Episode 4 - I am not brilliant, but one day I will be!

Posted: 27.09.12 in Throw Like A Pro Blog category

Aidan discusses the "proverbial" learning curves dart players must negotiate if they want to become a pro!

The end of September; the summer comes to an end, schools re-open, the leaves start their descent towards the ground, and the darts leagues begin in earnest. I will start with this proverb:

“Whatever is good to know is difficult to learn...”

Becoming a professional darts player was never going to happen overnight for me, but over the past few weeks I have certainly come to terms with the fact that there is a long way to go before I begin to scratch the surface. I am nervous, excited, unsure of what to expect from the upcoming venture.

I am learning. I am conditioning. I am teaching.

I am still learning. And it’s probably fair to say that for as long as this dream stays alive, I will be learning. I am looking at those I play against, and pulling from them what I believe are their strengths. Whether it’s their ability to focus, self-belief, or years of competitive darts has them at a point where they believe it’s not about the opponent, but how you play the board.

Conditioning my arm is a very important element of consistency. I won’t hit the treble every time if I don’t complete the same routine every time. Again, this is going to take a while. There are so many external factors that influence this; whether it’s nerves in a match, my release point, pressure on release, grip on barrel and the millions more!

Whilst I am learning, I am also teaching. I am teaching my brain to stay positive, even if the darts are not landing in their intended target. Teaching my brain some much needed concentration skills, as all too often I tend to drift out of a leg, especially when trailing. Teaching my arm, elbow, hand, fingers to do the same thing every time.   

The transfer window is closed, the fixture list released, it’s time for the League to begin

I am lucky that from next week, I will be playing in two separate leagues. Division 1 with Swifts on a Tuesday night and Clane on Friday nights. So there are League games, Championship games, League cup games, Singles and Double tournaments and that is before I consider my entry in this year’s Irish Darts Players Championships.

Having never played for a team before now, I think I am going to be nervous, excited, and curious as to what is in store. I suddenly have a jam packed darting schedule, and I can’t wait. The increase in competitive action is bound to improve my game.

For now, it’s about continuing to practice... conditioning my arm. I am in a very positive place at the minute, optimistic that the next three darts can be huge, and confident that I can beat my opponent. There will be times when I am outplayed, outscored, outmanoeuvred. What’s important is that there are more times when it’s me outplaying the opposition.

I started with a proverb; I might as well finish with one:

“Time to sh*t or get off the pot!”

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