Axe Thrower interview: Derv

I met Derv for the first time at ChillAxe (her home venue), just after watching a match. She has a very wild kinda throw (two handed, full send) and that was just enough for me to think to myself “hey, I bet this human would be fun to talk to.” And yes, dear reader, I was correct. As it turns out, she’s been throwing for seven years – so I was very excited to try out my pre-written-in-the-car-so-professional questions out with such a veteran. Here’s that axe thrower interview!

So what got you into axe throwing?

Well, I just showed up for a random birthday party one time and these two girls that were working at Valhalla, they were like, “You’re really good. You’re kicking all the boys’ butts. We want to recruit you. We need more women ax throwers.” And I was like, “Sure, sign me up.” I was looking for a community something to do.

What does success look like to you in this sport?

Well, I’m not somebody that has … I have no 81s, no standard 81s, no premier 81s. I’ve been doing this for a really long time. Success to me is just coming here and just having a good time and hanging out with my people. And I love cheering on my friends who are so good have goals.

And has that view of success, did you start with that or was it something that formed over time?

It was kind of something that formed over time. I tried just over practicing and just who I am as a person. If I’m good at something, cool. I get by, but I would rather just use my personality to make friends and hang out with people than try to win tournaments and stuff.

What are you currently throwing for your axes?

I throw a Flying Fox for my hatchet and my big axe is a Collins axe that I also bought seven years ago.

And you’ve had that for seven years? And have you kept the Flying Fox for seven years too?

No. My first axe was a Cold Steel.

I used that for a while and then I just … It cracked. That’s my doubles axe, now. It was gifted to me by Petros.

That’s great. So you’re not necessarily investing hundreds of dollars in your axes. You’re smarter than 95% of the sport.

I just throw the same shit.

What does your local venue or leagues do that are unique compared to … Do you travel to other axe houses and such?

Rob and Dina do. They travel all over the place. They’ve made friends and people all over the country, all over the world. Yeah. Honestly, just from who they are as people. I think that they’re just special.

And would you say that’s what makes ChilAxe unique?

Absolutely. Yeah. It’s those two.

What keeps you in this sport and what could drive you away?

Oh my God. I don’t know what would drive me away. Just if the people started to suck or … I don’t know. The atmosphere just went from super fun and really chill to just really serious and not fun at all. That’s honestly what would drive me away. But what keeps me in it is honestly just all the friendships and all the memories and competitiveness.

After almost a decade in this sport, I imagine your friendship circle’s probably concentrated with axe throwers.

I’ve met a lot of different people over my time in the sport…that’s what axe throwing is. We’re just a conglomerate of a bunch of people. Just weird people.

If you could change one thing in axe throwing, what would it be?

I wish we weren’t all so far away from each other and we could all just build a commune somewhere. Yeah, just be a little axe cult.

What’s your biggest achievement in axe throwing so far?

Oh my gosh. I honestly … as somebody that doesn’t really have goals… I met one of my best friends here. That’s my biggest achievement. Yeah, that’s huge. I’ve met one of my best friends here.

What’s something you would tell yourself when you were just starting out seven years ago?

Don’t be so shy. Everybody here is shy. It’s new people. It’s always something new. It’s a new experience for everybody. Don’t take it so serious. Everybody’s just here for fun.

And just be yourself, honestly. When I showed up, it was just me. I was by myself. I didn’t know anybody. And that’s really out of the realm for me. I’m not somebody that just jumps into something without having somebody else doing it with me.

Is there anybody you want to shout out or anything you want to add?

I’m going to shout out Crush because that’s the girl. That’s my friend that I’ve made. She was there day one of league, and we’re still friends. Rob and Dina, of course. Just my chill axe crew.