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 Let me start off by saying that I am not a sports coach, a sports psychiatrist, or anything else
remotely professional with regard to darts. I am simply the girl next door who loves the game of darts and wants to be more competitive. Yes
indeed, I am the Passionate Darter and my latest challenge in pursuit of a better game is to change my stroke. How many dart players does it take to
get a teammate to change her stroke? None. She has got to want to change. Believe me, this
has been one of the most frustrating and painful things I have done with my game, but I am nothing if not determined.
I was lucky enough to find my own personal dart coach in Chicago, darter
Nancy Visocki, who spent time with me to get me on the right track. In the
end (or in the beginning I should say), you have just got to do it. There is a reason Nike used the marketing campaign that states Just do it. You can
talk about it until the cows come home, but there is never a good time to change. You simply have got to set a goal and just do it. What words of
wisdom! Just do it.
I thought a coach would be overly critical and I actually dreaded our first
meeting. Visocki started by watching me throw from different angles. Who wants to have their style picked apart and analyzed? Try not to be too self
-conscious with someone analyzing your every throw! That is right, relax. Visocki was quick to point out some of what I was doing right, which is my
follow-through.
Something right? I was doing something right! I also have very little lower
body movement and do not perform areobics, yoga or Pilates at the line (believe me, I am just not flexible enough). I do not have that horrible donkey
kick when I throw, or even that ever-so-graceful swan stance (where I end up
balanced on one leg with the other leg not-so-gracefully outstretched). While
I have concentrated on everything that I have been doing wrong, it was nice to know that I have actually been doing some things right.
What are the keys to the mechanics of the game? The keys include having a
solid and consistent stance, grip, stroke and release. After deciding to concentrate on changing my stroke, for me this meant changing my stance
to get in position to set up the new stroke.
You have probably heard of the KISS theory which most people assume means Keep It Simple Stupid. Well, I am here to tell you that KISS actually
stands for Keep It Simple Sherilyn. For me, changing my stroke has meant
getting back to basics and keeping it simple. There are not any complicated theories here. In fact, all you want to do is keep your stroke as simple as
possible. This means getting rid of any unnecessary arm movements. Set your arm up and throw the dart using only the forearm movement and take
care to follow-through. Sounds simple enough, right? Keep it simple Sherilyn.
To say that this felt foreign to me is an understatement. This felt awkward,
uncomfortable, and uncoordinated. Basically, I felt as if I had never thrown a dart before in my life. So much for keeping it simple!
Now, I was thinking of every movement that I made at the line. I was thinking
too much, and the result was that I missed the board a lot. I think it would be
safe to say that I missed the board an awful lot! I would have turns with two
darts off the board and only one scoring dart. I had other turns with two good
solid darts and that then that third dart would come from I have no idea where and would even miss the backboard. I had other throws where the dart was
no where near what I was aiming for. In one match, I had 110 left and took aim at the triple-20. The first dart nailed the double-bull, dead center. It
looked as if I just had my strategy mixed up and actually aimed for the double-bull first! I became frustrated, and the thought occurred to me that
maybe I ought to search for a chessboard as my new hobby. Instead, I continued with the new stroke and had periodic check-ups with Visocki to
keep me on track.
I continued and still continue to concentrate at the line on my stroke.
Keeping it simple means concentrating on the basics. Set the arm and position the dart. Use the backstroke to bring the back dart smoothly and
set yourself up for the forward swing. ‘Stroke’ the dart forward, and release the dart taking care to follow-through with your arm so that it is extended
toward the board as the dart is released. This sounds easy enough, right? Right.
Here is some of what I have learned so far.
• Find a coach to work with you personally. Just look in the yellow pages under Dart Coach. Only kidding, but this is easier said than done. I know!
Make friends with the best darters that you can find and ask for their help.
• Decide what you want to concentrate on changing, and just do it. Read,
watch videotapes, study the strategies of good dart mechanics on the Internet. Then, just do it. Visocki recommends the book Zen and the Art of
Archery, by Eugen Herigel, to anyone who wants to improve their dart game. For eight bucks this might be a good investment. One of the best web
resources for understanding dart mechanics is The Dart Thrower’s Website at: www.dartbase.com. Tell ’em the Passionate Darter sent you.
• Practice, practice and practice some more. This means stop talking about
how you need to practice, and just do it. Really. For me, this new stroke has to feel second nature, and this means lots of practice, hard work and
determination. Did I mention practice?
• Keep a notebook with notes on your progress and those great shots. Trust
me, this will remind you that you are improving.
• Continue to watch the videotapes of the pros to see firsthand the style that
you want to emulate. You do not have to have the same grip or stance as the pros but their arm movements; stroke and release are a thing of beauty
and something indeed to be emulated.
• Do not be too hard on yourself and try not to become frustrated. Expect
some pain along the way! Changing your stroke or any of the mechanics of
your game takes time. Rome was not built in a day, and it will take time to improve your game after changing your stroke.
• Have follow-up sessions with your coach to make sure you are not slipping into old habits.
• Stick with your changes and do not give up. There cannot be any waffling
back and forth or you will never change. Have some backbone, commit to making changes, and just do it.
• Get out there and compete! There is no greater driving force for the true
competitor than to get out there in league, blind draws, and tournaments. Do you want to win? Then get out there and play.
Where does all this change leave me? I think I am a little more consistent
than I was before. Just a little bit, but that is a start. I recently won a draw
doubles with my partner, AND I shot some damn good darts. Okay, I shot mostly mediocre darts, but every once in awhile, I actually hit what I was
aiming for. I did throw the winning dart for first place, a double-four. It is the little things that mean the most.
I can see some improvement in my game, albeit slow improvement. The
‘Herkey-Jerky’ movements are gone and my side-arm throw is a thing of the past. I am still struggling with too much shoulder movement but again, Rome
was not built in a day. For the first time in a long time, I am confident that
my game is on the right track and that I am improving. When is the last time you measured the improvement in your game? Let me tell you, this feels
good. In fact, this feels very good, and I am confident that my game will improve even more with practice. With my new stroke on the right track, I am
ready to tackle the next goal on my list, which is having the mental focus of a winner. Now there is a topic for another day...
Until next time, shoot well and I will see you at the line.
To read more about the Passionate Darter’s take on the wonderful world of
darts, visit her website at www.passionatedarter.com or drop her an E-mail at: ton80darts@comcast.net.
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