About Powlett Darts Association
Powlett Darts Association play twice weekly at the Wonthaggi Workman’s Club where we have nine permanent dart boards. In years gone by 18 teams met and competed each week, but times have changed because the sport of darts hasn't always been able compete with the high profile and media coverage many other sports enjoy.
Darts is a safe, non-contact sport that offers great enjoyment to boys and girls and provides the opportunity to compete against each other on a level playing field. New Australian rulings in relation to players with disability have now opened the door for inclusion in mainstream darts events where they have the opportunity to compete against able-bodied players participating in a fun but challenging all-weather sport.
Playing darts helps to improve eye hand coordination, teaches sporting etiquette and aids skills in mathematics at the same time. At Powlett Darts Assoction we believe that the popularity of darts can be revived if clubs like ourselves work together. We have begun investing in the future by having on hand nine free standing dart stands. Sturdy dart frames complete with new dart boards and dart sets have been donated to eight Colleges throughout Gippsland.
We have just held our second successful Inter-College Dart Challenge and are calling on dart clubs to assist a college in your own part of Gipplsand and encourage their participation in the annual inter-college event held on the first Tuesday in September.
Colleges can register for the event and enter a team of six players who are aged 15 years or older (before the end of the school year). Our Champion Inter-college team will always try to attend and support similar events held by other colleges and clubs.
Wheelchair Darts
Australia
New Opportunities for Dart Players in Corinella
Powlett Dart Assoc. has built a unique "duo" dart frame to enable players in wheelchairs whose only disability is loss of lower body mobility to complete directly against able-bodied players. With the dart frame having two positions the board can be quickly and easily raised and lowered between throws to accommodate to newly approved ruling by Darts Australia to allow inclusion in all competitions up to national level.
The stand and the dart board were donated to the Corinella Community Centre in May this year to see if darts held some appeal to those living in the community. Darts is a fun and challenging non-contact sport that allows play on an equal footing.
Keith Isherwood and Sally Whelan from the Corinella Community Centre ensured a night was set aside for the inaugural "Casual Night of Darts" held at 7.30pm last Friday night (October 7th). With an encouraging turn-out the night started with a "bang" with the breaking of a balloon with the first dart of the evening. A team game followed, then a game of Football, and the final game of Shanghai. Some who attended had experience from playing many years ago and improved very quickly to a competitive level.
Everyone had an enjoyable night with a chat and supper following the darts, but most importantly it was chance to spend time with old friends, make some new ones and get out of the house for the evening. We hope it has been the first of many such nights.
We extend a warm welcome and an open invitation to join in next Friday night to anyone who would like to try their hand at darts.
Those in attendance from the Corinella Community were:
Keith Isherwood, Charlie & Philippe Tucker, Jean & John Hill, Fred Williams, Bruce Pryor, Janet Gilmore,
Alex & Sally Whelan.
Muscles don't push, they pull...
The muscles on the inside of your arm should be relaxed or "disengaged" like the gears of a car in neutral when actually throwing a dart. These muscles contract to bend the arm and "aim" the dart only, it's the muscles on the back of your arm that contract in order to straighten the arm and complete a throw.
Launching a dart with tense inside arm muscles is like driving a car with the hand brake on, not only will the throw tend to be inaccurate but the inner muscles will feel bruised rather quickly from competing with the outer muscles during the throw.
ABC Radio interview with Gordon McFarland founder of the Gippsland Inter-College Darts Championship
