Blond hair tied back in a high ponytail - hatchet in hand - Maddy Mathe confidently faces a wood block target.

Earlier, she watered down the wood, explaining how it helps with axe throwing.

Adorned in the black and white stripes of an official, she fires off throw after throw, sinking the axe into the wood, stepping up to purposefully pull it from the splintered target, and heading back to that line to throw again.

Some land closer to the bullseye than others.

All make her smile.

乌鸦传媒淚 really like just the feeling of throwing and letting go 乌鸦传媒� you throw all your power into it and go and see where it lands,乌鸦传媒� she says.

At 10, Maddy is the youngest in her Victoria axe-throwing league 乌鸦传媒� the oldest in the diverse group is 72.

She discovered axe throwing while kicking around downtown with dad Brian Mathe on their customary date night just over a year ago. They spotted a sign for Axe and Grind and popped in. That night, the Victoria youth was issued a plastic axe for her first session.

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乌鸦传媒淲hen I threw it, it felt nice, if you乌鸦传媒檙e angry you can throw all that into the axe乌鸦传媒� Maddy says.

When dad and daughter returned a few weeks later, coach Ragnar Olafson offered her a suitably sized real axe instead. 乌鸦传媒淚 think she pretty much fell in love,乌鸦传媒� he says.

Maddy and Brian joined the league and now it乌鸦传媒檚 part of their routine.

Olafson credits her dedication and focus to some impressive improvements. In her first season, Maddy had 100 drops, well over 30 per cent, and her high score was a 20. So far this season, her second, she乌鸦传媒檚 had 20 drops and her high score is 45.

Her first season, she sat at 19th position of 19 players and now she乌鸦传媒檚 14th of 25.

While she乌鸦传媒檚 the only kid among them, she乌鸦传媒檚 treated with the same respect as any athlete in the league 乌鸦传媒� Olafson wouldn乌鸦传媒檛 tolerate anything else.

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With urban axe throwing starting to see some growth, Olafson wouldn乌鸦传媒檛 mind seeing a youth league in Victoria.

乌鸦传媒淚f you want to get good and be a world champion by the time you乌鸦传媒檙e 18, now乌鸦传媒檚 the time to start,乌鸦传媒� he says.

Maddy highly recommends the sport. 乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檝e made good friends here,乌鸦传媒� she says, everyone is kind.

Maddy and her dad credit Olafson as a mentor and leader for her growth in the sport.乌鸦传媒淲ithout him I wouldn乌鸦传媒檛 have done it. He乌鸦传媒檚 funny too,乌鸦传媒� Maddy says.

He also encouraged her interest in judging. She studied and studied and failed the first test.

Maddy buckled down and tested again.

She learned she乌鸦传媒檇 achieved certification while at Axe and Grind, on National Girls and Women in Sports Day.

She was 9, and Olafson is confident she乌鸦传媒檚 among the youngest officials in the World Axe Throwing League.

Having since turned 10, she乌鸦传媒檚 looking at her next hurdle 乌鸦传媒� knives.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 harder,乌鸦传媒� Maddy admits. 乌鸦传媒淜nives are really light and you stand very close when you throw them.乌鸦传媒�

christine.vanreeuwyk@blackpress.ca

christine.vanreeuwyk@blackpress.ca
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