Playing darts is a competitive sport for young and old in VKLM
“We try our utmost to make it a family sport in which the whole family can participate and we enjoy a family-oriented environment."
The Victor Khanye Darts Club had its offset in 2011.
The president of the club, Mr Freddie Burmeister, his wife, Maryna and son, Jean, moved from Limpopo to Eloff in 2011.
“In Limpopo we played darts, but after a few weeks of travelling from Eloff to Witbank every Wednesday night to play league, we were prompted by the president of Mpumalanga to begin our own association.
“This allowed us to select our own national men and women’s teams to annually participate in the national championship between June and July,” Mr Burmeister said.
According to him, it was an excellent time to begin the venture as the demarcation of sport came to light, which stated that all sport codes have to take part in their direct municipal area. Delmas’ darts club began in the Detour Pub and Grill in Eloff, but due to bad roads, the club moved to Volstoom.
“Yet again, the roads became so bad and due to lack of public interest, we unfortunately had to close down the club in 2014,” Mr Burmeister said.
The club then played for Ekurhuleni East in Brakpan and in 2015 the Hat Tricks Club in Nigel was formed.
“I was yet again approached in November 2016 to form the Victor Khanye Darts Association. We did so with the help of the Cup Above Restaurant in Sundra. They provide the space for us to play and practice in.”
The club sent a men’s and women’s team in 2017 to the nationals in Durban, 2018 in Johannesburg and 2019 in Port Elizabeth.
Mr Burmeister said darts is a very competitive sport on individual and on team level.
“We at Victor Khanye try our utmost to make it a family sport in which the whole family can participate and we enjoy a family-oriented environment.
“Most people probably think that darts is a bar-game and although we do play in a bar, there are very strict rules within the game,” Mr Burmeister said.
He told Streeknuus that darts is a mathematical game that teaches a person self-confidence, how to work well together as a team and the game needs discipline.
The Mpumalanga Darts Federation is currently in the process of tendering to host the SA nationals in Nelspruit. If successful, it will be a first, as Mpumalanga never hosted the national before.
Coetzee, Shawn Hogan and
Daleen Spies. (Photo: supplied
Since the start of the club, it has had many successes and achievements, which include players who were selected to represent the Nkangala District Darts Association at the nationals. The club normally plays at Cup Above on a Thursday night form 18:00 and it hosts small competitions on Saturdays.
“At the Purple Plum, we play the bigger tournaments, leagues and trophies on Sunday.”
Mr Burmeister said sadly the Covid-19 pandemic also made its mark on their sport and they cannot yet play.
“We, however, play our games via WhatsApp and video and the sport is live and we still enjoy it.”
Mr. Burmeister welcomes anyone of the public interested to play darts and would like to join the club to contact him on 079 916 0848 for more information.
He can also be reached via email at victorkhanyedarts@gmail.com.
