Ekurhuleni South Darts Association aims for bullseye with new programme

The Ekurhuleni South Darts Association (ESDA) calls on those interested in playing darts to join the association.

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They are in the Dinwiddie Sports Club.

Secretary and Business Unit Manager of ESDA Delian Bennett, said darts is a growing sport in South Africa.

“The sport is open to everyone, young and old. As long you can reach the board, you can learn the game and play,” said Bennett.

She said the club is excited about a development programme coming up in conjunction with the Department of Education. It is called the 180 Plus School’s Development Programme.

The programme aims to create a pleasant social experience through community participation, using darts as a medium.

It is aimed at primary and high schools.

“The goal is to create interest and offer an opportunity to learners who may not excel in your more traditional sports to have an alternative,” said Bennett.

She said this programme offers a chance for learners to challenge themselves while having fun. She explained that there are benefits for participating learners.

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“Darts involves a lot of scorekeeping and calculating. This will assist with education, and scorekeeping can assist in maths.

“It will also encourage good emotional and physical health, instil positive values, foster multi-cultural relationships, and encourage good sportsmanship.”

The Dinwiddie dart club was established in 1983 and was previously known as Nerda (Near East Rand Darts Association).

The club has 43 senior players and six juniors.

“Through this programme, we hope the interest increases and people can learn and understand that it is a sport, not a pub game,” said Bennett.

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Modern darts was invented in 1896 by Brian Gamlin, a carpenter from Lancashire, UK.

The club hosted its first training session on Saturday. Eight schools were invited to learn about the sport.