Category: Opinion
The Art of Concentration in Sport
Concentration, defined by the Oxford dictionary, is the action or power of focusing all one’s attention. Sports physiologists, athletes and coaches accept that concentration is paramount to sporting success, without it, peak performance is not achievable. This is true with regards to everyday life of course, as I write this article I’m in a constant battle with my concentration, my mind wanders causing my thought to slow. We hear constantly that young people’s attention spans are becoming shorter with social media often being blamed, however, concentration is complex, applying to all walks of life and in different ways.
My inspiration for this article comes from a cricket match I played last Sunday in which I opened the batting and batted for the entire innings, which consisted of 40 overs. I don’t know the exact amount of time I was out there, but it would have been close to the two hour mark. I’m incredibly proud of this feat simply because I maintained my concentration throughout my innings. It wasn’t the greatest batting performance, I scored slowly, particularly early on, and the ground was quite small making it easy to hit boundaries however, I had never batted for such a long period of time. I finished on 63 not out, not my best score but I rate it highly. My form coming into the game is what makes it so sweet, I hadn’t held a bat for three weeks and early on I found it impossible to time the ball. I was opening the batting in a team of only eight players against a decent side and as my highest score in the three games I’d played previous was a mere 11, I felt I needed to prove myself. It’s for these reasons that I forced myself to knuckle down and concentrate.
Cricket requires short bursts of intense concentration. When the bowler starts to run in, the batsmen’s sole focus should be on the ball. I, like many other cricketers including the great Australian captain and batsmen Ricky Ponting, tell myself to watch the ball when the bowler is running in. This may sound obvious but it does make you concentrate intensely on the ball, where it pitches, how fast it’s travelling and any lateral movement it may make, but perhaps more importantly it serves the purpose of taking all other thoughts out of your head, allowing you to concentrate on the ball. It’s this which is vital for me. I don’t want to be thinking that I’m going to hit the ball over the bowlers head when the ball is not there to do that, or worse, thinking that I’ll get out this ball, a thought that often creeps into my head. Dwelling on previous mistakes and negative thoughts like this are what physiologists call internal distractions. In sport, athletes are often in a battle with themselves, particularly when they’re low on confidence. External distractions such as weather conditions, a rowdy crowd or opposition mind games also create disruptive thoughts. Athletes blocking preemptive thoughts to allow themselves to rely on their instincts to deliver skills is vital. This mental toughness is often what can separate the greats in professional sport or in my case, make the most of my little potential.
Darts players must deal with rowdy crowds while maintaining concentration
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Often in sport there’s much to be aware of, movements of players, game situation, tactics and so on. Back to the batsmen focusing on the ball, as well as concentrating on the ball, he must take note of where the fielders are, or more pertinently, where the gaps are. Sport psychologists note two different types of concentration occurring in these circumstances. Concentration on the ball would be classed as narrow, triggering instinctive reactions. Focus on the wider game situation is referred to as broad. In cricket, this would involve the batsmen’s focus on the fielders. Employing both these types of concentration is a skill in itself, and requires extensive practice. The video below gives you an idea of what it’s like facing professional bowling.
Different sports demand differing levels of concentration on the broad compared to the narrow. A winger preparing to cross in a football match must concentrate on his control of the ball, while also concentrating on the position of the strikers in the penalty area, therefore a high awareness of the broad is required. In darts however, the broad would include a players score and their opponents score, however, because this is called by the referee, little mental capacity is required, allowing there to be a stronger focus on the narrow which would be the target they’re aiming for. Faster paced sports, particularly when played by an individual, can induce a tunnel vision effect in which the player gets into ‘the zone’. Tennis, squash and table tennis are examples of games played at such speed that there is no room for other thought, as soon as you play your shot you’re looking for immediate clues and triggers to where the ball will be played by your opponent, trusting your reactions. There’s no time to switch off. The same goes for sports which require intense concentration throughout, such as skiing, racing and bobsleigh.
