Well I had best introduce myself for starters

I am a handicapped player and love the game to death, so I had best fill you in about how I got started in darts.

When I was 4 my Dad was making some things on his saw set for my sisters, I remember it very well. He was using an electric plane and as all fathers say, “don’t go near it” I did! I lost the top half of my index finger and some of my thumb and webbing all on my right hand. I was flown to the Royal Children’s hospital and was only one of 3 kids under the age of 10 to have Micro-Surgery in Australia as it was little known way back then in 1963. They took the top half of my middle finger off to make an index finger and also they created a near new thumb. I can move the thumb but cannot, even today move my index finger!

A lot of pain and suffering passed over the years as I was forced by my Mum and Dad to stay right-handed, sometimes holding a pen/pencil for hours on end just like you hold a dart.

17 years later I was with a friend of mine Geoff and he was playing darts at his house, he said ‘c’mon Warren, have a throw”. I did, all 3 off the board! But it was great fun even though it hurt. I kept throwing that night when another friend Luke from the local club called around; he watched me and started showing me how to throw a dart although he didn’t know of my handicap.

Luke and Geoff gave me a set of old Tungsten darts, about 18grms and battered but they were mine and I wouldn’t let anyone touch them for the world. They then took me to the club and introduced me to the local team of which Luke was a member. They watched me play a game then asked me if I would be interested in joining their team, I jumped at the chance! That was the start of my passion for darts and I haven’t looked back.

One thing to remember even if you are only just about to pickup a dart, “handicap is not a hindrance”.