Although 2010 was by far not my best year, it was definitely the most fun that I have ever had on Tour still relishing my 2009 World Championship Title, as I continue to be the Face and a Fixture on the PDGA Tour. I played in 24 PDGA Sanctioned Events with 7 – Top 5 Finishes and 1 Win at the Forsyth County Open SuperTour event in Georgia with a $2000 first prize. I also have several strong finishes at the Skylands Classic, Sunshine State Shootout and Brent Hambrick Memorial Open National Tour Events. I placed 4th at the United States Doubles Championships with good friend and long-time Disc Golf Doubles Partner, David Feldberg. I was also a part of the NorCal Championship Team at the NorCal vs. SoCal Team Invitational Championships.
As far as other stats, I shot 2 course records including a Final Round at Fountain Hills during the 2010 Memorial Championships National Tour Event in Phoenix, AZ shooting a 44 (1080 rating) to get back on the top cards. I also shot a course record during the Final Round of the Forsyth County Open SuperTour Event in Atlanta, GA shooting a 50 (1057 rating) in the downpour rain to force a 3-way Playoff with Ken Climo and David Feldberg. I won the Sudden Death Playoff on the 2nd Hole with a drop-in Par Putt for the Victory. The 1090 Final Round Rating at the 2007 Memorial Championships still remains my highest rated round in my career.
I continue to train throughout the season, not only for Disc Golf but for Distance contests as well. I participated in the 2010 Big “D” in the Desert this Fall in Primm, NV setting my Personal Distance Record at 705 ft (215 Meters). I also tried for the World’s Longest Aerobie throw and launched a throw that measure 951 ft (290 Meters), but still well short of the 1083 ft (330 Meter) World Record set by Erin Hemmings. I also strive to set a World Record for “The longest throw to a Dog Catch” that will potentially appear in the Guinness Book of World Records.
It was also an exciting year with the debut of my very own Allen & Ginter Topps Rookie Sportscard appearing in Sports Card and Hobbie Shops all over the Country. The Topps Allen & Ginter Series is a tribute to the first tobacco manufacturing firm that created and marketed the 1st cigarette cards for collecting and trading. These cards were inserted to stiffen the cigarette packaging and to advertise the cigarette brands. Beginning in 1875, the Allen & Ginter tabacco produced the first cards featuring hand painted cards of current Baseball Players, as well as other inserts featuring athletes in other sports. They even featured non-athletes including Indian Chefs, Boxers, Actors/Actresses and US Presidents. The early Allen & Ginter cards that were produced are considered to be some of the most valuable sportscards ever made.
Since 2007, Topps has issued a revival of the Allen & Ginter trading cards. These cards feature the same hand painted cards for current baseball players, as well as inserts featuring World Champion athletes in other sports. But this is not only my Rookie card but a Rookie card for the sport Disc Golf as well. This Sportscard has gotten lots of exposure for Disc Golf since its release and it is a definite Sports Collectible to keep for years to come. I have been collecting Sportscards for several years when I was younger and have acquired thousands of sportscards from my Uncle growing up. I am very excited and honored after all of these years to finally have my very own Sportscard.
I also just recently got unanimously elected to the PDGA Board of Directors to aid in the development and evolution of Disc Golf throughout the World. It is very important for players to give back to the sport that they love and I have the experience to really make a positive change for Disc Golf as this sport continues to grow. I ran for the PDGA Board in order to better the sport through increased involvement in the PDGA process and ongoing operations, I have developed great communication with the PDGA and its members throughout the years of traveling with correspondence at the grassroots to professional levels of the game. With more players being exposed to this sport every year, it’s just a matter of time before we really make an impact in the media and the entire Sports World. It has truly become a passion of mine, I believe that I have what it takes and know that I will do an outstanding job to make it better for the sport that we all love.
I took part in several Disc Golf Instructional Clinics before many of the PDGA National Tour Events. I was also part of a Huge Disc Golf Clinic with a significant attendance of 150+ players at the 2010 Amateur World Championships in Marion, OH. When I am back in Santa Cruz during the off-season, I help with Coaching the Univ. of California – Santa Cruz Disc Golf Team and attend practices with several local High Schools that participate in the Santa Cruz County Disc Golf League.
In 2010, it was the release of the Avery Jenkins Signature Series Innova Star Destroyer that was placed in full production in the late Spring and sold more than 25,000 Worldwide. It is an Incredible Distance Disc and It’s my go-to Long-Range Driver that has a predicable fading finish. It has incredible speed & amazing downrange glide that enables it to cover lots of ground for maximum distance. If you haven’t put one in your bag yet, I highly recommend that you do so if you want to throw far!!!
Also, I have been working with Santa Cruz Community Television on a Monthly Disc Golf Show called “DiscMasters”. It is a local cable-access television program that exposes the community of Santa Cruz to the fast growing sport of Disc Golf and informing them about the upcoming Disc Golf World Championships at De Laveaga. I am also involved in a few Disc Golf Videos such as a “Disc Golf Instructional DVD” with teammate David Feldberg that will release in the early Summer, along with other Disc Golf Documentaries including “Chains the Movie” which will debut at the World Championships and “Team Jenkins – The First Family of Disc Golf” which will release sometime in the winter of 2011.
I look forward to maintaining as a member of the Innova Star Team, I will continue to help contributing to the process of making the Players a more unified Team as we work to make Team Innova a presence in the Disc Golf World. I also do my best to be a Role-Model for the other players on the Team, both on and off the course.
This off-season, I have been helping to improve the local Santa Cruz and Monterey Courses for the 2011 Disc Golf World Championships in Santa Cruz, CA this Summer. I have provided Course Layout/Design assistance and contributed to helping gain Sponsors and Fund Raising for the event. I helped in the labor efforts of building new Tee-Pads and Retaining Walls at the Historic De Laveaga Disc Golf Course, I have also helped to partially re-design the Oaks Disc Golf Course in Monterey in preparations for the World Championships. It is a lot of hard work but it is really going to make a difference when it all comes down to it, we are trying to set the standard for all Disc Golf World Championships that follow in years to come.
Goals for 2011.
– Win another Major Disc Golf Tournament
– Play my best at every Event that I attend
– Bring Disc Golf to the Mainstream Media
– Promote all of my Sponsors to the best of my ability
– Travel the World playing the sport that I love
In the 2011 Season, I plan to travel and play more than ever, and have scheduled to play around 30+ Tournaments and traveling extensively throughout the US, Europe and Asia, with my 1st tournament of the year taking place in Taipei, Taiwan. I will be playing ALL of the PDGA National Tour and Major Events throughout the 2011 Season as I continue to be a Disc Golf Ambassador and spokesman for the sport during my travels.
I am proven to be one of the most dominant players in the World and I continue to be a model as a Professional Disc Golf athlete. I am a highly marketable player and individual as I have given my life to the sport. It’s been a passion of mine for over a decade and I will continue to promote Disc Golf as one of the best sports on the planet. I am looking forward to another exciting and successful season on the Disc Golf Tour, I will do my best to make the most of it every single day.
Thanks to all my friends, family and travel companions throughout the year that have made my world travels possible and my disc golf dreams a reality. Here’s to an incredible 2011 Season!!!