10/17/07 Getting Back Into the Game

As you can see from the lack of columns lately I have been out of commission so to speak. After a few hospital stays and much too many needles (ARGHHH) I have had necessary & major surgery but I am writing to say that I am back and cannot wait to be writing and updating my passionatedarter website once again. Playing darts and running this website truly are my passion and I have missed this part of my life!

While darts is the focus of this column, I have to mention that life happens to all of us meaning sometimes we have to put darts on the back burner to deal with whatever has been slung our way or whatever endeavors we are involved in to move forward in our life. For me, this has been surgery. The truth is that sometimes life detours us when we least expect it...a move, returning to night school, a death in the family, change in jobs - the point is life happens to all of us and sometimes darts is not the #1 priority. That does not mean that we are any less passionate about the game of darts it just means we are doing whatever we have to do to take care of business all the while knowing that darts will still be there when we are ready.

Though I am not up to throwing a dart yet I miss the game and the people and long for the day that I walk into my favorite dart pub (Sponge Reef in Schaumburg, Illinois USA) and throw a few, maybe challenge a few and just enjoy the game/sport of darts and the people involved.

The thought has occurred to me that while recovering from surgery my darting abilities might just be taking a turn for the worse. I want to come back and come back stronger than ever and ready to compete at the level I was before or higher. So, here is a question for all the many site visitors...what can I do to practice the arm movements used in darts while recovering? I want to work on whatever I can work on, especially my strength and technique.

I thought about setting up a box about the same distance as the dartboard from the line, taking my stance and tossing tennis balls into the box. To be honest, I kind of hemmed and hawed about sharing that I have had surgery but I have so many faithful readers that I wanted to explain my absence and lack of updating the site.

So...here's my question to you - who out there has been incapacitated for a bit and what did you do in the meantime to practice your technique without actually throwing a dart? Surely I am not the first person to be side-tracked and unable to actually play darts for a bit so I hope that someone out there in passionatedarter cyber-land can offer me some suggestions on staying in "dart shape" while recovering from surgery.

Note: Don't forget to E-mail any ideas, suggestions or words of encouragement to me at E-mail Staying in Dart Shape...

Thanks for stopping by this site and hopefully I will see you at the line as soon as possible - I cannot wait to get my game on!

~ Sherilyn