Joe Huffman
Nickname: BOOM BOOM
Date of Birth: 4/21/83
Current City: Chesapeake, VA
Dominant Hand: Right Hand
Began Playing: 2001
Dart Setup
Barrel: Soft Tip - Boom 18g Velocity
Barrel: Steel Tip - Boom 22g Velocity
Shaft: 330 L-Style Carbon
Flights: L3c Boom
Tips: L-Style Hard Lip Steel Tip Conversion
Sponsors:</strong
Break For Darts
Velocity Darts
L-Style
Extreme Darts
Defiance Darts
SPIDA Sports
Bit of England
Fritz
Most Memorable/Top Finishes:
VBDC 1st Place 501 Singles
VBDC 1st Place Pro Cricket
Cricket National Champion
CDC Winner Chicago
PDC Stage in Vegas 2018
BIO and Fun Facts:
I started playing darts at 18. A friend at work got me into it and I fell in love with the game right away.
My Favorite players to watch are MVG, Gary Anderson, Rob Cross and Peter Wright.
I got my nickname because a friend at a dart tournament started calling me Boom Boom and it just stuck.
I practice between 1-3 hours a day.
Any tips for new players or beginners?
My tips for new players is to practice as much as possible and stay positive. Find a grip, stance and release that can be repeated comfortably.
George Daniels
Nickname: Lights Out
Date of Birth: 3/7/79
Current City: Latonia, KY
Dominant Hand: Right Hand
Began Playing: 2010
Dart Setup
Barrel: Soft Tip - Lights Out 18g Velocity
Barrel: Steel Tip - Lights Out 22g Velocity
Shaft: #2 Fit Flight (soft) and L-Style 130 Carbon (steel)
Flights: Fit Flight Slim (soft) and Robson Fantail (steel)
Tips: Fit Point Plus
Sponsors:</strong
Break For Darts
Velocity Darts
Most Memorable/Top Finishes:
Blazing Saddles (Lexington KY) 2017 1st Place Singles 501 and Singles Cricket
Buckeye Open (Columbus OH) 2018 and 2019 CDC Q School Champion
2019 47th Annual Blueberry Hill Dart Tournament Men’s 301 1st place and Tournament MVP
Darters Of Northern Kentucky D.O.N.K.Y.
9 X MVD award winner
BIO and Fun Facts:
I started throwing darts at a buddies house in 2001 and I started to really enjoy the game. In 2010 I began playing competitively in my local leagues. I enjoy playing the most with my good friends both in league and tournaments. Kevin Crowder, Ben Beltz and Mike “Waldo” Walterman are just a few of the guys I have been partners with recently for a few tournaments.
Any tips for new players or beginners?
I use league play several nights a week as practice. My best advice for anyone new to darts or wanting to improve their game is practice. The more you put in the more you will get out. As far as a stance or grip, I couldn’t say. It’s whatever feels good on the line when it’s time to play!!
Lee Jones
Nickname: Bullit
Date of Birth: 3/30/86
Current City: Indianapolis, IN
Dominant Hand: Right Hand
Began Playing: 2014
Dart Setup
Barrel: Soft Tip - Bullit 16.5g Velocity
Barrel: Steel Tip - Bullit 22g Velocity
Shaft: Pro Grip (length in-between) L-Style Carbon – Length 190
Flights: L-Style Small Standard L3cr Champagne Flights
Tips: Fit Point Plus
Sponsors:</strong
Break For Darts
Velocity Darts
Most Memorable/Top Finishes:
Elite 8 at Dartslive Americas Tour Stage 2 (7 months after starting darts)
1st Place Pro A Doubles Cricket Bullshooter Finals 2017 (Nate Borland)
BIO and Fun Facts:
Sitting at Mikes Speedway Lounge just throwing around with house darts waiting for ride to go home and a guy named Jeff Alverson walked in to practice. Told me I had a nice stroke and if I put practice in and got some heavier darts, I could be good one day. He then asked me if I wanted to go to a blind draw and let me borrow a spare set of his darts and instantly, I was hooked. I started subbing and trying to find leagues. I went to blind draws and once I lost, I would just sit around and watch the different top shots and played them afterwards. My favorite player to throw with is my current doubles partner Jeff Cohee because after 5 years and thinking I know darts he still teaches me something new at every tournament. I do not have a favorite person to watch as I watch all players old and new and try to learn their strategy or tell signs because always important to know your opponents no matter the skill level.
Any tips for new players or beginners?
I use league and blind draws as practice because I prefer a game situation. I believe that is the best practice so I play 2-3 times a week but in year 3-4 I was playing 4-5 nights a week. My nickname is Bullit for BULL IT. When I got decent, people would watch and say "he is a bull machine, he just walks up and bulls it one after another" so it kind of stuck. Some advice and tips I give newer players are: 1. Don’t get mad when you miss. Everyone misses. When you get mad, one your opponent sees it and two you throw worse.
