My First Season of Axe Throwing

Iris & Emma battle at the Longhouse boards

 After facing 200+ starts in competitions across 11 different sports, I was not nervous when I entered my first season of Axe throwing. I just felt ready. I was at peace with whatever happened, at least until I started doing well. Then I thought, I could be good at this. That's when the nerves slowly kicked in.

We have all experienced that weird sensation of trying something brand new and just being good at it for no reason. At that moment you can't help but wonder, what if I can be great? As an adventure writer I've had many opportunities to step into the breach. There were many beginning moments that filled my imagination with wonder but something would always come up short. I might have looked like a professional at times but the skills never quite matched the uniform.

Alex & Paige representing Peterson's Bike Team

As a mountain biker I had strong technical skills but weak lungs. As a BMX racer I had explosive leg power but a lack of handling nuance. As a boxer I had crazy speed but limited endurance. You get the idea. There was always enough talent and hard work to be in the game. Sometimes I could pull off those early wins, maybe even a State Championship but it was never quite enough to make it to that top level. 

So, after only two months of practice, I was rocking my first season of Axe throwing. Now I'm right back at that moment of wonder. Could I be good enough? Could this be the sport where I finally go Pro? I'm getting ahead of myself. First let's take a look at how we got here.

My girlfriend, sister and myself all signed up for the 2024 Winter League at Longhouse Axe Club in Plymouth, Massachusetts. We would meet every Wednesday night at 7pm to throw down in local competitions. The price for the full season was $150. Each night we would play a rotating cast of characters, four matches a night. The results would automatically post to the WATL website. We would accumulate both points and wins.

My first match was against my girlfriend which was a fun way to start. Right out of the gate, the skill level that I had built up in practice shined through in competition. I won the first four matches rather easily. Maybe too easily because the next week I was overconfident and suffered my first loss. I could make excuses but really, excuses don't accomplish anything.

Alex & Dan (Longhouse Axe Manager)

After that first loss I cut out the ego and decided to stay focused on goals. I figured if I kept my mind on track and stayed high enough in points I could do really well. Instead of chasing the new rules, I chased bullseyes. I've never been in a position like this before. In past sports I have always been the underdog but not here. I was charging out of the gate way ahead of the pack. Each week I honed my skills at home and extended my lead at the club.

Now let's talk fun. The best part of the experience was throwing with my girlfriend and my sister. Since there were three of us, someone was always up at the boards. We would cheer each other on, taking photos and video. We frequently ended up against each other with predictable results. We would order food from the bar next door and sip from an impressive array of local beers available at the club. We would chat and laugh with other competitors quickly feeling that sense of community. League is a great place to make new friends.

We live in a society that increasingly exists more on social media and less in the real world. People are desperate for connection. As crazy as it sounds Axe Throwing provides an easy outlet to bring us together. It doesn't matter how good you are, just that you participate. That creates the bond.

Who shows up for these things? It's a mixed bag of people really. We had a teacher, a lawyer, a beer brewer, an auto mechanic, a carpenter, a construction laborer, a couple writers and an illustrator. It was mostly men with about five women. The competition included hatchets, knives and big axes. You could pick one category or try all three.

Ej lining up the Big Axe

As for the outcome. After seven weeks I had pulled together a stellar record of 26 wins and 2 losses. Then came the drama of the week eight double elimination tournament. That is where experience kicks in and we didn't have any. There was a lot of nervous energy. All three of us were knocked to the B bracket. I lasted the longest managing to pull off 3 wins before being eliminated. I stuck around to watch the finals and congratulate the winners.

Now what do I think about going Pro? This is the beginning of a long road and while it was a good start I can now see how much more I have to learn. I can say this, the hope is still alive. Fingers crossed, wish me luck. See you at the tournaments.

Our 2024 Winter League Champions - 1. Jeff, 2. Mike and 3. Kev.