Sometimes I like to whip it out in public. People can see it sticking through the hole in my zipper. In a sport full of little ones, it's pretty impressive. When normies see you handling it they cannot help but stop and stare. Even the ladies like it. After a year of throwing nothing but hatchets I have finally entered the macho, testosterone driven, lumberjack world of Big Axe. Oh yes! Now I'm one of those players! I was lucky enough to win a WATL Colossus Big Axe while competing in the Hatchet in Hand Winter League Championships . I always had a little interest but mostly I'm trying to be careful in maintaining my shoulder health ( I turned 52yrs on April 12th). I would love to have a long career as an axe thrower. My solution is to throw two-handed overhead. This takes the pressure off one individual shoulder and allows for the use of multiple muscles. I cut an inch and a half off the handle and started practicing in my backyard. After getting a feel for the momentum I w...

With the 2025 season only weeks away Longhouse Axe in Plymouth, MA decided to give the new rules a try by hosting a recreational mini-marathon/tournament. Members of the Longhouse league battled through 4 matches to create a seeding order and then proceeded into a double elimination tournament with two out of three wins per match. There was also a side hustle to see who would be the first to reach 60+ points. If you read my last article then you know that I love the new rules. Here I figured that I would let Longhouse throwers speak for themselves. "I think the 2025 rules make the game more accessible to a wider range of players. I’m sure you will get mixed opinions on whether or not that’s a good thing. Personally as an amateur player I think it’s a positive change. It’s forcing me out of my comfort zone which will only help me grow as a thrower. Yes the board is easier than the 2024 board but it’s easier for everyone all around." - Jenna Judge "I think that there was ...

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 p...