Blog
Yesterday was the 1 month marker of arriving in Tucson! I can say somehow that it's taken forever and also flown by. Time is funny like that. I feel like I could potentially be all over the place with this week’s post since so many things came and went but I'll do my best to be simple. My favorite moments: - Played in the snow, then later that day, climbed some desert hill in shorts and a tank top in 65 degree sunshine. - Got a cactus stuck in my leg that looked exactly like Herbie (yes, this is a favorite moment ;) ) - Had a very successful Ladies League, new friends and my first #1 bag tag! - Attended our first charity board meeting with all members. It's really exciting to talk about next years goals and this years accomplishments. - Got some props on the Smashboxx podcast (HERE) by my girl Zoe, as well as a big shout out for Women’s Disc Golf Outreach. We’re starting to get some attention and it’s really fueling my passion for my work here. - Modified my golf run up and added a ton of power/distance. Yay learning! - Sat at a bar with my best friend teaching dudes how to throw a forehand flick using a pizza pan - And lastly, had a long bonfire discussion on men vs women, form vs force in disc golf with my best friend which will be the topic I will run with. But FIRST! Bonus video... I'm not very good at hood, but I tried. [If you don't frisbee, you may want to skip this]
I’ve watched a ton of disc golf videos this week. Form form form, distance distance, confidence. I’m streaming some Mellow Yellow Challenge @ Solitude videos, watching men park 800 foot downhill shots for a 50 foot putt. I snapped a little bit and just (to my friend) yelled “I WANNA THROW 800 FEET!”. Yeah it’s downhill but it was the beginning of a huge discussion on why don’t I, and why don’t “we” as women (most women)? I have a few theories, and please, I’d love your input since no one is right and I want to crack the code! Men vs Women I’m a lady. I get complimented on my form all the time and I always say “that’s all I have.” I’m a little girl with comparatively small muscles but there are still small men out there, that aren’t putting in training time, throwing 200+ more than I can without much effort. So why? I’m passionate, I’m taking the time to learn, I’m not convinced that I CAN’T throw that far…or am I? I have a theory that there’s a lot of simple subconscious going on here that’s keeping me from throwing even 500 feet. Considering I choke while competing (for seemingly no reason) and can’t throw shots I KNOW how to make, I feel like there’s definitely something there. There are 2 sides to this that Erika and I discussed. 1. How far do we ladies NEED to throw? What I have works for me and I can keep up with my division throwing 315 feet... I think there’s a stigma in the sport right now, but it’s mostly due to lack of competition. Let’s grow the sport to 50/50 women/men and see if 315 feet will do me any good. I think not. 2. How far do we think we CAN throw? This is a tricky question that I'm sure is different for everyone but I'm guessing we're working inside a box. Paige Pierce is our prime example, and a damn good one, but look at the men's field with Amateur players still tossing 600 feet. Anyhow, I don’t want to settle where I am, I want to learn, and I want to be a big arm no matter my gender. So that cover’s a small portion of men vs women…how about form vs force, very similar but different? Form vs Force I’m the first to admit I’m not the most ladylike lady I know. I’m crude and like getting dirty and play with the boys better than I do with the girls in most things…but I’d still describe myself as dainty. I have a small delicate frame and I care about not breaking my body. Granted I have a history of literally being broken (a vertebrae to be exact) so this may apply to me more than others. But as my friend Erika and I discussed; day 1, you put a frisbee in a girls hand and she tosses it gently with only her arm (I take full responsibility for generalizing). Now do the same with a boy and he throws it as hard as possible putting everything into it. I think this is a huge factor in women’s learning curve in disc golf. Maybe if I’m more willing to sacrifice that daintiness/caution that I play with, I’ll figure it out. Being somewhat wreckless might be a good thing in disc golf. I have a lot of work to do, but little mental blocks like this seem to be my main struggle at the moment. Sorry to get so technical but frisbeelife will do that to a person and 6 hour frisbee conversations are my favorite. I’m planning on doing a "beginner tips for women" series, hopefully sooner than later. I’m super analytical and I love teaching. Even while not being the BEST golfer myself, I understand golf and frisbees plenty. So my first tip (videos to come) is analyze your throw. Have a friend film you and dissect it. Watch a few pro videos online and see what you’re doing differently, or see if there’s some tiny piece of advice you can apply, one thing at a time. It’s crazy how much can improve by putting your foot in a different place, or moving your thumb over or using the tee pad differently. But in the wise wise words of Tim Skellenger, “Just try everything, if it doesn’t work for you, don’t do it. But try it.” That’s not a direct quote but it’s the idea. Also shout out to all you pros that keep throwing SUPER helpful advice my way. I feel like I’m in frisbee college and I love it. You know who you are, and I really appreciate it! Next up: AZ State Championships in Phoenix, AZ this weekend! Immediately driving up to Portland, OR to see my other disc golf family Stop in Rancho Cucamonga, CA Eat a ton of turkey. Continue being really happy! Love and frisbees, ya'll, Tina Last note: check the side bar for new goodies. Video's links to other things frisbee/Tina |
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Author
Tina Stanaitis - Professional Disc Golfer (#68076), Entrepreneur, Full Time RVer, and Dream Follower Extraordinaire!
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