Performance routines are used by athletes in order to aid concentration. They are idiosyncratic sequences in preparation for the next action. This perhaps is most notable in cricket. Jonathan Trott is a prime example, before facing his first ball he would re-strap his pads, adjust his gloves, check his leg stump guard again and again and then face up. In this case, superstition plays a part but nonetheless, the routine helps to focus the mind on the task. Pre-performance and post-performance routines are also common. A golfer practicing his shot, a batsmen rehearsing a straight drive or snooker play drawing his cue back a certain number of times are actions that, although possessing an element of practice, mainly aid concentration by creating a focused mindset.
Mental fatigue becomes a factor after intense concentration which is what I experienced after my innings when it was my team’s turn to field. I’m sure you’ve had the same feeling, uttering the words, “my head’s gone”. It’s different from tiredness, you’re not yawning but staring blankly into space, unable to take in any further information. This happened to me towards the end of the game. I had bowled seven overs and then placed in the firing line of a batsmen playing well. First I dropped a catch. It was struck hard and fast to my right but I managed to get two hands to it but couldn’t hold on. I was gutted, but I thought it was just a momentary lapse. A few overs later however, I knew I was mentally exhausted. I thought the ball was hit straight at me so I didn’t move, but as I got down into the long barrier position I noticed I had horribly misjudged the direction of the ball and it raced my past my right leg . It was embarrassing, especially when I had to chase it all the way and pick it up from beyond the boundary rope. But what it confirmed was that I had given everything, I had reached by limit, my brain couldn’t process information quickly anymore.
That match and my experiences in it epitomise why I love playing and watching sport. The demands placed on athletes are not just physical, but mental. One of my sporting heroes, Alastair Cook, is a great exponent of concentration. He knows he’s not the most flamboyant batsmen, not the most skilled, nor naturally talented, but what he does know is how to maintain his concentration. This has made him become England’s highest test match run scorer, the youngest player ever to reach 9000 test runs and a player who’s scored more test runs in the last 10 years than anyone else. His success is down to his sheer determination and concentration.
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As I come to the end of writing this article my concentration is fading. I think of what message this blog post is portraying. Concentration is important yes, but until I completed my innings on Sunday I never thought that I could be proud of myself for just concentrating for a long period of time. I think understanding how your mind works is important. With the increase in athletes throughout sport using sports psychologists, more emphasis is being put on mental processes in sport than ever before. One thing I have learnt is that concentration requires effort. Now if you don’t mind I’m going to have a sit down and a brew and if you have managed to read this far then you yourself should be proud, after all, social media is making our concentration spans shorter.
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Fellow Players Allegedly Claim James Wade’s Mental Health Medication Is An Unfair Advantage
Sport in general, but especially darts, is still yet to get up to speed with some of the recent changes in society’s values. One of these values in particular is the growing acceptance and understanding of mental health. Sportsmen and women so often hide mental health issues because they feel they won’t be accepted despite their exceptional talents. These people have pushed themselves to be the best they can and yet because they have a mental health issue some sports fans choose not to support them based on this alone. The majority of people disregard mental health conditions because of the complexity. They fail to appreciate that every case is different and no one can be placed into a category or given a label.
Embed from Getty ImagesJames Wade has battled with mental health conditions throughout his life. He has often spoke out about his low moments and has become a great ambassador for raising the awareness of mental health conditions in sport. He was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, clinical depression and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder when he was admitted to The Priory Clinic in 2010 and as a result missed several tournaments in order to deal with his condition.
On stage his cool, calm persona hides most of his serious challenges. However, sometimes you can identify his problems which caused some darts fans have to take a dislike to Wade because he appeared grumpy. However, Wade himself, the pundits in the studio and darts fans have spread the word and now Wade is largely supported. He has always been a battler and, with the help of his girlfriend, he is back on his feet and playing arguably the best darts of his career right now. Last year he won the Masters and now he’s challenging for the top spots in the Premier League. As far as I saw it, every darts fan, player and pundit always supported Wade through his trials and tribulations and wanted him to get back to his best, which thankfully has happened. However, he has sent out this rather worrying tweet…
Darts is a professional sport. I shouldn’t have to remind people but I feel I have to. There are strict doping rules just like any other sport, see the PDC guide to drug restriction. But, players basically accusing someone of cheating because they’re on medication that can save their life is appalling. The treatment Wade goes through is absolutely necessary and it gets him feeling healthy or in other words, back to normal.
