The Real and True Darters Will Persevere

Ya know what? There's more to behind the line then people actually know. I am going to tell you a little story behind the line that needs to be told. It's been kept to quiet for too long. There are people who deserve the right to know and who should be known for what they have done, and accomplished. This is for all you hard working darters, and you know who you are...

To protect the innocent, I won't reveal the full names of these people, even though some are not innocent. Some are down right awful, but I'll let you decide who's who in this story, which is so true you'll have a hard time believing some of it, but, believe me, I've lived through these events. I have pictures and witnesses.

OK, to start I'd need a full book to enlist to you of all details so your going to get the very short version. I'll do my very best to catch you up to speed.

There is this very well known dart league that has been around for 15 or so years. It's been well financed, and organized, or so we thought. It was the only game in town for that period, put it that way. If you wanted to shoot darts in an organized league, this was it. Let's call it Mary Amusements, for fun.

Mary Amusements has a boss that hides in the weeds and enjoys the rapture of success, as well he should after all his hard work to make Mary Amusements what it is today. But, as with all big bosses, they don't want to worry about everyday things as they have for years, establishing themselves. This is understandable! You think after all your hard work you could entrust someone to do it for you, someone who is also paid well of course.

So let's go back eight years, cause that's where I came into the picture, so I can give you a true detail of what was going on. Eight years ago I had never played in a dart league before. So I was new and there were no such thing as handicapping. Here was my team getting their asses kicked week in and week out. But, we became better, by practicing and determination for the love of the game. It was the way it was done then or you just got sick of losing and left the sport.

Speed up a couple of years and lets say the manager of the league for the big boss, lets say her name was Sheri, decided to step down. In came Mary, the new manager, the new light. So we hoped. Mary was going to look after the smaller people, the beginners, to make it fun for everyone, and play no favorite's to the top guns of the league. To make us bigger and stronger. She did all that and more. A lot of people loved this woman, she was the best, who could want more?

I was just becoming an intermediate player then, started going to tournaments and winning divisions with my teammates. Til one day I was shooting with a team of friends, and all of a sudden Mary steps in a middle of a half (of the season) and says "Your division is going to be handicapped". I was like what? Fine, under protest, we said "OK, fine. Bring on the handicapping," even though we were told we'd win anyway cause the handicap system they use only makes the stronger players try harder to win. So in our minds, the handicapping would make the top players stronger, and the weaker players weaker, cause they rely on a system to win for them.

This wasn't the first or last time the new manager of the future was stopping division in a middle of a half (of the season) cause she ranked or placed teams in the wrong division. She still continues to do this to this day. But, because it was the only game in town they continued to grow. They claimed to be number one in the state year in and year out, even though the players knew she was lying.

Worst yet, she was double dipping into player funds! She even had the gall to provide the players with general fund sheets at the end of the year. This showed she not only took out the player's membership fees out of the general fund but that she also took it out of their payout envelopes as well. This was clearly a person growing a big head, to cheat the players like this and then continue to tell them they are growing when they are really shrinking.

To tell players of achievement that even though you are clearly the most improved player this year, we expect that of you, but we'll give it to a lower division player to keep them coming back. To give sportsmanship's awards to her favorites, people that slap their darts out of boards after a bad throw, or players that tell others they are weak. Or to a player that doesn't know which end of the dart to even point at a board. She, yes Mary, gives these people these awards. It's down right sickening.

She even told the members of her board that her opinion, her vote, hers only matters. Why have a board of league members if you are going to tell them that? She basically told her board of members that they were rats to report to her and that was it. Not to promote the league, not to try better the league in some way, no, she told them they were used as rats, to rat out each other, in case there was something she didn't like said or done.

She has even gone to the length to tell players who they can shoot with and who they can't shoot with. She even preached a rule she made up for three years only to go completely against it in a league match cause she could've lost the match. She has become a dictator. I don't think she has even realized it. That's the worst part.

Finally, there were a group of people who have had enough and wanted more. They have gone out and organized their own dart league. This is a group of people that has risked a lot. They have taken their own monies, and spare time to start a league in a town dictated by the other league that has been here at least 15 years. To them, I take my hat off. I take my hat off to you players that have been making this league work for years, and haven't been shown any appreciation.

The not so merry Mary Amusements are now in for a battle, they know it and they are going to new levels of low self esteem. They are advertising like they have never before, so you know they hear footsteps. Basically, they have sent out a letter to all league players which was full of slander. The players knew it and that's why they never responded to it. They just got together and laughed. Yes, Mary amusements feels the footsteps.