Joe "Sleeter" Furniss

Parent?!s 2013 - Still Goin'

"This has been the best recruiting year I have ever seen."

Hello Mama?s family!

We're thrilled to share our newest Spotlight series highlight our current coaches, starting with the legend: Joe Furniss.

Joe aka "Sleeter" started with the Daddy's in 2013 and has been around the team since. Starting his coaching career in 2024.

2023 Coach Joe hyping up the team & protecting the Hoo Duck.

Please tell us a bit about yourself. What do you do for work and for fun when not coaching?

I work with the Sociology department handling research tasks, which usually means navigating and organizing large research databases. Every Monday, I also spend time at the Enwrite Center helping seniors work through technology issues and build their digital skills. When I am not working or coaching, I make a point to listen to NPR and the BBC, and I keep up with the news and technology to stay informed. I also really enjoy traveling.

For fun, I know it sounds odd, but I genuinely enjoy tracking the weather in general. Because apps and station websites are often not accurate or out of date, I prefer to check for myself. I use this to track how the weather looks for our upcoming tournaments during the week leading up and the morning of the event, as it helps me feel prepared before we even hit the road.

How long have you been coaching and how did you find you wanted to be a coach?

I played for the Dad!s from Fall 2013 to Spring 2019. I was originally supposed to start coaching in Spring 2020, but then the pandemic happened and everything got put on

hold. I eventually came back to coach the Dad!s from Fall 2020 through the end of Fall 2022. After the Spring 2023 merger, I am currently coaching the Mom?s from Fall 2024 to present.

I realized I wanted to coach because this program felt like a place where I actually fit in. I saw ways my skills could help the team that went beyond just throwing a disc. Like the players I was players with, now I would be a coach for them. It felt like a natural continuity of the relationships I already had.

Why did you want to coach the IU Ultimate program?

Because I was already a player for IU. It feels like our team is gaining recognition throughout IU. This has been the best recruiting year I have ever seen, and the level of devotion from the players on both the Dad!s and Mom?s makes the time I put in feel worthwhile. I wanted to contribute to a space where my insights were valued by players who are just as invested as I am. Seeing that commitment from the group makes me proud to be an IU coach specifically.

Coaches Dan and Joe on the sidelines with Mama?s Jacob and Ethan.

What was your experience like playing for the Mama?s?

Playing with the Mama?s was awesome! With very little early success, we just kept working to improve because we had so much fun doing it. Getting to nationals with a great group of friends who set that as a rather audacious goal was incredible.

What's your role on the coaching staff? Do you focus more on offense or defense, team strategy, skill development, or something else?

I serve as Assistant and Logistics Coach. On the field I focus on offensive strategy through what we call the Flow system. Off the field I handle a lot of the organizational details. For example, I give the Route Validation driving info the Wednesday before the tournament. I also give the Arrival Protocol for tournament days. My goal is simple. I do things so the players do not have to think about them. When logistics are handled, they can focus entirely on competing.

What has been one of your favorite game day tournament memories since coaching with the team?

The time we won the Bulldog Brawl. That was an amazing day. It was a moment where the strategy we implemented worked perfectly and the team really bought into the system. There were games where you could see players realize that our systems make the game easier for them. That moment of understanding is more rewarding than any individual win.

Coach Joe celebrating a score by AJ at 2023 Regionals.

What do you enjoy most about working with this current group of players? Any particular strengths or team qualities that make coaching fun?

The devotion stands out. For Corn Cup we had enough good players for 3 teams, and it was tough to decide the A team because we had so many options. Players genuinely care about the insights we provide, and they want to grow. It was not just about me feeling good about a weekend. It was about seeing their personal and athletic growth and knowing they care about the direction we are taking. Seeing that commitment translate into their development as athletes and people makes coaching fulfilling rather than draining.

Joe's Favorite picture from Spring Break 2019 with Dylan "Lime" Seal.

What has been one of your favorite non-tournament memories with the team? Hotel story? Eventful practice? Ran into a player at the bars?

Seeing players out on campus and us talking stands out to me. I do not see many people out and about, so those moments really show me that the one family culture is actually working. I still run into players around Bloomington sometimes, and those connections from outside practice show me the culture is lasting.

Thinking back to my playing days, the Spring Break 2019 trip was another major highlight. Those social trips were where the real bonds of the program got built.

You spend a lot of time teaching the team. What have the Mamas/Daddys taught you?

They have taught me that coaching is a shared experience. Seeing them struggle with last minute info like tournament info, which field to be at, or when we are supposed to be at the field showed me a lot.

Watching the coaching staff go away from what they were doing to find the info for the tournament or get more discs for a drill taught me that the success of the weekend belongs to the group. It is about their insights and their progress as much as it is about any strategy I provide. That keeps me grounded.

Season 2 of the IMUF Men’s Group Is Here!

In case you missed it, we are opening up the Men’s Group for a second season after a successful first run. Signups open now through April 4th! Full details can be found in the link below:

Men's Group Sign Up