanisch loves Ultimate Frisbee. He was one of the first players to ever join the Grand Rapids White Lightning and hasn’t stopped playing since. He spent 5 years with the Grand Rapids White Lightning. He then captained Cornerstone University’s Ultimate Frisbee team for 3 years. Most recently he has been the Grandville Ultimate Frisbee coach for the last 2 years. 

 

James is a perfect fit to be the coach for the Grand Rapids White Lighting both is skill, enthusiasm, and admiration to the sport. He already has deep relationships with several on the team and will be a welcome addition for Fall.

Lanie O'Neill

Lanie started playing ultimate in 6th grade in 2013 at a learn to play clinic in Chapel Hill, NC. For the past decade, the sport has taken her all over the country. 

She first competed in the YCC U17 women's division with the NC KittyHawks as a captain in 2016 and 2017. She then moved on to win a national championship in the U20 division with the NC Warhawks in 2018, and then again as a captain in 2019.

Lanie has since gone to compete at club regionals with NC Galaxy (mixed), SuperLame (mixed), and finally made it to club nationals with Atlanta Ozone (women's) in 2022.

As a collegiate athlete, Lanie captained during her undergrad at Clemson for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons. She was able to build the team from having 4 regular players at practice to a roster of 30+ female-identifying athletes and placing 6th at college regionals in 2023.

At the professional level, Lanie competed with Atlanta Soul for the 2020 and 2022 seasons. She hopes to explore the professional scene here in the Midwest!

Lanie has also been coaching regularly since 2015. She has coached Learn-to-Play clinics for elementary and middle school players, as well as coached the middle and high school men's teams at the Woods Charter School in North Carolina. As a captain, she has been a big contributor to coaching strategic conversations at the high school, YCC, and collegiate levels. She has organized 10+ successful regional tournaments, as well as been a critical piece of player-run initiatives such as disc drives for low-income schools, concussion screening for ultimate players in her local community, and nutrition/wellness support for elite youth athletes.

Despite being a competitor at heart (or maybe because of it), Lanie's driving force is to make sure ultimate is accessible to anyone who wants to learn, and create competitive outlets for those who want to take it to the elite level. She looks forward to being a part of the exploding ultimate scene here in Grand Rapids!

Levi Verstraete

I love ultimate frisbee. I love the team work, and the importance of the individual player. The inclusiveness of the sport allows pretty much anyone to play. I started playing ultimate frisbee 5 years ago. Just playing pick up with my friends. Then I found zigzag ultimate and started playing on an actual team with an actual coach "Mike Zaagman" and was able to learn a lot. I practiced almost everyday to get better, And was able to thanks to my coach's and team mates pushing me to be a better player. Taking home the state championship title in 2022 made it all worth it. Over all my ultimate frisbee experience has been very positive. I have learned so much about the sport and teamwork that I can't wait to help bring up the next generation.