BEHIND THE PHOTOS: THE DISC THAT DES READING GAVE ME

The 2009 PDGA World Championships was held in Kansas City and I was playing competitively at the time. I played in the Advanced Women division, Paige Pierce was even in my field at that time. I missed the cut for the semi-finals though, but I wasn’t even mad about it. I was EXCITED because that meant I would have more time to take pictures with my brand new 28-300mm Tamaron lens.

I remember watching Des Reading play FPO in the final 9. I never met her before, and it was so wild to see her in person.

I was taking pictures of the final card and she ran straight towards me. I looked around trying to figure out who she was runnning towards, but no one else was around.

She handed me this Pro Wraith out of her bag and said thank you for taking pictures of them, she said the disc had “lost its left leg” for her and she thought it would be a good fit for me.

I couldn't believe it.

This was a moment that I truly feel shifted how I felt about disc golf. I was already hooked, but this was on another level.

Looking back at that now, it just put this fire in my heart that's still with me today.

While I have significantly evolved since that moment, I think it's something that has stayed with me. At the root level, I think it is always there subconsciously.

Now, I think it is something that I try to give to others. Not in the exact context, but in spirit and from the heart, because we all need something to push us forward sometimes.