A Note From Mr. Ed "Bam Bam" DeBehnke

Recently I wrote to Mr. Ed "Bam Bam" DeBehnke to ask his advice about a situation that I found myself in, and his views on practice. Ed is a straight shooter and one of the best darters in the Chicago area. He consistently places in the money rounds and encourages others in the game of darts. In that way he really does help to promote the game of darts in a positive manner. Not only is Ed an excellent darter, but he is a man of character and an all-around good guy...sometimes a rare combination. With his permission I'm printing his response to me as I was getting ready for a singles tournament.

Hi Sherilyn, just dropping a quick line. Yes, once in a while I get one of those partners that think they know everything and all I do is play my game and move on. As far as practice goes, I don't. Occasionally when I feel like I need to work on my stroke I throw a hundred bulls. Normally the best practice for me is to play 8-10 games before an event starts. I don't practice during the week and I'm actually at my best when I haven't played at all for a week. Sounds weird doesn't it? Most of my best weekends have come after not throwing for a week or two. I've always found that the best way to keep an even keel in darts is to relax and breathe. I learned how to breathe from attending LaMaze classes with my wife during our two pregnancies. Most people don't realize how important breathing is when playing the game. It does help ease the nerves and center the focus.

You could call my approach Zen darts. Every dart is a turn in it's own right and you can't let one bad dart affect the others anymore than you can let a bad turn affect the next one. The same applies to good shots, you can't let a good shot affect your next turn either. You see it happen often where someone hits a 180 and on their next shot they hit a 26. I try to take the highs and lows out of the game. That's where I feel I have to be for my game. Anyway, I have to go now so hopefully I've given you something to think about for a while and I'll talk to you later.

ED