One might claim that I was lured to move to LA by being invited to and attending LeiOut 2010. Since then I’ve helped found Southern California Youth Ultimate (SCYU) and California Ultimate Association (CUA) while sitting on the LAOUT Board since 2014. Aspiring to the greatness of my predecessor Andy Bandit, I am hoping our humble crew can bring everyone the biggest, most fun, most dance-y, and most thrilling LeiOut yet. While focussing on fun, community, and safety in 2022, I look forward to our Ultimate community coming together to celebrate the one, the only…LeiOut!
I’ve been part of the local Los Angeles ultimate community since 2012. I’ve worked as the local board’s treasurers and helped run LeiOut’s food and water in previous years. Community organizing and fun frisbee times are dear to my heart. I am excited to get to step up and work with the team this year as the assistant TD to make this the best LeiOut yet!
Back in 2004, at the University of Michigan, I almost quit playing ultimate after my first tournament, because the weather conditions were too cold for my liking. Little did I know, that I was destined to live in Southern California, where Winter League is actually Beach League. My love of beach ultimate grew immensely and I quickly discovered LeiOut weekend is like no other. I’ve seen great strides in the tournament (and party!) over the past 8 years and I look forward to being part of the team to continue to make LeiOut the best beach tournament in the world.
My first Leiout was shortly after I first arrived in LA, and I still remember the awe I felt seeing so many teams…and also how much my calves hurt after a weekend playing in the sand for the first time! I’m recently married to an Ultimate Muggle, and we live with our two furbabies in the South Bay. I’m excited to be part of the Leiout team this year, especially as part of the Medical Team, as it allows me to combine two of the biggest parts of my life into one amazing weekend!
I moved to LA in 2023 from beautiful sunny Florida and got smacked in the face with pouring rain at LeiOut. But one ride with a truckload of knights in shining armor and I was won over. I can’t wait to see all of the goofy costumes flying around the beach each year, and I better see y’all on the dance floor!
Christi first started playing ultimate when a friend convinced her to sign up for a Women’s Beach League in 2012, and she hasn’t stopped since. What was first just a fun, weird sport to play has since turned into becoming an active LAOUT Board member and now helping with her favorite beach tourney, LeiOut.
I’ve been playing ultimate since high school in Pittsburgh and have been organizing tournaments and leagues since 2005. Now, I design websites, logos, and jerseys for tournaments, teams, and organizations globally. When I’m not working on projects, you’ll usually find me playing ultimate at the beach.
Lance has been both playing and filming Ultimate since 2011, first with promotional videos for his church’s college ministry, and now with the AUDL, Los Angeles Angeles Aviators, Los Angeles Ninety-Nines, and for various events around Los Angeles (LAOUT, USAU, and CUA). For the past several years, he has been heading up and organizing Ultimate events in Santa Clarita, and is currently working with the city to get better recognition for the sport, and to form adult programs. Outside of Ultimate, Lance enjoys hiking, the beach, time with friends, loves coffee, and most of all, enjoys his walk with Christ. 2019 was his first time at LeiOut. He is excited to be the Director of Media, and to see the sport of Ultimate continue to grow.
We have been playing Ultimate for ages (don’t be fooled by our youthful demeanors) and we met on the beaches of Santa Monica. Since our college days (Enway at UCI and Ed at UCLA) we have been active in the LA Ultimate community as that is where we met a lot of our close friends. Helping with the registration process at Leiout for the past couple of years has been a joy because, in addition to facilitating the tournament itself, we get to meet and interact with all the teams. You may recall us yelling at you to register your teams and to remind you to turn in your score cards at the end of the day. Even if you’ve already registered your team come hang out with us at Frisbee Central! We are proud to act as the Directors of Registration and look forward to another successful Leiout.
Travis “Nep” Smith is the owner of Hop Studios, a web design and tech development company (B Corp, aktually) that focuses on supporting other purpose-driven orgs. Travis has been building elegant and content-rich Web sites since 1994 — they were one of the creators of the Los Angeles Times website, and the editor of Variety.com. In their “spare” time, they protect joy and serve the ulti community by being Spirit Director at as many tournaments as humanly possible. They currently live in Calgary, Canada.
Kelsey is new to the Leiout scene, debuting in 2017 during the Sunday downpour, but had enough faith to return in 2018 with the visit that ultimately convinced her to move to the west coast. She began her ultimate career in Philadelphia shortly after graduating college, and is still trying to get used to the fact that “winter league” is played on the beach, and that many players compete on beach with no intention of drinking! Kelsey is here to answer your website and registration questions, and to offer any unsolicited sarcasm she can sneak into an e-mail.
MER has been playing ultimate for 25+ years. She is also the Secretary of SCYU (Southern California Youth Ultimate) and coaches the Los Angeles Wildfire, a U20 youth ultimate team. She used to hate beach ultimate until she first played at Leiout. Leiout is a special tournament that combines the beauty of the beach, competitive play, with just the right amount of spirited silliness. It’s what brings her back to play year after year. This is her second year as Leiout staff.
Lauren Hill (pronouns: she/hers) has been playing ultimate in LA since 2005 and has been wearing this shit-eating grin about it ever since. As a teammate and friend of Andy Bandit’s (and fellow cat-lover) it’s her honor to work with Lei Out to help make it a wonderful experience for everyone!
Punky is a long-time member of the Los Angeles ultimate community. She attended her first Leiout in 2007, and doesn’t understand why anyone would ever leave LA or the magic that is beach ultimate in January. She’s super excited to be coordinating volunteers for Leiout. Known for her loud voice, big hugs, and crazy leggings, Punky loves new friends! Especially those who also want to set-up fields and refill water…
I’ve been playing ultimate in Illinois but moved to LA in 2010. I first started off as a “program” in the world of ElecTRONica at Disneyland California Adventure throwing discs for a living and now I am but a humble math teacher in West Hollywood. I play in the LA leagues and help run our youth organization, SCYU. SCYU helps bring the love of ultimate to future generations while spreading the spirit of the game.
I moved to Los Angeles from Texas in 2017 for the west coast sun and to work in Hollywood. With over 15 years of experience in Ultimate as a player and coach in college and mixed, this will be my 3rd year with LeiOut as part of the design team as I continue to get more involved in the LAOUT ultimate community. When I’m not overthrowing wide open flicks on the beach or designing team jerseys, I’m animating on your favorite blockbuster films and TV shows. I am incredibly excited to be a part of the best beach tourney around!
After joining the ultimate community at Cal Poly SLO in 2014, her older teammates took her to LeiOut ’15. She is forever grateful they invited a first year because the greatest time was had. When Jackie moved back to her hometown in 2018, she joined the LA Ultimate community and has been helped run a few ultimate frisbee social media accounts. She will be playing on Catalina Wine Mixer and responding to LeiOut ’25 DMs so say hi!