I traveled with Otter Guy to my ancestral home of Baltimore for the New Year's Day Marathon Tourney (more on that in a much longer, much weirder post soon to come), and as such had yet another opportunity to interview the wonderful people of our sport. Bows was recommended to me for interview via...I think Russian Viking? That dude was walking up to everyone and telling them to get interviewed. Zero social anxiety to be had.
Anyway, Bows threw amazingly well during the standard league/tourney, getting an 81 to boot and finishing 2nd in the tourney! I checked up before we even started the marathon league for this tiny axe thrower interview. We discussed her work to raise money for the Maryland Special Olympics via plunging into the Chesapeake 24 times over 24 hours, her hopes for 2024 and, without either of us knowing it, setting and achieving her day-of goals.
A quick note: this interview actually started with me saying "I can't stand that close to eggs" in the recording -- Flick made a great breakfast for everyone, and there was like...20 fried eggs on a table nearby which, for whatever reason, gave me the jibbles. I thought that would be important for you to know.
Where do you throw?
I throw from here. Right here, in Baltimore.
What do you like best about your throw?
I have a very unique throw, where I kind of have a little hop to my throw. I kind of tell myself "up and in."
Are you in the "over" or the "under" league today?
I'm in the under today, though I'd rather be in the "over" because I do prefer to throw premier.
What are you hoping to achieve, if anything, today?
That's hard to say. I'd really like to get another 81, but that's not a great goal because I feel like it'd be over my head the entire time [dear reader, she done did that!]. I'd like to end in the top five [DEAR READER SHE DONE DID THAT, TOO].
What are you hoping to achieve for 2024?
I want to go to as many tournaments and areas as possible, and to just be present in the community.
How many tourneys/axe houses did you go to in 2023?
I think six or seven? I went to two in Pittsburgh, one in Canada, two here in Baltimore, Philly...
Given that experience, what do you find really works for axe houses to make them feel right?
Space is a really big thing. And lighting. Lighting is huge. In one of the axe houses I went to, sunlight was shining right in my face on the line and it made it really hard the entire day. Oh, and the people of course.
Anything you wanna add?
I do! Each year, I fundraise ten thousand to fifteen thousand dollars for the Special Olympics of Maryland. To help raise that money, I'll plunge into the Chesapeake once every hour, on the hour, for twenty-four hours straight. So I'm currently fundraising for that plunge, which is on January 27, and I'll be live-streaming it on my facebook.
How can people learn more about the fundraising and the Maryland Special Olympics?
You can support me here, and I'll be livestreaming the plunge on my Facebook page day of.
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