I recommend you read up on James’ mental health condition here
Thankfully twitter responded in support of Wade;
Robbie Green and ITV4 pundit, Chris Mason also chipped in with their support;
I did find it disappointing that these were the only two public displays of support from fellow darts players but at least the PDC Chairman has James’ back;
However, Hearn is denying that he has been approached by Wade or any other player tweeting;
Any comments made have to be categorically dealt with. I just hope Hearn isn’t hiding behind the standard procedure of a complaints system because, as darts fans know, he would stop anything that would paint darts in a bad light and reduce the pounds flooding into his bank account. If the mainstream media get confirmation on this story however, then Hearn will be forced to act. He has to realise that darts come first and if darts wants to hold modern values and look after its players, this situation has to be dealt with.
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Huybrechts And Bunting Will Take On The Premier League Beast
Two debutantes will embark on their Premier League journey this Thursday. Kim Huybrechts and Stephen Bunting are two out of the ten players that will compete each week in the most high octane arena known to darts.
The Premier League is a hugely intense and lengthy competition. It will run from the 5th of February all the way to playoff night on the 21st of May. Players will also be taking part in floor events between the games. Add that to the amount of travelling required to reach the venues all over the UK, it surely makes an exhausting process.
The competition is incredibly fierce. Every leg matters. Relegation and qualification can easily go down to leg difference. The competition can be too much for some players, leaving them at the bottom of the table bereft of any chance of qualification, just waiting to be relegated whilst still enduring humiliation week on week as they receive significant drubbings. Each year it seems that at least one player struggles, only managing to cling onto one or two points – Jelle Klaasen in 2009, Terry Jenkins in 2010, Mark Webster in 2011, Kevin Painter in 2012 and Wes Newton in 2013 and 2014.
This year looks to be the toughest yet. The two debutantes must be at the top of their game from week one or they’ll find themselves quickly cast aside. There’ll be no easy games. All of the five previous winners are taking part – Taylor, Wade, Anderson, van Gerwen and last years winner van Barneveld. Then you’ve got two times World Champ Adrian Lewis, World number 5 Peter Wright and the cataclysmic scoring of Dave Chisnall. Stephen Bunting and Kim Huybrechts are clearly good players, but they wouldn’t have experienced the challenge of facing such an outstanding field of players week in week out. They can’t take it easy one week, they have to be in top gear throughout. It would be an outstanding effort if one of them can drag themselves into the playoffs but, as much as I would like to see a few upsets, it’s unlikely, as I don’t think either of them have the stamina to play well over such a long period of time.
As brutal as the Premier League sounds, it’s the most action packed darts competition by far. Quick fire quality matches sandwiched with dramatic montages, cinematic graphics and walk on girls. It epitomises what the game of darts has become in recent years. Every top player wants to be involved and the players reactions on twitter show this quite clearly.
The first round of matches takes place in Leeds this Thursday. The players that competed in the Masters have the advantage of match fitness, but for the likes of Bunting and Huybrechts, they’re likely to be a little rusty, making their life a little harder. I wish them both the best of luck, they’re going to need it.
The Masters Day 1 – What We’ve Learnt
Results
Wright 10 – 1 Dolan
Chisnall 10 – 5 Thornton
Lewis 10 – 4 White
van Barneveld 10 – 7 Whitlock
Wade 10 – 3 King
Jenkins 10 – 7 Taylor
Anderson 10 – 2 Hamilton
van Gerwen 10 – 5 Newton
Yesterdays standard of play was disappointing. With the top 16 players in the world competing in a major you would expect high averages, close matches and precise finishing, but that’s far from what we saw yesterday.
