Led by Head Coach Scott Hoenig, Andover Ultimate ended the season with a dominant 18-7 record. Hoenig consistently emphasizes the importance of fair play and honesty, especially in the absence of referee oversight in the sport.
“I started playing in college and I was hooked: eight seasons in college and several club seasons after that… At its core is the ‘Spirit of the Game,’ which places the responsibility for fair play on the player. There are no referees, and more accurately, every player is a referee. Players make the calls and the only way that works is with the built-in assumption that players will make every effort to avoid violating the rules and will trust that the opponent is doing the same. This demands a high level of sportsmanship and respect among opponents,” said Hoenig.
As a coach, Hoenig works with each player to help them improve to reach their best performance by the end of the season, while ensuring that they feel comfortable on the team.
Hoenig said, “I hope to create opportunities every day for players to push themselves to become better at the sport, to work hard, to encourage each other to improve their skills, and to deepen their knowledge of the rules and strategies. I also want to create and maintain a welcoming and inclusive team environment where everyone feels like they have a home on the team and everyone feels that they can contribute.”
Everett Woo ’25 believes that Hoenig’s coaching methods have inspired each member of the team to develop into a better player after every practice. Hoenig’s mentality has fostered an environment in which each player is encouraged to constantly improve.
“Coach Hoenig had an enormous impact on the team and he helped with the mentality of the team. Before each game he has us breathe in a circle and grounded [us] in the moment. He is also very knowledgeable about the game and is able to help everyone get better in every aspect, be it throwing or game IQ,” said Woo.
Along with preaching a positive team environment, Hoenig also believes that practice should be more challenging than games. By putting his players into difficult situations during practice, Hoenig believes that with the greater effort they invest into practice, the more significant the results will be on the field.
“Big practices are more important than big games. Practices should be harder than games. In practice we think about what we’re doing so we don’t need to think as much in games. At the same time, we’re willing to try new things during games since it’s a short season and we don’t always have time to practice everything as much as we want to,” said Hoenig.
Woo feels that Hoenig’s approach to coaching Ultimate has pushed him to his limits, while also creating an environment where Woo can have fun and enjoy the game.
Woo said, “Coach Hoenig also set us up for success by having us always work hard. He is often intense but in a motivational way… This dedication to pushing us beyond our limits and fostering a relentless pursuit of excellence has been instrumental in our achievements.”
Hoenig’s experience and love for the game has helped him to push his team through the challenges it faced during the season.
“Ultimate is a fun, challenging sport with a variety of offensive and defensive strategies… To be able to play with great intensity and competitiveness while also playing fairly and with respect for your opponent; this is sport at its best. It’s what drew me to it, and what keeps me involved as a coach,” said Hoenig.
