An assistant principal at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School is bringing the sport of ax throwing to Fort Lauderdale.
Jeff Morford said Axe Throwing Society will be opening its doors August. Affiliated with the World Axe Throwing League, the facility will offer tournaments and event hosting, such as birthday parties or corporate retreats.
“I’ve been working on this since December of 2017,” said Morford. “I spoke to seniors after the tragedy at Stoneman and many of them didn’t have a lot going on. I pushed forward with this facility as a way to help them release tension.”
Morford’s involvement with the sport stretches back to a visit with his daughters in Austin, Texas.
“They took me ax throwing, and we had a lot of fun,” said Morford. “I then met with the CEO of the World Axe Throwing League and visited facilities in Chicago and New York to find out more about their operations and how to bring it here to Florida.”
While ax-throwing facilities tend to lean on a lumberjack theme, Morford is looking to make his a full-blown sports bar. The 5,400-square-foot facility will come complete with a full kitchen and bar serving alcoholic beverages.
With 81-inch television sets lining the walls, Morford hopes to make this a place where people come to watch any big sporting event.
Morford assured that they are taking safety seriously. Ax-throwing coaches are with patrons at all times while in the throwing range and there is no drinking allowed while in the range.
Morford said a representative from the Pompano Beach Police Department’s Code Enforcement did not raise any concerns as long as the facility abides by the Florida Building Code. Emergency medical services are always on standby in case of an emergency.
“They are all excited,” said Morford. “We can’t wait to get started.”