The first revelation that we can glean from yesterday is that match practice for the players is absolutely essential. The majority of the players appeared to be very rusty, with many taking their time to get their rhythm or just not getting going at all. The players hadn’t played competitive darts in a high pressure environment for up to six weeks, depending on when they were knocked out of the World Championships. This left the players filling their time with exhibitions, practice or in some cases going on a jolly holly, it’s alright for some. The situation was worse for a few of the players. Anderson, busy with media commitments, had confessed that he’s only had a few hours practice before his match. King, a player who relies on meticulous practice had been suffering from a bad back which had crippled his usual routines. Taylor came into this tournament after suffering the loss of his mother and the impact was clear to see. Both the pitiful standard and the final results indicate a lack of match practice for all of the players. The more naturally talented players – Lewis, Anderson, van Gerwen and Chisnall – have all come through victorious. It’s easy to see now why the standard of darts in the modern game is so high. There’s more tournaments and therefore more match practice which lends itself to a higher standard of play.
Not every player was entirely sub-standard, Dave Chisnall, James Wade and Peter Wright all played well. I think their performances are a clear indication that they have the desire to win this tournament. Wright earlier this week said he wanted to dominate all tournaments this year and clearly wants to follow through on his statement. Wade aims to defend his title and Dave wants to prove himself after his disappointing World Championship. The other players may not have been as competitive in this tournament because they don’t see it as a significant notch on their belt. This was also a general trend on twitter. The masters however features the top 16 players. It should be a hotly contested tournament and a sought after title. In snooker, the masters, which has the same set up, is considered in the top three tournaments on the calender. It’s part of the allusive triple crown. It seems that, as yet, the masters is still to gain full recognition of its status as a major in the darting world.
We also learnt that some of the players in the top 16 are going to struggle to hold onto their ranking this year. The likes of Newton, Hamilton and Dolan are going to have a real fight on their hands in the upcoming ranking tournaments. Players outside the top 16 are hunting them down, and quickly. Huybrechts, Bunting, van der Voort, Caven and Smith will all fancy their chance of forcing their way into the top 16 this year. Simon Whitlock, currently ranked 7th, needs to find his form quickly, otherwise he could find himself behind the top 10.
But the most important lesson from yesterdays play involves Barneys glasses. We learnt that whether they are on or off, they don’t make a great deal of difference.
Did you learn anything different from yesterdays play? If so please comment below, thanks for reading.
Can James Wade Defend His Title? – Preview Of The Masters
Courtesy of dawson_posts
The wait for darts action is almost over. Christmas saw us binge on food, drink and darts but now the hangover has worn off and we are all craving some more tungsten action. Saturday sees the return of the Masters to Milton Keynes, a relatively new tournament having been established in 2013. The tournament features the top sixteen ranked players in the PDC all battling it out for the trophy and a juicy check of £160,000. Taylor won the inaugural tournament in 2013, and last years winner was James Wade which feels very recent in memory due to the tournament taking place in October.
The current form horse is the newly crowned World Champion Gary Anderson. Taylor and van Gerwen are also looking in good shape to do well in the tournament with both looking for revenge after missing out on the World Championship. Then there’s a group of players under these top three who would like to prove a point. An interview with Peter Wright last week brought about a challenge to other players as he said he would like to dominate the year. Adrian Lewis has been quiet for a while and although he is clearly a talented player, is dropping in my estimations. Jenkins and King have both had good years and would now be looking to push on again this year and should not be underestimated.
Coverage will be on ITV4 thanks to a four year deal when the tournament began. Ex-professional darts players, Chris Mason and Alan Warriner-Little will grace our screens once again. The tournament will be a step down in hype from the World Championships but, with only the top 16 players competing, hopefully the quality of the darts will be superb.
Afternoon Session (12.45pm-5pm)
Peter Wright v Brendan Dolan
It’s two steady and deliberate players kick us off on Saturday afternoon. Ranked 5th in the world, Wright must feel that he’s close to a major win soon and has announced that this year he wants to dominate in similar fashion to his countryman Gary Anderson. However, Dolan is a stern challenge. He’s a slow player yes, but he’s a skilled player who’s getting better and challenging in the latter stages of major tournaments more often. This year he’s had some low profile tournament wins but is yet to win a big one. He lost in the first round last year and only managed to reach the second round in the World Championships after losing to Michael Smith. Could he win this tournament? It’s highly unlikely, Wright is the overriding favourite in this opening match. He’s unlikely to be phased by Dolan’s painfully slow style and will be sure to entertain himself and the crowd with his antics.
