You may remember one of my New Year’s resolutions for 2010 is to enter a watermelon seed spitting contest. I’ve always wanted to but never have. I’m still searching for a contest to enter, but a contest could pop up at any moment (for example, my neighbor could knock on my door one Saturday afternoon and tell me about a contest happening in his backyard right that moment), so I figured I’d better start training and honing my seed spitting skills.

After a trip to the grocery store to pick up a seeded watermelon (that’s a watermelon WITH seeds, even though “seeded” might sound like it has no seeds), I stepped into my backyard to begin my first practice session. It was then that I realized I didn’t know the first thing about watermelon seed spitting technique, so I ran back into the house to scour the Internet for tips. Fifteen minutes later, I was back outside and ready to resume my training.

My first few attempts did not sail nearly as far as I thought they would. Certainly less than Lee Wheeler’s world record distance of 68 feet, 9 1/8 inches (set at the World Seed Spitting Championships at the Luling Watermelon Thump in 1989). In fact, my third seed tripped over my bottom lip and stuck to my knee. I didn’t even know how to measure that one. I estimated my best seed traveled around 40 feet. After a few minutes of searching through the grass, I measured it at a more realistic 24 feet, 6 inches. I definitely had my work cut out for me.

After a few dozen more shots (spits?), I decided to take my craft into street in front of my house so I could more easily spot the seeds on the street instead of searching aimlessly through the grass for them. Something about the notion that my neighbors could be watching me at any given moment (confused and/or disgusted, I’m sure) made me nervous, but it also helped me achieve much better distances.

By the time I was finished, my best seed traveled 35 feet, 3 inches (all the way past my mailbox and almost to my neighbor’s bird feeder!). Not bad. Not great, but not bad. I would return to the house, review some more video highlights of other champion spitters and call it a day. My training will continue… after I recover from a few minor spitting-related strains.