Empowering women, one axe at a time
Barrington woman supporting, encouraging others to try typically male-dominated sport
Suzy Powley-Atwood isn’t afraid of the great outdoors.
Not only is she the director of marketing and tourism for the Municipality of Barrington and in charge of marketing for her family’s business, Timber Lounge, she’s also a competitive axe thrower.
“It’s a lot of fun," says Powley-Atwood, who has attended world championships in Europe, the Irish Open and has competed at the Canadian championships in Liverpool, N.S.
Powley-Atwood got into the sport after meeting her now-husband, Darren Hudson, who is a competitive lumberjack and seven-time world champion log roller.
“He’s a fifth-generation lumberjack. He grew up in the logging industry. His family started the Scott Family Timber Show.”
The pair started dating in 2012, and axe throwing came a few years later.
Powley-Atwood’s love for the sport inspired her to start an women’s axe-throwing league – Wild Axe Women.
“It’s generally seen as a male sport and not traditionally a women’s sport. But it’s a sport anyone can do. For me, it became addictive – hitting the targeting, throwing axes outside along the Barrington River. Then I started the league and women signed up. They loved the feeling of being outside and the empowerment that came with the experience.”
People often feel intimidated by the sport, she says.
“It’s a very safe sport but looking at it from the outside it can be intimidating… but it’s a sport where everyone is on equal playing field, so to speak.”
In the league’s most recent session, Powley-Atwood recalled a woman who joined, but wasn’t sure she could succeed.
“She was very hard on herself. But she’s grown in skill and grown to love the sport. It was very exciting for me; she stepped outside that comfort zone and has succeeded.”
A misconception people have about the sport is that you have to be “big and burly.”
“At the Timber Lounge, we have coaches that are men and women, different sizes. It’s not a sport that’s only maleoriented.”
In addition, PowleyAtwood and her husband organize camps for kids in the summer.
“It’s great to see the kids join, and I love to see girls sign up because usually it impacts their group of friends and has others thinking they can do it, too. The kids go canoeing, axe throwing, log rolling, tree climbing.”
She said as women and girls, having the confidence to try new things helps develop the mindset that what you believe you can do, you can do.
“It’s so important, especially in this day and age with social media, because there are so many ways of how you’re ‘supposed’ to be. But just being yourself and having the confidence to ask, ‘why can’t I do this’ is so important.”
A woman that inspires Powley-Atwood is her mother.
“She’s always been there, no matter the mistake or victory. She’s always instilled that if you work hard and do good, you’ll go far.”