I don’t know exactly who will have clicked on this link to read my short story, but if I had to guess you're probably; family, community, clients, my sponsors, aspiring disc golfers, my friends, or someone rooting for me. And to each of you I’d like to say - thank you. This is going to be a wild year and I’m grateful you’re each a part of it in one way or another.
I’ve touched lightly on the idea of turning a hobby into a career and it feels like for this first year, I’ll be in the thick of it. Transitioning to full time Van Life has already created some of my greatest memories, but it comes with both intrinsic and external pressures, as well as expectations. So far this year, I’ve played in 3 different tournaments and each has had drastically different outcomes. The previous weekend, being the weakest performance this year - and honestly since I can remember. I found myself in positions that I didn’t even know were possible. I feel as if I kept my composure to the best of my ability during a round I knew was hurting my future in Disc Golf - which I’m proud of. Because honestly, I wanted to give up. I didn’t want to have to throw another shot or look at a basket that was spitting my discs right back out at me. But I did. I kept throwing. Kept putting. Kept placing my mini a meter in. I kept moving forward, but man was I glad for the weekend to be over.
Here’s an interesting insight though. My game play wasn’t completely lacking, which I know from the big build up above, you’d think I missed every 10 footer and shanked every drive. Like my game completely fell apart, but that’s not it - we’ll not entirely. I spent the entire offseason building out a van that was suitable for Ken & I to live in full time. I didn’t get out to throw much as the build had to take priority. Over the last month, I have practiced more and played more rounds than all 5 months over the winter combined. With that, I’m not only getting back into the swing of things, my endurance and distance are already gaining. I found myself not being able to trust my discs.. like at all. They were displaying new flight patterns, gaining an extra 50 feet, flipping up to flat, turning over. I could physically feel myself start to change and question the game plan. I was taking some power off one disc and it would work perfectly. I would hit a Falk a little harder to never see it fade back in. I was defeated within my own game plan. It’s gut wrenching when you're in a round and feel hopeless. Every throw feels like a guess which leads to the putting green being very shaky. So even though the tournament ended in what feels like one of the worst ways, I'm putting a positive spin on it. Knowing that the reality is, my skill set is there and definitely growing. It’s not feasible that all is lost in 2 rounds.
All this to say. If you're someone out there who feels like your game can fall apart in a weekend, I’d like you to remember that it’s called sports. If you feel like quitting because you're not seeing immediate results, don’t. If you want to dream big, please do. If you want to get better, get after it.
As a reminder for your personal game and also for my own, one bad weekend does not represent my value. Now if the next one goes badly, then maybe I’ll have to think a little harder about skill level (that’s a joke, we can all laugh). And what I’m going to do moving forward is all that counts now. Field work is going to play a massive role in my game because trust within my discs and skill set will give me all the confidence I need in myself. I’m not going to win every tournament, but I would like to feel proud of not only my mindset, but also my game play. Week in and week out.
I can’t wait to write about my next big weekend or a 1030+ rated round, but I think it’s okay to show the struggle along the way. I think it’s important for myself to look back on and hopefully for now, inspire someone who reads this. That a couple bad tournaments, rounds, or stats don’t define who you are. Keep playing, keep practicing, and don’t give up on something you have a passion for. Ever. You only get one life - might as well go out swinging and be remembered for the dreamer guy who lives in a Van down by the river than a guy who only wishes he had.
Sidebar: My tour schedule for most of the year is out now. I’d love to throw a practice round, grab some lunch, or look at your collection if I come across your town. Let me know and we’ll link up!
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