It's like quicksand, it just keeps getting worse. 2. (CRICKET) Concentrate on just hitting the wedge. Fat darts work. Its not what you hit, its what you miss in a game. Most places (MASTER STATS) are close to 3.4. If you just hit 3 singles every time you average a 3.0 which makes you a half mark away from being considered a master level player and makes you very consistent. 3. As less body movement as possible and keep the same motion. The less you have to think about in stance or grip, the more you can focus on follow through and the strategy of the game. Lastly don’t be afraid to play people better than you. That is truly the only way you will get better. Find a better player and chase to be better than them in stats and consistency.
Eric Blackledge
Nickname: Blackout
Date of Birth: 10/20/1977
Current City: Rockwell, NC
Dominant Hand: Right Hand
Began Playing: 1998
Dart Setup
Barrel: Soft Tip - Blackout 16g Velocity
Barrel: Steel Tip - Blackout 22g Velocity
Shaft: L-Style Carbon – Length 260
Flights: L-Style Signature Kite Champagne Flights
Tips: L-Style Lippoint White
Sponsors:</strong
Break For Darts
Velocity Darts
Most Memorable/Top Finishes:
11 time member of Team USA in Chicago and Las Vegas combined
2 time MVP at Bullshooter
2 time AA 501 champion at Bullshooter (1 time on the 15” and 1 time on the 13”. Top Gun Cricket champion at Bullshooter
2 time NDA Masters Team Cricket winner
NDA Masters Doubles 501 champion
Top 4 Dartslive World Stage in Las Vegas
3 time MVP at Blueberry Hill
BIO and Fun Facts:
I started playing darts in Vicksburg, MS in 1998 when I was 20 years old. It didn’t take long before I was hooked! I played every night of the week that I could cause I wanted to get better. It was a lot of hard work and determination and sacrifice, but that’s what it takes if you want to be the best you can be. I’d have to say the person who impacted me early on was Scott Wollaston. He was the best around my area at the time and everyone use to talk about how good he was. Well, I set my goal to be the guy to take down the Goliath and after 3 or 4 years it happened. He may not have known it at the time but he made me want to be better so that’s what I set out to do. This is what it takes to be a champion guys, setting goals and reaching them. I’ve played with some of the best players the US has to offer so its hard to pin down who’s the favorite to play with but I will give mention to a couple guys that I have truly enjoyed playing with over the past few years and that would be Bob Hudzik and Eric Gregory. Either of the two had a real good chemistry and complimented each other well. We both have won our share of events along the way. It was a great ride guys!
Any tips for new players or beginners?
Remember that bit from earlier when I spoke about hard work and determination?? Well that’s where practicing comes in… and I don’t just mean spending hours at the board by yourself. I feel that the best practice you can get is from your local or online leagues. I know most people play league to socialize and have a fun night out after work, but you should use this time wisely when you can. I’m not saying that you can’t have fun, but just take it serious as well and try your hardest because being in all those different situations will prepare you for the next level, which is tournament play and such. As far as how to hold your dart or how to stand or even throw the dart, just do what’s natural to you and work from there. Don’t try to copy someone else because its not natural. Just find the right setup that feels good to you and slowly make adjustments until you find what works best for you!
Garion Cole
Nickname: Gar
Date of Birth: 4/13/1993
Current City: Peoria, IL
Dominant Hand: Right Hand
Began Playing: Since 2014 competitively but as long as he can remember.
Dart Setup
Barrel: Soft Tip - The Gar 18g Velocity
Barrel: The Gar 18g Velocity with conversion points
Shaft: L-Style 225 Carbon Shafts
Flights: L-Style Rocket Flights
Tips: L-Style Premium Lippoint
Sponsors:</strong
Break For Darts
Velocity Darts
Most Memorable/Top Finishes:
2nd place in a TOC event with his dad.
Multiple TOC cashes as well as a 2nd in the Finale event.
BIO and Fun Facts:
I first started throwing when I was a little kid my dad played and I use to go to darts with him when I was little. I can remember when I was 5, my dad leaves to go play and I had grabbed his darts. He got all the way to league and had to come back home and get his darts from me and that very next day I was given a set of the exact same darts that he had. When I first started throwing league, there were a lot of people who helped me with strategy. It’s a big family and everyone helps everyone for the most part throwing darts in Peoria. I Practice only a couple times a week unfortunately, but not like I use to when I first started playing. I practiced everyday and really need to get back to those days. My favorite player to watch growing up and today to be honest is Eric Bristow. I watch all his old matches and even his interviews. Oh and I almost forgot. How did I get my nickname? Well it's Gar. My family gave me that name when I was a kid just like all parents do.
Any tips for new players or beginners?
Any tips I can honestly give a new player is be comfortable and relax. This game is 98% mental.
Keep practicing and you will see your numbers start to rise. Remember any one can beat any one on any given day.