For Valerie Petersen, competing on the international stage was a great accomplishment.
Having travelled to Florida in the United States of America (USA) in August to represent Africa at an international darts competition, the Hanover Park local is now gearing up to compete again.
“Just being able to travel to the USA was already an amazing experience, but seeing the DPFL Darts set up was the cherry on top.
“We were welcomed with open arms by the tournament’s organisers as well as other contestants and everyone just loved our African Darts Group shirts,” she says.
Petersen made it to the quarter-finals with her doubles partner where they played against the USA’s top female dart player. They lost to the USA duo 2-1.
“Darts is huge elsewhere in the world and my biggest takeaway from this tournament is to focus on the board and not your opponent’s title or play.
“Just the mere fact that we were sent to the championship room to play the quarter-finals, where your games are televised and live commentary takes place, I think put us on our nerves. So for next time, I will be better prepared,” she says.
In preparing for the next competition, practise remains a key focus.
“My focus now is on improving my game through practising some tips and techniques I picked up from Devon Petersen.
“I never knew that the dart game of cricket was so big over there and it is also played professionally as 501 games, so that’s also becoming a focus point for me. We also had the pleasure of meeting and practising some darts at the home of a PDC player Danny Baggish and his fiance Nikki,” she says.
Several sponsors helped her raise the needed funding to make the trip, costing around R60 000.
“My biggest sponsorship came from Randal Petersen of High Spirits Liquors. He not only got us the hall for our functions and supplied stock but also sponsored my personal playing shirts.
“The rest of my sponsors whom I wish to thank from the bottom of my heart are Tarren Ruiters, owner of Bella Carter Beauty, Mr Burch of Burch Construction, his daughter Deidre Burch of TLD Building, Ronnie Horn of Horn’s Transport, my playing shirt designer Warren Mead of Halo Web Design, Oceans 50 Angling Club for allowing me to host a fundraiser at their venue, an anonymous sponsor from Lansdowne, Shahn Jeffries of Taronga Shell, all the people who donated little cakes, pies, rolls, etc. towards the high-tea fundraiser as well as everyone who supported the fundraisers with their presence,” she says.
“I wish to thank the ADG for providing the platform for local players to enter tournaments at international levels as well as my husband Donny, our sons Tyrone, Dean and Godfrey and Brittney Africa who supported and believed in me without fail.”
