I came across this article on my desk this weekend and thought I would share it.  It is always good to rememeber that not everyone has been playing darts for years.  It looks at darts tournaments from the aspect of a new darter.  I hope you enjoy reading it.

So This Is Your First Tournament
by Evelyn Thompson

Well, its almost the weekend now and that first tournament is here. Think you're pretty good and can take them all, huh? Yeah, I remember that feeling at my first one. There was only one problem..... I had NO idea of what to expect. Talk about a yokel from the sticks.....

I thought I was pretty good and that I stood a fair chance of doing well. I had told my mom just before the tournament that I wasn't sure WHAT to expect when I got there. I didn't know if there would be 5 dartboards set up or MAYBE 10. I thought there MIGHT be 50 to 100 people there. I wish you could have seen my face when I walked into the ballroom and there were 40 dartboards side by side taking up 3 1/2 walls!

Well, I could live with that ( sorta ) but when everyone started getting there..... boy, I almost died !! There were over 350 people playing. Then I started to think that just MAYBE I was in a little deeper than I thought. Then things got underway. it was blind draw doubles 501.

It was my partner's first tournament too. Well, we knew that we were in trouble when our first opponent got up and threw a ton. I really don't remember what we threw but it wasn't EVEN close to that. My sister had come to watch me play and she went to the restroom real quick. When she got back she asked how it was going. I had to tell her that it was almost the end of the SECOND game and about that time, they took out a ton one finish ( for the SECOND time!).

Well, there is always Saturday, you know. I entered everything, including open singles 501. Well, here came the boards. Then I heard "Andy Green, Evelyn Thompson board such and such". When I got to the board I asked Andy if he wanted me to just give up now. SOMEHOW I won the diddle. I threw a ton 31 or some such silly number on my throw. Andy answered with a ton 40. All I could think of was " he thinks I know what I'm doing !!!" Well, I talked myself out of that game pretty quick with that attitude.

Ladies singles 501 came. " Evelyn Thompson, Sandy Reitan board blah blah."

OH, NO , NOT AGAIN !!! Well, needless to say THAT game didn't last long either.

But, then came Sunday. Ladies blind draw 501. I heard "Evelyn Thompson and Nancy Kenny, Sharon Toliver and who ever board such and such. " I'm thinking " Oh, no, ANOTHER pro!!!" Well, little did I know who MY partner was.... Nancy was rated in the top 15 at the time. Well, with A LOT of help from Nancy and some lucky shots of my own, we won and I threw the winning shot on the last game. I don't remember how we did after that, but it was fun.

So, its your first tournament...... Well, you can't really do any worse than I did with the draws I got. So, just relax, kick back, ENJOY yourselt These tournaments are fun for us and you'll get to see some of the pros play. Talk to them, The ones I know are super and they are always glad to give advice to the new players. Don't be afraid to talk to them ( oh, look, its Lorri Verrier. Oh, I just COULDN'T talk to HER!). Have a good time and remember..... even the pros can get beat people like you and me.


Until Next Time!
Tony