Written by Marketing & Communications EPIC intern Katie Berthoud ’25
John Groess, Benilde-St. Margaret’s high school math teacher and girls’ ultimate frisbee coach, recently led USA’s ultimate frisbee mixed division team to a gold medal at the 2024 Mixed National Ultimate Championship in Gold Coast, Australia.
Groess also coached the BSM girls’ ultimate team to a state championship this past season. “I think both are special in very different ways,” he shared. “I’m so excited for the girls on the BSM team to find success at the end of the season, especially since many were new to the sport when they joined. Winning at the highest level with players who have dedicated their lives to representing their country is a different type of joy – it was incredible to win gold together.”
Groess has been involved with the USA national program for the past 10 years, starting as a camp coach and working his way up to head coach. In 2023, he began searching for the best ultimate frisbee players in the country. “We looked for a standard of talent at each position that would make us successful, but also for the right team dynamic since our team is co-ed. We wanted both male and female players to feel like they could be their truest selves,” Groess explained. “Having people from varying systems and backgrounds made us stronger because they brought different ways of thinking to the game which helped us analyze other teams and ourselves quickly when we needed to make in-game adjustments.”
After forming a team of 24 men and women from 14 different states, Team USA began competing in Bogata, Columbia facing several countries including Canada and Columbia. Over the Fourth of July weekend, Groess and Team USA hosted a training camp in Colorado in preparation for the international competition held in August and September of 2024.
“We defeated Team Italy in the quarterfinals and went up against Team Australia in the semifinals,” Groess recalled. Three weeks later, on Saturday, Sept. 7, Team USA won their third consecutive gold medal after defeating Team Canada 15-8. At BSM, Groess also is the coach for the co-ed ultimate frisbee team which competes in the spring.
Groess was able to make use of his Spanish-speaking skills during the tournament. “It was really fun when we played Argentina, I could communicate with their team in Spanish, which was a huge benefit,” he said. “It’s a good reminder to take your foreign language classes seriously.”
After this incredible experience, Groess hopes to bring all that he’s learned back to the BSM girls’ ultimate frisbee team. “I hope that it makes people enjoy ultimate more and encourages others to give it a try!”
We are #BSMProud of our gold medalist coach and educator John Groess. We’re excited to see how his global achievements will inspire his students and athletes here at BSM.
