Ekurhuleni East Darts Association to close year with inter-district champs

The Ekurhuleni East Darts Association enjoyed a productive year, with several players going to the SAs and a youth development project with several schools started.

The association, which operates out of the Kingsway Club on 108A Kingsway Avenue in Brakpan, welcomes the whole family to play, with the Masters’ League on Tuesdays and open leagues on Thursdays.

The club opens on these days at 19:30, and the association has delivered Protea players in various categories, including juniors and ladies.

They operate under the Gauteng Darts Federation, a subsidiary of Darts SA, a South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee-recognised association.

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The masters are players older than 45 or 50 when playing for Gauteng, and juniors can play for Gauteng from age 10.

The association will have an inter-district league, with the Ekurhuleni South and North associations participating on December 7, after which they will close for the year.

Their AGM will be on January 15 at 18:30 at the Kingsway Club, after which players can register to compete until the end of February when the leagues start.

The leagues vary, some being trophy evenings and others fundraisers. Anyone can join, and the association works hard to keep fees low and accessible.

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You do not need prior knowledge to join because the members are happy to teach newcomers. The association has 80 active members and about 14 juniors from various schools.

The association is working on a youth development programme by recruiting schools in the area to host the sport so the youth can get involved. One of the schools to join in already has 12 players. A couple even play at the Kingsway Club as reserve players to gain experience against adult players.

A hurdle the association faces is finances. As a non-profit, financing sending players to the nationals is expensive, so the association always looks for sponsors willing to help. Darts is a sport that develops focus, self-discipline, mathematical literacy and sports etiquette.

“It is not a bar game; it is an official amateur sport,” explained Leon Jooste, the association’s chairperson.