Today we’d like to introduce you to Felicia Yang.
Hi Felicia, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started playing ultimate as a club sport as an undergrad at USC. Since then, I’ve played and coached at every level, including recreational, college, club, and pro. I worked with the men’s pro team for five years before being fed up that as a woman, I didn’t have the same opportunity to play on a pro stage, so I set out to create the Western Ultimate League, a new league for women and nonbinary athletes in our sport.
We aim to create playing opportunities for our athletes that will generate more visibility and representation in our sport and our communities. Our first full season is set to launch in spring 2022, and our league kickoff will be the WUL Winter Cup, hosted this December in San Diego. We have teams in Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Arizona and Utah.
The home team is Los Angeles Astra, and I’m one of three team founders. We’re all scientists/engineers and have been playing ultimate for a combined 40 years! We want to share our love for the game with our community and do our part to push women in our sport to new heights, so we can be celebrated the way we deserve.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Ultimate is a relatively new, niche sport, so a lot of the challenge in forming a new league is needing to teach people about the sport itself to broaden our audience. As part of reaching new fans, we are working to present ultimate in a stadium setting that is much more fan-friendly and to create a fun, inclusive gameday environment that will be great for families and friends alike. The current model doesn’t allow for a great fan experience, and we want to change that.
Here’s where you come in — come to a game to learn about the sport, watch impressive women athletes play, fall in love with the game, and support our team! There’s no better way to learn about ultimate and support women in our sport!
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Named for the stars of LA, one of the new teams in the Western Ultimate League is your home team, Los Angeles Astra. One of the most exciting things about Astra is that it will be the first opportunity to see all of the top women and nonbinary athletes in the LA area play together on one team. The club division divides up our home talent, and the new pro format that Astra and the WUL has created will allow our stars to shine much brighter than before.
We’d love for you all to check out our website and social media, sign up for our newsletter, and come out to support us in our inaugural season in spring 2022. Our home venue is still being finalized, and we are actively searching for sponsors and partners who share our values and want to promote women in sports.
How do you think about happiness?
I am happy when my preparation pays off, whether that’s on the field, organizing an event, or even planning a personal trip. I love filling out my calendar and planning my days to maximize efficiency and also making sure I can squeeze in all of the fun things I want to do.
Contact Info:
- Email: support@losangelesastra.com
- Website: www.losangelesastra.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/losangelesastra/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/losangelesastra
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/LosAngelesAstra
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2RUN2FaQV_FYhowGeBjaxQ
Image Credits:
Meg Hofner
