Emporian Jake Newell took a trip this past weekend to watch a professional disc golf tournament in Kansas City.
An avid disc golf player for many years, the 21-year-old Newell made the trip up I-35 to watch some of the sport’s best players compete.
But for the first time ever, Newell did it not simply as an interested spectator, but as one of their own.
That’s because Newell, who is coming off winning the 2007 United States Disc Golf Amateur National Championship two weeks ago, signed a contract with Discraft Discs last week, taking him from the amateur ranks to the professional level.
“Right now, I feel very good about my game,” Newell said. “Winning a big tournament will make you feel a lot better about yourself.”
Not to mention some sweet incentives that are headed his way thanks to his signing with Discraft.
When he won the Amateur National tournament by one stroke over Michigan’s Mike Frame and Jamie Mosier on June 17 in Milford, Mich., Discraft — which held the event — approached Newell with the opportunity to be sponsored by the company.
A contract with Discraft meant a supply of 25 discs each year, plus special bonuses for winning or placing well in tournaments. There’s also the apparel — sweatshirts, jackets, T-shirts, polos and hats.
As Newell put it, “they keep you happy.”
Though he won the Amateur National using Gateway discs, the chance to sign with Discraft — a company Newell said “makes some of the best discs out there” — was too good to pass up.
“To be sponsored by them is quite an opportunity,” said Newell, who joins fellow Emporia pro disc golfer Eric McCabe as a Discraft signee. “It was tough because I won the tournament with Gateway discs, but Discraft was a step up.”
There are several levels of of sponsorships through Discraft, and Newell enters the pro ranks on the lowest rung of those levels, the Pro-D team. The possibility to move up exists, however, provided he fares well at tournaments, especially if he can win a few.
Going from amateur to pro was something Newell had planned all along this year. Newell said he already had made the decision to turn pro long before his showing at the Amateur National tournament.
However, knowing the opportunity existed to make a instant impact on the sport with a good showing at the National event, Newell practiced with added ferocity toward winning the Amateur title.
“I knew that I was going to make the jump to pro sometime this year,” Newell said. “I decided about three months ago that after this tournament, regardless of how I did, I was going to move up to the pro division.
“Of course, winning it made my decision very easy. I worked my butt off for it. I can’t tell you how many times I practiced putting and would say, “OK, Jake, this is the one to win Am Nationals.’ That’s how I practiced. I used that tournament as motivation.”
After watching the seasoned professionals this past weekend in Kansas City, Newell suggested that changes might be in order for him once he begins playing as a professional.
“It’s definitely a different game playing at the pro level,” he said. “Pros are real down to business when it comes to a tournament. There’s not a whole lot of talking. I’m a guy that likes to talk, so I’m going to have to get used to that. It’s a lot more serious, and of course it’s a lot more competitive, but I’m looking forward to it.”
His first tournament as a professional comes this weekend when he travels to Lewisville, Texas, to compete in the Dynamic Discs Lewisville Open.
He’s not afraid to admit there will probably be a learning curve when it comes to playing with the best the sport has to offer. But, he also goes in with confidence, having proven himself once already at the Amateur National tournament.
“I’m probably going to get my butt kicked for a while — a lot of people do,” Newell said. “But once I start getting used to it, it should get better from then on.
“I think Am Nationals was an experience that helped me grow up a lot as far as competition goes, and knowing that when it’s clutch time, that I can perform at that level.”
lynnie_p (anonymous) says...
Way to go Jake.... I'm so proud of you...... but don't forget your art.... you're too good to put it aside............ xooxox lynnie
June 26, 2007 at 2:03 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )