Sherburne County residents have a local sports hero to cheer for when it comes to the increasingly popular sport of disc golf. Sami Keddington, nee Kolbinger, a 2004 Becker graduate, is a rising star in the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) professional tour who is making a name for herself through not only her athletic performances, but also in her quest to bring the sport she loves to a wider audience.

“Disc golf has allowed me to mold myself into a leader and has taught me many life lessons,” says Keddington, who is sponsored by both Discraft and Infinite Discs, a pair of industry titans in the sport. “My husband taught me how to play in about 2012 and pretty soon I figured out I was pretty good at it . . . it helped my confidence and has allowed me to find my life’s purpose.”

Through her experiences as an elite player, Sami has traveled across the U.S. playing in tournaments and has also struck up a decent amount of business in teaching lessons to other disc golfers. It’s a side of the sport that she thoroughly enjoys, because she can integrate her passion for fitness and yoga with the fundamentals of the sport to create a holistic approach for her clients.

“I love giving lessons because I am able to help many of my clients with their confidence,” Keddington says. “Sometimes it only takes one lesson and I can see people come out of their shell and go from being terrified of getting up there to starting to throw the disc with confidence.”

A devoted mom (Colton age 6) and wife (husband John), Sami limits herself to about 15-20 events per year, when in all reality she could play every single weekend. It’s a balance she wants to strike to still have a focus on her family, while being able to pursue her athletic dreams.

“I’ve worked really hard to get where I am at,” Sami says.  “But it’s important to us to be a family as well.”

Disc Golf has been an integral part of her family, as both Colton and John play the sport. Colton recently played in a tournament, while Sami and John once teamed up to win the Texas State Mixed Doubles Championship.

“Disc golf has actually been really good for our marriage,” says Keddington, who goes by the nickname “Sami the Slammer” on the course.  “It’s taught us patience, grace, forgiveness and has led us to be more involved in our church.”

Attending the tournaments also allows the Keddingtons to visit their families, who are strewn about the country in many different states.

According to Keddington, the pandemic has been a boon for the sport, as it is an outdoor activity that has social distancing built right into the mechanics. Across the industry, sales have been brisk since the start of COVID-19 related restrictions, as more and more people are trying out disc golf. Not only is it a relatively inexpensive sport to try, but it also has many great fitness and exercise benefits.

“It’s really growing as a way people can get outside and enjoy the company of friends and family,” Keddington says.

Sami was recently back in Minnesota to play in a pair of tournaments - the Twin Town Throwdown in Minneapolis, as well as the The Preserve Championship in Clearwater. However, a leg injury derailed those plans and she instead focused on visiting family.

 In terms of courses, Sami ranks Becker’s extremely high.

“It’s a wonderful course and one of my favorites,” Sami says, noting the forested fairways and unique layout. “I want to work to try and bring a tournament to Becker in the near future.”

As she recovers from her injury, Keddington is keeping her focus on building her business, which includes teaching her lessons as well as an integration with Youtube that will put all of her lesson plans and devotions in one area for her clients.

“I’m working hard to keep spreading the word about disc golf and also to make my hometowns proud, which includes Becker,” says Keddington, who now lives in Chandler, AZ. “I really believe that the people who are playing disc golf right now will someday be looked upon as the legends of the sport . . . it is growing so fast and that history will be there for my son to see someday.”

Interested citizens can check out more information regarding the sport of disc golf or Sami’s career at SamiKeddington.com.