Player Profile: Alyssa Livingston
Sorry I missed y’all last week. My only excuse? Las Vegas. That’s all I’m going to say about that. This week I decided to write about something close to home, my wife’s amazing journey in disc golf. Obviously, this will be quite biased, but I feel that there are some lessons in her journey that we can all consider in our own disc golf journeys.
Alyssa Livingston began playing disc golf shortly after I discovered the sport back in early 2017. She accompanied me on my first few rounds, and curiosity got the best of her and that was that. Like me, she was instantly hooked on the game. In short order she found herself with her own bag and discs, many of them way too overstable for her arm (and mine for that matter). It was also during this time that we were relatively new to the Chicagoland area, and disc golf provided an opportunity to meet new people. It wasn’t long before we discovered Birdbrain Disc Golf Club and leagues and tournaments. But it wasn’t until the Women’s Global Event in 2018 that Alyssa really found her passion for the game.
“You did what!?”, was her response when I told her that I had registered her for the event. Alyssa remembers, “I was absolutely not ready to play in a tournament, but at the same time I was excited for a women’s only event.” As we rolled into the parking lot, it was apparent that this was going to be a magical event. Hosted by Terry Miller at the Grey Fox Disc Golf Course, I could see that passion taking form in real time. “I didn’t know so many ladies played disc golf until I saw them all in one place”, Alyssa says. “Suddenly I was playing with people at my same skill level, and meeting women with the same passion to improve that I knew I was hooked!”
Immediately after the event, Alyssa signed up for the next two women’s events scheduled that year, the WiscoDisco and the Sparkle Open. A disc golfer was born that day, and since then she has done so much to grow the sport.
I always like to say that disc golf, “takes a second to learn, but a lifetime to master”, and I think that is what attracts us to this game. It’s been a joy to watch Alyssa grow in this sport. Alyssa is the perfect recipe of physique and passion, with a willingness to learn and grow. In the beginning, she only had me to teach her, and while I tried to impress upon her what I thought was the important aspects of ‘good form’, it wasn’t until she started getting lessons from local pro Dan Schlitter that she really bloomed into a contender. “I remember learning to shift my weight, and that changed everything for me”, Alyssa recalls. “Suddenly I was throwing much further and with more accuracy, and I really felt like I understood the physics of the throw.” Since then, she’s excelled in driving, approaching, and putting, and her ever increasing PDGA rating is proof of the hard work she invests into her game.
When she’s off the course, she helps grow the sport by volunteering at numerous events, promoting other ladies only events, running the Ladies of the North women’s league, and this year running her first ladies only disc golf tournament, ParQUEENS. Alyssa says, “I’ve been wanting to host an event for some time now, and I’m both nervous and excited to finally have the chance to do so.” Her extensive volunteer working with other tournament directors, as well as her relationship with state coordinator Mike Krupicka has given her the confidence to run such an event. “Registration has already exceeded my expectations, so I’m very excited about this event, and I know that this is only the first of many such adventures for me”, Alyssa says.
Even though my wife was pretty awesome to begin with, disc golf has made her a better person. It has taught her how to deal with and overcome adversity. It has helped her sharpen her social skills. It has given her opportunities to meet and work with some amazing people. It has provided both of us reasons to travel the country and explore this great land. It has kept us happy and healthy. And most importantly, disc golf has been a positive driving force in both our lives. There is no better feeling in the world than sharing a passion together. Disc golf has been a wonderful foundation to build a life upon, and I am not only grateful for the sport, but I am grateful that I have an amazing wife whose passion for this game may exceed my own.