Robert Thornton v Dave Chisnall
This should be a cracker. Thornton ranked 8th, Chisnall ranked 9th, both players evenly matched. It should be a high scoring affair with both players being prolific on the treble twenty. Chisnall hit the second highest amount of 180’s last year, only behind van Gerwen. Both players have been knocking on the door for a while now, but haven’t been able to reach the number of finals you would expect. Chisnall suffered an unexpected loss at the World Championship when he was knocked out by Benito van de Pas in round two. Chisnall has struggled this year, having only won 58% of his matches, a figure well below par for a player of his ranking. His confidence must be low with that stat and Chisnall is a player who needs confidence when aiming at doubles. If he doesn’t think it will go in then it just won’t.
Adrian Lewis v Ian White
Adrian hasn’t had a lot to shout about over the past year aside from his nine darter in the World Championship, but even in that match he lost. His year started brightly, beating Terry Jenkins in the final of the UK Open with an impressive 109 average. But then he missed out on the playoffs in the premier league (finishing 6th) and lost in the middle rounds of a number of tournaments throughout the year. His biggest blunder however, was during the Grand Slam of darts in which he lost to youngsters Rowby-John Rodriguez and Keegan Brown. White, although no push over, is a fairly easy opener for a player of Lewis to ease his way back into form. White has improved in the last couple of years, moving into the last 16, with a notable performance in last years World Championship when he narrowly lost out on a place in the semi finals after losing a deciding set. He also beat Gary Anderson in the UK Open quarter finals. White may be a possible trip up for Lewis, but Lewis shouldn’t be too concerned, it’s not as if he’s losers to lower ranked players often.
Simon Whitlock v Raymond van Barneveld
An interesting match up. Whitlock is the higher ranked player at 7, but is in a steady decline. Barney has been up and down over the past few years and it’s hard to predict how he will play. It looks as though he will be in a positive mindset having reached the semi finals of the World Championship, but with Barney it’s hard to say. He has recently abandoned his glasses and it looks as if it is working, for now. Whitlock’s performance in the World Champs is of stark contrast to Barneys. A first round steamrollering from Darren Webster saw him knocked out of the competition. His percentage on doubles was just 17 in that match and it looked as if he was praying that the doubles would go in. Whitlock has also been denied a wildcard entry to the Premier League and it will be the only year he has been excluded since 2009. He needs a run in this tournament for his own self confidence or he could quickly find himself outside the top ten order of merit in no time. I’m expecting a scrappy match between these two and it will all go down to who will be most soldid on the doubles.
Evening Session (7pm-11pm)
James Wade v Mervyn King
A repeat of last years final, this should be a feisty contest as King looks to take revenge on last years victor. Both have a precise throwing style and are fantastic to watch in full flow. Mervyn King had a bitterly disappointing World Championship due to a back injury and he was knocked out in the first round. Now ranked 11th, King has had a stellar year, reaching the final of this event last year, the final of the Dutch darts open, and the semi finals of the UK Open and the Grand Slam. Both these two players are fantastic finishers. Wade’s checkout percentage was just a shade over 46% last year, the second highest, and Mervyn was 7th in the list. There will be a little tension in the air due to their previous meeting with Wade’s victory celebration proving to be to King’s distaste. Wade will be sure to tread lightly, so expect a quiet and professional affair but he seems ready for it.
Phil Taylor v Terry Jenkins
The match of the first round for me. Taylor, ranked 2nd in the order of merit, could have expected an easier match. Terry’s year has been a resurgence in his career. After losing in the first round of the 2014 World Championship, he then hit top form and made the final of the UK Open and European Championship. He has shown throughout the year that he still has the ability to turn on the tungsten heat with constant high averages in the big tournaments. Everyone knows that Terry is a superb player but he’s become the nearly man of darts. Nine major finals, lost them all. That’s not a good stat. Taylor has to hit the ground running if he is to get out of the first round as Terry has been devastating in the early rounds. Taylor’s mothers passing may have an influence due to his close relationship with her and I reckon it will ignite a bit of hunger and passion that’s why Taylor is my bet for the title. This tournament requires good consistent play and Taylor is a sure bet to deliver that.
