Darts player brings a new level of the game to WSU
Richard Cranford can often be found playing darts in the Rhatigan Student Center at Wichita State.
He started playing darts in 2001 and recently founded a darts sports club at WSU.
“I was basically just in a bar and I saw a dartboard where a few other people were playing,” Cranford said. “I got to know a few darts players, started playing in leagues around Wichita and then went on to tournament play. Been going ever since.”
Cranford is a non-traditional student in his second year at Wichita State. He is majoring in economics. After having been a part of the darts community in the greater Wichita area, Cranford saw the lack of a darts club at WSU as something he could organize.
“I was looking at the clubs listed on the recreation website, and they had all these different clubs but they didn’t have darts,” Cranford said. “And its one of those games that people can play with their friends, get out, heckle each other, they can take it to a competitive level, play in leagues and tournaments.”
Cranford offers three tips for a darts beginner:
“A lot of practice to get used to your form, have fun with the game, and learn the math behind all the different games,” he said.
But the main thing for Cranford is that darts players have fun and practice.
He wants to form a more competitive league eventually, but the greater goal of the darts club is social.
Students who play darts “can meet some amazing people and build camaraderie,” Cranford said.
Forming the club turned out to be the easy part for Cranford, which required only a brief conversation with Scott Wagner, the director of Sports Clubs. The hard part has been promoting the new club.
“I put up flyers but they disappeared and the only place you can find information is on the club sport website,” he said.
So far Cranford has heard from one interested player.
“The one person I’ve talked to, we met and practiced here for a couple hours,” he said.
He loves to teach the game and potential players benefit from his years of experience. Even Cranford’s 10-year-old daughter plays darts.
“She’s getting better,” he said. “I figure by the time she’s a teenager she’ll probably be beating me.”
Cranford’s sales pitch for the club lists ease of practice as one of the top reasons to play.
“It doesn’t take as much physical activity as some of the other clubs around campus,” he said. “It’s something where you can come out, have a good time, and meet some new people.”
If enough players express interest, Cranford said that the Heskett Center might host some events for the leagues potentially.
“It’s a sport that’s good for college because it’s something a player can do in their spare time,” he said.
Interested players can find contact information for Cranford under Sports Clubs on the WSU website. Cranford also suggests the Wichita Darting Association as a source of information on where games are being played around Wichita.
