So long and see you soon: A farewell to the meadery's pro.

We had the tourney finish for our Wednesday league this week, and at the end of it, before he left, Bob (our resident, objectively very best thrower) quietly announced he was done with leagues. Now, he left some room in that statement (adding a "for a while, maybe forever. We'll see." sorta cap on it), but for all purposes, it sure sounded like it was a big shift in seeing the fellow at every single league kickoff.

It's a weird thing.

Not that he's done with leagues (he likely will still come to marathons, I hope), it leaves an enormous gap in my -- and every Meduseld league -- picture of what axe throwing is, locally.

Bob was there when I started, and even then, years and years ago, he was a tippy-top thrower. He's still a tippy-top thrower of course, ranked at the time of writing at a very, very respectable 54th in the IATF.

Like most throwers of his skill level, other throwers would roll their eyes, or groan, or say something to the effect of "well, here's my first loss of the night" or whatever when the scorekeeper called out a match with him as the opponent.

It didn't make him hated, of course, but he was someone that everyone wanted to beat. Wanted to beat -- but rarely did. He is just...he's exceptionally good at the sport, and getting a win off against him is a milestone at the Meadery (and, truthfully, probably a milestone everywhere else, too).

But Bob, of course, didn't necessarily act like a pro. He isn't aloof. He doesn't rub in wins or ever act like he isn't taking a match seriously. He acts, if I can put a fine point on it, like everyone he throws against has the potential to win. If someone can benefit from some advice or tips, he offers them freely and openly. He, like the IATF community when at its best, wants everyone to throw as well as is possible.

With Bob deciding to leave the regular rotation of leagues at Meduseld, with the announcement of it, really, it set me to thinking about who he is as a person and a thrower. To put it bluntly, I think he is a main driver of Meduseld throwers getting better. His talent was something to aim for, his advice was always sound. He equipped throwers (with equipment or with advice or with practice) to become more skilled.

He made it a point to be welcoming in every match, to joke around. But he also made it a point to give newer throwers a chance to win. By that I mean: in tournaments, he'd often choose to do some clutch practice if the other thrower was newer and was at risk of getting knocked out via a sweep. Not because he was showing off, but because he wanted people to keep throwing and get more rounds in.

For me, he became a kinda measurement of myself: I noticed when he was kind to me in the way I just shared, but I also noticed when I'd advanced enough that he didn't need to extend that kindness. I noticed when he gave me loads of advice, but also noticed when he asked

me to help out another thrower. He is a sort of barometer for how you're doing in the sport: whether you're under his wing or sailing around beside him.

We didn't always see eye to eye (both because he's much taller than me, but also because we are different people). And lord knows he pissed me off plenty of times (and I like to think I pissed him off, too), but I respect the hell out of him, and am happy whenever I get the chance to throw against him/talk to him about the sport/get to joke around with him at tournaments. He's just...I dunno...a really solid, caring, community-focused guy.

I know this is a rambling post. I just have a lot of feelings that are kinda hard to explain in a coherent way. Lemme try to clean it up:

Bob and I are not close buds. We don't hang out when we're not throwing. But he's a key person in my development as a thrower. He showed me how to be sporting and how to be a good community builder in axe throwing. I owe him a whole, whole lot, and it makes me sad that I won't get to lose to him every league.

So we'll see if the semi-retirement sticks. We'll see if he takes off a few leagues and then decides it's boring and comes back - or if he's content to just beat the hell out of everyone at marathons and to

urneys.

If it does turn out that way, I'm honored to have been around to witness the way he became the core of axe throwing in Lancaster, and to see the way he hands out opportunity and growth like it's only natural.

You're a good egg, Bob, and we're gonna miss the hell out of having you in leagues (at least for a while until you get bored and come back.

WhichIsTotallyFineAndWeWon'tSayAThingIfYouDoThatWe'llJustActLikeYouWereOnVacationOrSomething.