Gary Anderson v Andy Hamilton
A foregone conclusion as far as I’m concerned. Gary is in superb form and full of confidence at the moment. Complacency may be an issue but with Gary’s experience it’s unlikely. Hamilton on the other hand has zero confidence. His play over the last year has been in decline and whereas in the past you could put your house on him getting out of the first round, in five majors in the last 12 months he has been knocked out in the first round.
Michael van Gerwen v Wes Newton
Again, a fairly easy prediction here. Michael has hit a total of 291 180’s from this point last year in all competitions, which is way more than anyone else including Gary Anderson. It appears as though his scoring and finishing has dropped off in the past year and he seems to have scraped through to victories, but he still won three majors in 2014. It has to be a sign of his brilliance when people can say that his form has dropped and yet he’s still winning. Who’s he playing in this first round again, oh yeah it’s Wes. Sorry Wes, you have no chance.
I can’t wait for this tournament to begin. Can James Wade defend his title?
You Watching The Darts Tonight? NO!
Darts is just fat alcoholics throwing at a board. Well there may be some truth in that but there’s so much more it than that. Tonight is the World Championship final and I implore you to watch it. The legend Phil Taylor is looking for his 17th World title and will play an on form Gary Anderson, ranked fourth in the world. It’s guaranteed to be a cracker.
Watching darts is unlike many other sports. Watching three darts hit coloured targets is quite boring, but if you stick with it and watch a full match, it’s the most exciting sport by far. Give it a go tonight. Allow yourself to become engrossed in the match. If you’ve only ever watch part of a game then your not allowing yourself to appreciate the full drama. It’s like a TV series. You don’t just watch the second episode of Breaking Bad.
I could go on forever about my reasons for loving darts but I’m going to let someone else take over. Non other than Stephen Fry. It’s at 5:45 in this video.
Stephen’s not the only one who loves the darts.
It’s just a fantastic game. The revamp in recent years has turned the humble pub game into a huge spectacle. People argue that it’s not a sport but they’re totally missing the point. The appeal of the game is the drama it creates. Huge scores, missed doubles and the tension in vital legs makes darts far more entertaining than any episode of Downton Abbey. Sky Sports Darts, today at 8pm. Watch it, you won’t regret it.
The Darts Players With Personalities Bigger Than Their Waistlines
A dart players character and persona is vital in the modern game. Nicknames, walk ons and style have become as important as the actual darts in winning over fans. Some players are just themselves on stage, while others work hard, really hard. I am of course referring to the style icon that is Peter Snakebite Wright.
http://instagram.com/p/xEgY2Gxkgd/
Every match, a different outfit. He has more colour variety than a Dulux paint chart. His career had been almost non-existent before he created his current persona. He played in the BDO world championship in 1995 but then gave up his professional ambitions. There’s no doubt that the persona he has created for himself has aided his game. Last years runner up in the World Championship, a place in the Premier League and reaching 5th ranked in the world, are all achievements that count as evidence for this. His persona is not solely created by his look. He walks on to Pitbull blasting out and plays up to the crowd with tasty sidestep. The peak of his performance is when he turns to the crowd with his last dart in hand with a double needed. This not only gets the crowd on his side but also pisses off opponents, which is even better to watch. He knows how to please fans and is great for the image of darts. He shows the world that darts players can be cool.
It’s not just Wright that has changed his persona, other players also make an effort. The impetus for new characters can be attributed somewhat to the Premier League. Those players who are (I don’t want t use this word I’m going to) boring, are given a persona. Dramatic graphics to introduce the player helps, but they always feel a little forced. Hamilton, Newton, Webster, Chisnall and more have been made to entertain the crowd with ridiculous props and dressed up walk on girls. It doesn’t always work and must feel awkward for those players who just want to entertain by playing darts. It’s not for everyone.
