The Pennsylvania Disc Golf Hall of Fame

2005 Junior Boys <13 World Champion - Flagstaff, AZ

 

I began playing disc golf with a 100 gram Polecat.  I would tag along with my dad to Scheneley Park for Wednesday night league.  I wouldn’t have much aim to my playing, and most of the time I was more concerned with picking up various sticks I found along the course.  From there, through my father’s (J. Gary Dropcho’s) teachings, I learned how much potential I had to play the game at a high level.  He taught me how to stay patient when I played and not let poor play get to my head.  I still apply this teaching to my every day life.  Don’t put too much stock in the bad things that occur, because sooner or later, things will look up.  He taught me that it was useful to be able to throw far, but more important to have your putting and approach game be the keystone of your play.  I would not have won in Flagstaff, Arizona in 2005 if my father hadn’t convinced me to practice putting daily.  He consistently practiced putting in the backyard, and I saw how that practice translated directly into his own game.  This inspired me to pursue the same level of excellence.  After the World Championships in Flagstaff, I played five more years of competitive disc golf before my love for the game of ultimate took priority.  I am still playing ultimate for the University of Pittsburgh En Sabah Nur, and plan to continue playing post-graduation.