From Clean Water to Coral: Ultimate Championships Protecting Freshwater and Marine Life

Background

The World Flying Disc Federation (WFDF), the international governing body for Flying Disc Sports, has embedded sustainability as a core pillar of its strategy, recognising its responsibility to protect the environments in which the sport is played. As a signatory to the Sports for Nature Framework, WFDF is committed not only to reducing the footprint of its international events, but to advancing nature restoration and environmental education in host communities.

In 2025, that commitment took tangible form in the Dominican Republic during the Pan American Ultimate Championships. In partnership with local NGOs – Students International and Fundación Ecológica Maguá – the Local Organising Committee launched a legacy initiative designed to create lasting social and environmental benefits.

Rather than focusing solely on minimising impact, the Championships sought to leave a positive one: supporting access to safe drinking water through bio-sand water filters for families in need, and contributing to the restoration of coral reefs in Sosúa Bay. In doing so, the Flying Disc community aimed to extend the “Spirit of the Game” beyond the field, ensuring the event would deliver meaningful benefits long after the final point was scored.

Challenge

The Dominican Republic, like many Caribbean nations, faces interconnected environmental and public health challenges that directly affect both ecosystems and communities.

Coral cover across the Caribbean has declined by 48% since 1980, driven by climate change-induced heat stress, overfishing and disease. In Sosúa Bay, reef degradation threatens marine biodiversity and undermines the livelihoods of coastal communities that depend on healthy oceans for fishing and tourism. Without intervention, the ecological and economic consequences will continue to intensify.

At the same time, access to clean drinking water remains a pressing issue in many rural areas. Families often rely on unsafe water sources, exposing communities to preventable health risks and limiting economic stability. These challenges are deeply interconnected: environmental degradation weakens natural systems that communities rely on, while social vulnerability reduces resilience to climate impacts.

The 2025 Pan American Ultimate Championships – the region’s flagship Flying Disc event, bringing together nearly 1,200 athletes from 60 teams across five divisions – provided a unique platform for action. Flying Disc Sports are played on grass and beach environments, creating a direct and visible connection between the sport and nature.

This presented an opportunity for WFDF and the Local Organising Committee (LOC) to leverage the scale, visibility and engaged international community of a major sporting event to deliver targeted, high-impact solutions. The ambition was clear: to transform a regional championship into a catalyst for measurable environmental restoration and improved quality of life for local families, leaving a legacy that extended far beyond the tournament itself.

Approach

The LOC adopted a multi-faceted approach, partnering with specialised local organisations to ensure contributions were effective and sustainable.

For the water access initiative, the LOC partnered with Students International, PAUC committed to impacting the community with 90 bio-sand filters to families in Santiago and Jarabacoa. Students International helped coordinate the delivery and installation of the filters in families’ homes and the communities.

To address the environmental challenge, the LOC teamed up with Fundación Ecológica Maguá. This partnership focused on active restoration efforts in Sosúa Bay, specifically supporting coral outplanting and the reintroduction of sea urchins, a key species for maintaining reef health.

A critical component of the project was not just supporting the initiatives but also educating the athletes and fans about why these efforts mattered. The organising team established a “show, don’t just tell” social media strategy to bridge the gap between the tournament participants and the local community. Posts invited followers inside through documenting the water filter production sites in Santiago and Jarabacoa, highlighting the engineering work behind the bio-sand filters. Social media posts went beyond the “what” to explain the “how”. For the coral restoration, posts educated followers on the ecological link, explaining that restoration doesn’t just protect marine life, it also supports local communities that depend on healthy oceans.

Results and impact

The legacy of the Championships delivered meaningful and measurable benefits to the host community, made possible through the collective support of players, fans and the wider Flying Disc Sports community. What began as a celebration of athletic excellence evolved into a powerful vehicle for lasting social and environmental impact.

One of the most transformative outcomes was improved access to safe drinking water. Through the initiative, 90 bio-sand water filters were funded, constructed and installed in households across Santiago and Jarabacoa.

These filters are now providing reliable, clean water to families, contributing to stronger health outcomes and greater day-to-day security. Community members have shared encouraging anecdotal feedback, noting a visible reduction in waterborne illnesses and a renewed sense of confidence in their families’ wellbeing.

Efforts to revitalise the fragile marine ecosystem of Sosúa Bay, including coral outplanting initiatives, alongside the reintroduction of sea urchins, have begun restoring balance to the reef system. Early post-event monitoring shows a high survival rate among the transplanted corals, while the reintroduced sea urchins are successfully reducing algae cover, creating space for reef regeneration.

These efforts not only protect marine biodiversity but also help sustain the local economy that depends on healthy coastal ecosystems.

The initiative demonstrated how sport can serve as a catalyst for change. By intentionally linking an international sporting event with tangible local development goals, the Championships proved that their impact could extend far beyond Ultimate and Flying Disc Sports.

The message resonated widely, reaching approximately 90,000 users across social media platforms and amplifying the vision of sport as a force for good.

Key learnings 

Working with established local entities like Students International and Fundación Ecológica Maguá was crucial. Their on-the-ground expertise ensured that efforts were focused on effective, long-term solutions rather than temporary fixes.

The LOC having previous involvement and success provided the confidence to have an ambitious goal in 2025. This demonstrated that consistent, year-over-year commitment allows sporting events to scale their social and environmental legacy progressively.

By addressing both people (water access) and planet (coral restoration), the Pan American Ultimate Championships demonstrated that event sustainability should view the host ecosystem and community as interconnected.

While the project was a success, future iterations could benefit from tighter integration into the event operations timeline:

On-site athlete connection: While our media team visited the sites, most athletes only saw the impact through screens. In the future, we would organise a “Legacy Day” or specific site-visit windows where teams could physically visit the Bio-Sand production facility or the coral nursery. Seeing the engineering and the ecosystem firsthand creates much deeper ambassadors than a video ever could.

Pre-defined monitoring metrics: We focused heavily on the input (funding the filters/corals). We would recommend establishing the “success metrics” (e.g., water quality testing schedules, coral growth benchmarks) with the local partners before the first dollar is raised, rather than gathering them retroactively.

For other organisations looking to build a similar legacy project, we recommend the following blueprint:

1. Scout partners, not just venues: During your initial site visits to a host city, don’t just inspect the fields or hotels. Ask the local tourism board or community leaders: “Who is doing the most effective work here right now?”
2. Align the cause with the context: Choose a project that resonates with the specific location and your sport’s values.
3. Budget for storytelling: A large mistake is doing the good work but failing to capture it.
4. Maintenance: Avoid “drop-and-go” solutions and ensure a long-term sustainability plan is in place.