One persona that has been made popular by a certain Dutchman called Michael van Gerwen, is the aggressive character. Most players have followed MVG’s example. Some in moderation, with the odd fist pump, but others have gone a little bit further including van Gerwen himself. Huybrechts is one such player. When he first appeared on our TV screens he didn’t seem to show great deal of emotion. Now however, he acts like a hyperactive child fuelled on blue Smarties. You could say it’s adrenaline, but with Huybrechts I suspect that it’s more of an act. MVG on the other hand, I reckon that’s just him. He plays on adrenaline and that makes him great to watch. Some players don’t approve of the gung ho celebrations and neither do some fans. MVG is definitely a marmite player. In this clip he only wins one set.
There’s one breed of darts player that I can’t forget, the villains. The one that springs to mind is the devilish Ted Hankey, the other being Paul Nicholson, but he has mellowed in recent years as his game has declined. Hankey is the classic love to hate character. He gets booed and gives it the crowd back with extra expletives. He puts on a great show, but I always feel sorry for the guy playing him. His reaction towards the end of this video is class.
The first showman who really made an effort to play up to the crowd was good old Wayne Mardle. He was the one who kicked off all the showmanship. At least you did sumat good, hey Wayne. Not every player tries hard to develop a persona. Our game is filled with different characters. It’s fantastic and makes darts so lovable. Other sports seem to be losing their great characters but not darts. The fact that darts is an individual sport with the cameras constantly focussing on the players means that personalities are allowed to shine through.
It’s World Darts Championship Time But Who Will Be Crowned Champion, Taylor Or van Gerwen?
It’s that time of year again, no not Christmas, but the World Darts Championship, by far the most prestigious tournament on the darts calender. The 17 day darting event at the Alexandra Palace kicks off on the 18th of this month, and like every year, it becomes part of the darts fan’s Christmas experience. With the overall prize money increasing to a whopping £1.25 million, the stakes are high. Last year the tournament was built up as the new kid on the block, Michael van Gerwen, against the old champ, Phil Taylor. Van Gerwen was triumphant. Taylor has made clear that he wants his title back, however, this year it’s not a clear two horse race. Throughout the year, other players have stepped up to the oche to seize their share of success. James Wade, Gary Anderson, Raymond van Barneveld and Adrian Lewis have all won one PDC majors this year, with their form looking set to continue into the World Championship.
Of course you’ll have your favourite, but what everyone wants to see is an underdog topple the heavyweights. Cast your mind back to Kirk Shepherds unbelievable run in 2008. Ranked 142nd at the time he started the qualifying events, he somehow raced all the way, becoming the youngest player ever to reach the final, only losing out to John Part. Personally, I would love a repeat of Shepherds brilliance, but who could pull it off?
Form in sport is a funny thing. For a darts player it can come and go, then come back again in the space of a short match. Then again, it can totally go or totally stay throughout a whole tournament. Kirk Shepard rode his wave of form all the way showing the possibilities. On top form there’s many players who can match the prowess of van Gerwen and Taylor, but essentially it’s down to luck whether the form arrives and then stays. In the past few years the standard in darts has undoubtedly gone through the roof, meaning extraordinary feats are now performed by players that are low in the rankings. Remember Kyle Anderson’s 9 darter last year, a guy who was relatively unknown before his inspired excellence.
For the top players it must be frightening to know that a low ranked player could hit a nine darter against you in the first round. This pool of skilled lower ranked players is growing. A new batch of players burst into our consciousness this year: Keegan Brown, Rowby-John Rodriguez, Ricky Evans, Stephen Bunting. Could one of these show more than promise and go the distance? Your guess is as good as mine and I want to hear it.
A Dartboard For Christmas, The Perfect Gift
A dart board in the family home is hugely rewarding. Our children are becoming a generation that play sports by sliding their finger around on their tablet or phone. Christmas is on the way. It’s a chance for parents to avoid buying expensive tablets and phones for their kids, and instead invest in games equipment. As a twelve year old, I would have traded a smart phone for a snooker table or a darts board any day.
