Tonbridge Ultimate: The Junior Pathway & 2026/27 Season Preview

Whether your child is returning to the pitch or picking up a disc for the very first time, welcome to the new season of Tonbridge Ultimate (TU)!

Our youth Ultimate programme is experiencing phenomenal growth. In 2025/6 we had over 100 children playing every single week across four local schools. This coming academic year, that number is set to explode to over 220 players weekly.

Because our unique model embeds training directly into the school day (including early morning sessions and end-of-day clubs), we are able to introduce this fantastic sport to a massive community of young athletes without adding extra transport stress for parents.

From School Sport to Competitive Club

Our program operates a highly successful "virtuous circle." While hundreds of children enjoy playing weekly at school, about 25% of these players choose to take the next step into our competitive club framework at Tonbridge Ultimate.

At the club level, players receive advanced coaching, develop elite throwing and tactical mechanics, and represent our region in official UK Ultimate national tournament play.

The 2026/27 Season Landmarks

1. The September Beginners' Tournament (September ‘26)

To kick off the school year and give all our new players an instant taste of tournament excitement, Tonbridge and Malling School Sports Partnership will be organising an Inter-School Beginners’ Tournament late September. Date: Late Spt During School day TBC

The Focus: Fun, inclusion, and mastering Spirit of the Game (the self-refereed, sportsmanship-first ethos that defines Ultimate).
The Setup: Fast-paced, 5v5 matches on shorter pitches so every child gets maximum touches on the disc.

2. UKU Junior Indoor Regionals (November ‘26)

As the weather cools down, our club players transition into the fast, high-intensity indoor game. We will travel to the UK Ultimate (UKU) Indoor Regionals, fielding u14 and u17 teams to compete against the best youth talent in the South of England. This is the official qualifying gateway to the national stage. Last year 3 of our teams qualified.

3. UKU Junior Indoor Nationals (March ‘27)

For the squads that qualify through Regionals, the winter training culminates at Indoor Nationals. Played on indoor hardcourts, this tournament tests players’' rapid decision-making, quick handling, and clinical stack movements at the highest domestic level. In 2026 our u14 team finished 6th and u17 team finished 7th.

4. The Ghent (Belgium) Exchange (Easter/April ‘27)

All of our hard work through the winter leads to a massive international highlight during the Easter school holidays. We are looking to organise a 3-day mid-week youth event, hosting Gentle Ultimate from Ghent, Belgium—one of the largest ultimate academies in Europe.

The Venue: We will be utilizing the world-class pitches and facilities of Holmewood House and Tonbridge School.
The Event: We will be bussing our guests over to Tonbridge for a multi-day festival of ultimate, featuring joint coaching clinics, mixed-hat fun games, and a full-length high stakes games involving the best youth teams in the UK.

5. The Belgium Tour (Away Leg - May ‘27)

The international rivalry comes full circle! At the end of May, the Tonbridge Ultimate junior squads will cross the Channel to travel to Ghent, Belgium. We will spend 3 days competing in Gentle Ultimate's premier international junior tournament, playing on their home turf at the elite Blaarmeersen sports complex.

6. UKU Junior Outdoor Nationals (June ‘27)

The grand finale of the school year. We return to the full-sized grass fields for the UKU Outdoor Nationals. This is where our deep training pipeline comes together, as our U14 and U17 Tonbridge Ultimate teams peak to compete to be UK national champions.

The Path to Elite Success: The "Daan" Pathway

We aren't just playing friendly matches; we are stepping into an elite European lineage.

Did you know? Back at the 2017 European Youth Ultimate Championships (EYUC), a teenage Belgian player named Daan de Marre faced off against the Great Britain U17 national team, coached by our own Jo Thompson?

Daan came straight up through the exact same Ghent junior programme that we are hosting this Easter. Today, he is a back-to-back European Club Champion and a star in the US professional league with Chicago Machine.

When our players line up against Ghent at Tonbridge School or travel to Belgium in May, they are sharing the pitch with the next generation of world-class ultimate athletes. The path from a school beginner session to the absolute top of the sport is completely real—and it starts right here.

Get Involved

Existing Parents: Look out for specific dates and team sheets for the September tournament via our normal WhatsApp channel soon.

New Parents: If your child is playing at school and wants to take the jump into the weekend club sessions and national/international tournament travel, we would love to welcome them.

Got Questions? Contact Stig +44 7739950180 or details on training times, kit, and club membership.