League night is my favorite night. I love the chance to see friends, laugh, and disassociate from the garbage fire of the world via a goofy sport. But there are nights where, somehow, it feels like something to just get through. Not, like, in a horrible way...but more like it's procedural. 4 matches, win or lose, then a walk home with Chapman and Mike where we talk about how we threw, OR talk about whether the restaurant on the corner of Mulberry street is ever gonna open back up or its just gonna remain permanently closed, updating it's "we'll be back soon" sign every few months.
The truth about league nights, as is the truth with so many things in this world, is this: the activity itself is what you make it. If you start seeing league nights as just a repetitive, hum-drum thing, that's exactly what it'll become.
With that in mind, I want to say to you, dear reader, that you and your fellow axe buddies can do something about it to add variety and unique opportunities to your leagues. It won't take much, and once you get going, it will become second habit.
LEAGUE NIGHT POT LUCK
This one is perhaps the most obvious, but also takes, potentially, the most work. Create a potluck sign-up for your league nights. For us, at least, league starts around 7, which is perfect. It saves money, builds community, and involves eating. What's better?
THEME NIGHTS
This is perhaps something you need to put thought into early in the league, but a theme night can be a chance to create a unique-as-hell experience to league nights that otherwise would be, you know, kinda ho-hum. It can be something tied to a holiday, or it can be a theme tied to absolutely nothing at all.
Halloween is an obvious one, but what about a "lumberjack" theme night, or a "1920s" theme night? Granted, this can be pricey and some people sure as shit don't wanna participate in anything that puts them on display, but having the option isn't a horrible idea. Or maybe it is. Don't @ me, okay?
SIDE GAMES
Plenty of people have corn hole going on when they throw. Having something else to do (especially in bigger leagues) can help stave off throwers who find themselves zoning out between matches OR getting nervous ahead of time.
These side games can be pre-built (like a Trivial Pursuit tourney or a quaint game of Cards Against Humanity), or it could be fully custom, like bingo cards about the league night itself (someone drops an axe, someone hits a big-axe clutch, Francis does a little tap dance before hitting a bullseye--whatever). In the animal care world, this is called "enrichment" and I think it's applicable to axe throwers.
There are likely a bunch of other things one could do to make league night more fun, dynamic and something to look forward to, so if your league is doing something that just adds that...you know...extra something, I wanna hear about it.
I’m down for side games, and theme nights!