Uplay’s latest Community Connect brought us to Monticello, Minnesota, where we partnered with YMCA Day Camp Manitou during the Disc Golf Pro Tour’s visit to The Preserve.
Just 20 minutes from the tournament, Day Camp Manitou gave us the opportunity to introduce disc golf to 120 campers and 15 teachers and staff, while leaving behind the equipment and resources needed to keep the game going long after our coaches left.
And they wasted no time putting it to use.
A Day of Disc Golf That Will Keep Growing
Uplay coaches Zoē AnDyke, Dustin Keegan, Raven Klein, Taylor Chocek, Dallas Garber, and Bradley Williams spent the day teaching campers the fundamentals of disc golf through putting, throwing, games, and plenty of opportunities to play.
Together with our partners, Uplay donated:
- 30 Dynamic Discs Starter Sets — 90 discs
- 2 Marksman baskets
- 1 Axiom basket, courtesy of Gotta Go Gotta Throw
- 135 Trash Panda Uplay x UDisc discs
- 1 Uplay Disc Golf Basics Curriculum
While 120 campers participated directly in the Community Connect, Day Camp Manitou serves an estimated 700–900 unique campers throughout its 12-week summer season.
That means the impact of this equipment and training has only begun.
Camp Director Teresa O'Sullivan shared the opportunity with neighboring YMCA camp directors, and their enthusiasm has opened the door for Uplay to work with additional YMCA camps in the area during future DGPT visits to The Preserve.
This is exactly what Community Connect is designed to accomplish. One day of teaching can equip the people already serving their community with the knowledge, equipment, and resources to continue creating opportunities to play for years to come.
A Dream Come True for One Camp Counselor
One of our favorite moments of the day came from camp counselor Dylan, who grew up attending Day Camp Manitou and now works there.
Dylan had wanted to bring more disc golf opportunities to the camp but didn't previously have the equipment or resources needed to make it happen.
“Today was my dream come true for these kids. I even brought my own discs and a couple of extra baskets to help support. I can't believe pros are here to teach us!”
The next day, Teresa sent us an update that made the impact even better:
“Thank you so much for yesterday's disc golf event and generous donation. The kids absolutely LOVED IT, and they have been playing disc golf throughout today too!”
Seeing campers playing again the very next day is exactly what we hope for at every Community Connect. The clinic may last only a few hours, but the opportunity created by it can continue reaching new kids all summer and for many summers to come.
One More Surprise
Dylan also shared something with us that made this Community Connect especially meaningful.
His dad is a huge fan of the Disc Golf Network and the DGPT and was the person who originally taught Dylan how to play disc golf. He is currently winning his battle with cancer, and his birthday happened to fall during tournament week.
Dylan surprised him with tickets provided through Uplay and the DGPT so the two could experience The Preserve together.
We had one more surprise waiting for them: a special pair of signed discs presented at Hole 1.
Moments like these remind us that Community Connect is about much more than teaching someone how to throw a disc. It's about connecting touring professionals with communities, empowering local leaders to keep teaching, welcoming new families into the sport, and creating experiences that people will carry with them long after the tournament leaves town.
Thank you to the Disc Golf Pro Tour, our professional coaches, our equipment partners — Dynamic Discs, Infinite Discs, DGA Discs, UDisc, Trash Panda Disc Golf — YMCA Day Camp Manitou, and everyone who continues helping Uplay bring the joy of disc golf to more communities.
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