Pam Kraus

I was usually the main handler, calling the lines and making the plays. I also did some cutting and played deep-deep in the zone. I was always on the field during close games and big must-win situations. I also was usually the main handler in the zone offense.

I have been a leader on almost all the teams I have had the privilege of playing on. This began in 1988, captaining the first team from Carleton College to the National Championships, and continued in Seattle where I was strategic leader and occasional captain of Women on the Verge for nine seasons, which included four world medals (three gold) and six national championship appearances (semifinalist or higher in five of these).

I was very good at the give-and-go; rarely did teams have a defender that could stop me. I was also a deep threat from the handler position, with a second and third gear to my top speed, running down most deep throws. Typically teams would put their best defenders on me, often needing to switch up their team defense to stop my flow. People told me I had the best going away cut in the women’s game.

I was the main handler, usually calling the shots and making the plays. Also, I was captain for many teams and ran most practices while in the captain role.

I consider all of my years to be my peak years for one reason or another. In college, 1985-1988, I was captain and one of the main organizers of the women’s team. I was also the main playmaker for all those years. From 1991-1999, I was a captain and/or roster decision maker on Women on the Verge for all nine years, leading the team to three consecutive WFDF World Club Championships. These would be my peak years athletically. However, from 2003-2008, I was a primary offensive handler and playmaker on Shazam in the mixed division. These were also peak years in this division, where I won my two national titles and had the honor to bring home the bronze for the U.S.A. at the WFDF World Ultimate and Guts Championships in Vancouver.

I coached an elementary team from 2009-2012 and a middle school team from 2011 to 2017, and I was the coach for Seattle Mint women’s masters team for the past two seasons, winning our region both years and attending Nationals. In my capacity as a coach, my youth teams have won the Spirit Award for their division at two Spring Reign Tournaments as well as two DiscNW league spirit awards. I served on the board of directors for DiscNW from 2011-2016, and I was the secretary for three of these years. In the early 1990s, I was also a part of the tournament committee that ran the Emerald City Tournament that was part of the Jose Cuervo Series.

I also served on the fundraising committee for DiscNW’s Youth Development Fund, helping them more than double their yearly fundraising totals in the four years on this committee.

Many of the women who I regularly matched up against during my years playing women’s club have been recently inducted into to the Hall of Fame. These include Molly Goodwin, Chris O’Cleary, Lori VanHolmes, Nancy Glass and Gloria Lust-Phillips.  I consider myself worthy of joining these elite women because I went head to head with them on most occasions when we met on the field, and I was good enough to come out on top in many instances. Additionally, I also have had the privilege oh having a very long ultimate career, spanning 21 years of national championship appearances, with my final appearance winning the silver. Finally, my international record is quite an accomplishment, with three gold medals and two bronze medals in six world championship appearances.