Last in a lifetime event

This is scheduled to post shortly before I leave for York County, PA to play in the 2019 PDGA Amateur Worlds. I want to thank my sister for her help in getting me there and everyone else for putting up with me over the past 6 plus months talking and writing about the event.

This trip is the culmination of my decision in 2016 to dedicate time, energy, and funds for something I can do as opposed to watching people do things I can't and is why I have given up other things I want to do and attend while driving my beat up car thousands of miles through all types of weather (rain, snow, 90+°, -20°) to deliver food even on days I am tired and or sore from my regular job.

Though I refer this as a last in a lifetime trip to the Amateur Worlds, there are circumstances where I would play in this event again.

One: My game is worthy. My 2018 season was good enough to justify a first trip. However, to justify another week long trip within 15 years, my game would have to even be better than that.

From fatigue, physical discomfort, pain, and injury along with multiple brain failures in strategy, rules, and even adding scores, to way more often than acceptable having to ask myself how the **** did I throw the disc where it went, my 2019 season has been poor. Had I not played well the two weeks before registering (the only time I have not sucked to this point in 2019), I might have decided to not do so. Having woken the Friday before the trip with a right knee that lost much of its function is a somber reminder of the limit of my ability to perform.

I am a long way from being good enough to warrant a second road trip to this event and my goal as far as playing is to not be in the bottom group of 4 in my division (of the 60 currently entered) for the final round.

Two: Commuting. Most disc golf majors rotate among areas. From 2015 through 2017, the three world ams that I could not play were held less 200 miles from where I live but still far enough away to require a multiple night hotel stay.

There are some local areas that could hold an event where I could commute but the only plausible one in the near future is Joliet. Dellwood, located in Lockport, has the #1 ranked course in Illinois and is currently building an additional gold level course (which is what the York County, PA area did to get this year's event). There are also plenty of courses within 25 miles of Dellwood that have hosted tournaments and it is possible that with 6-8 other local courses they could host the Am Worlds a few years down the road.

If they are successful in getting the Am Worlds, 2025 would be best for me as that is the year I would turn *gulp* 60.

Three: 2035. If my instinct and calculations are incorrect or if I cheat death again, I could play in 70+ but doubt my body would be up for it in 16 years.

When I state this is a "last in a lifetime event", I am being realistic, not negative.