One major benefit is that by playing darts, children are constantly improving their mental maths abilities. An hour of darts also means an hour of mental arithmetic. But even better, it’s fun, and as every teacher will tell you, it’s better for children to learn while having fun. Your child’s mental maths will become quicker and more instinctive. After regular practice, your child will start to hit more trebles and doubles and they can learn to play legs of darts, subtracting scores from 501. This requires a greater level of maths, as they will have to learn to subtract quickly and work out which target they need to leave a double. Whatever standard they are at, from basic addition all the way to GCSE level mental arithmetic, your child will feel the benefits of playing on the dartboard. It benefited me personally. I wasn’t particularly good at maths in school, but the odd game of darts here and there certainly helped me to keep up in class. Now, by playing regularly, my mental maths ability is surprisingly helpful in everyday life. It’s not just me who has seen the benefits, the Government tried to encourage children to play darts to help their maths back in 2009.
Darts also aids concentration. As well as the constantly working on the maths, you have to focus intensely on each and every dart. As with everything, practice makes perfect, and a great way to improve concentration is by practicing regularly.
Another, possibly greater benefit of having a darts board in the family home, is that it’s a game that the whole family can play. With the popularity of games consoles, smartphones and tablets contributing to the demise of the traditional board game, it seems regular family bonding in the home is becoming increasingly difficult. A dartboard is a great way to bring the family together. Not just for young children but also for teenagers. Of course there are other options for family bonding but darts is so easy to play and remarkably cheap. You could buy a pool table or a table tennis table, but how much will it be and where are you going put it? A dartboard and two sets of darts can be bought for as little as £15 and can be played in a limited space.
The most important reason for buying your kids a dartboard this Christmas is that darts is fun. And who knows, with practice and some natural talent. your kid could be the future World Champion.
Image via http://www.freestockphotos.biz/stockphoto/17750
Keegan Brown, Future World Champ?
Keegan Brown has been the revelation of the tournament. He’s left pundits and darts fans claiming adamantly that he will win a world title, but are they jumping the gun and placing unwanted pressure on Keegan’s 22 year old shoulders?
With his well documented win in the World Youth Final, and his impressive run in this tournament, beating two former World Champions in Barney and Lewis, only losing out on a place in the semi finals after an impressive Dave Chisnall come back, he looks to have the skill set of a World Champion. His attitude also impresses. I get the feeling that he just loves playing darts.
He’s also the type of player that is good to watch. He fits the van Gerwen mould, releasing aggressive outbursts and celebrations which combine with his quick throw to create exciting games. This style builds a fear factor. His opponents know they could lose four or five legs in a flash. Barney, Lewis and Chisnall all walked into this barrage, with only one managing to survive it.
He has very quickly gained himself a following, with many marking him as a future World Champ.
Many of the Sky Sports pundits stressed that part of the reason for his success was that he had no scar tissue, i.e, no past experiences that could have effected his performance or placed expectation on him. But with everyone talking about him being a future World Champion, he will feel pressure to perform. This is perhaps what van Gerwen has been struggling with in the last few tournaments.
Brown played well in this tournament, no question. However, the players he beat were not of World Champion standard. Lewis had an absolute shocker, losing to another youngster, Rowby-John Rodriguez, in addition to Brown. Barney, you could argue, played very well. However, he played well in terms of his own recent form which has been dropping. He was well in front in the match against Barney, but struggled to finish it off, allowing the Dutchman to threaten a comeback. This happened again in the game against Chisnall, the difference being that Chizzy, the world number 8, had the strength to complete the comeback. It seems that he has a weakness when reaching the winning line, but surely that will improve with experience. After all, he wouldn’t have played long matches on the big stage all that often.
To become World Champion, essentially you need to be the best in the world. Obviously a little luck comes in handy,* but if Keegan is going to become World Champion, he will have to beat at least one of Taylor, van Gerwen, Lewis, Wright, Wade or Anderson playing at their best. Does Brown have the ability to do that? Well at the moment the answer is no, but what about next year or the year after or in twenty years? He certainly has a long way to go to beat the current crop of elite players, but he has one thing on his side. Time.
*You could play Terry Jenkins in the final.
The Nine Darter 