Another year has come and gone and we’ve served our time in prison…

“It’s never too late to mend.” These words have echoed through me and this event since the very first time I realized that this was something that was engraved into the minds of those prisoners.  How do I begin to pay homage to this idea? To those guards and prisoners?

The only way I know how, by spreading love, by taking something like disc golf which is built on love and putting it inside of those limestone walls. 

This prison was a dark place, plain and simple. It was filled with a lot of people that had done a lot of terrible things. I’m sure it also housed people that had committed some not so terrible crimes or quite possibly innocent men and women. 

I can’t help but to think of those people when I’m behind those walls. The ones who were trying to do their time and become better people. Maybe it’s the humanitarian in me but I have to believe that we’re not all bad. That maybe there were people that wanted to find a better path and change their lives. 

Inparcerated is not only for the people who come out and play disc golf but also for the inmates that dreamt of a better life, a better way, to live outside those walls, to be free. I believe that the camaraderie and community that result from this event put positive energy back into a place that needs it most. 

We were truly blessed with absolutely amazing weather this year. Mid 60s and Sunny both Saturday and Sunday. Perhaps it was the universe recognizing the love band-aid we are putting on that property. 

We made some fun changes from last year’s course layout. There was 385ft added to the total length this year. Hole 3 was a 100ft shot through a double doorway inside the cafeteria where the inmates would eat. Speaking of which, there were 4 Aces hit between our 5 tee times. Hole 3 was hit three different times by Matt Balch, Annie Oldenburg and Tim Potter and Hole 11 was aced by lefty Kevin Derrick. 

Thank you all so much for coming out and being a part of mending a dark place with all of our light. Special thanks to those who came from out of town. Andy Drace and Robert Baker came out just for this event from New Mexico. A group of 11 came in from Missouri with matching orange inmate shirts complete with PDGA numbers and all. Thank you to the locals that continue to be a part of our events. You guys are all amazing! 

Thank you to the Old Joliet Prison Preservation Coalition for allowing us to come to this amazing, historical place and adding our page in its history books. 

A HUGE thank you to Dynamic Disc for sponsoring the event and to Bobby “Cool Daddy Slick Breeze” Brown for coming all the way from Dynamic Disc headquarters in Emporia, Kansas to document the event. We cannot wait to see your perspective on our disc golf community. 

Thank you to Lauren Lakeberg The Disc Golf Photographer for always giving your time to our events. 

Thank you to Pollyanna Brewing Company, Elder Brewing and Bull & Balance.

A very special thanks to my wife, friends and other tournament staff with whom none of the things that we do are possible: Sheila Callahan, Leo and Paula Borowski, Thor Batchelor, Ryan Fancher, Mark Grabavoy, Joe Roppo, Steve Behrens, Nick Behrens and Pat Donnelly.

-Sean Callahan (October 21, 2019)