Bottelsen Darts to Sponsor ADA Professional at ADA Nationals
Bottelsen Darts a United States Dart Manufacturer is sponsoring ADA Professional Bill Schweikart at this year’s ADA National Championship in Memphis, TN! Bottelsen American Dart Lines, Inc., one of the remaining dart manufacturers in the U.S.A., has designed and manufactured championship quality darts and accessories for over thirty years. “We are proud to sponsor such a dedicated ADA Member and Dart Player with Bill. He loves Bottelsen Darts and the ADA and we think he is the perfect example for Bottelsen Darts”, adds Phil Gill from Bottelsen Darts.
I started playing darts, at Slippery Rock University on my roommate’s American Dart Board with Widdy darts and teaming up with him to play electronics on the summer weekends at the local pub, Rock House Bar and Grill circa 1998. I moved to the DC metro area in 2000 to start my career in construction management. In 2003, I went to a bar in Northern Virginia known as a hangout for SRU alumni to watch some football. I was introduced to Marlena (my now wife) who at the time asked me to tag along with her and a few friends to another bar, Carpool, to watch more football. One of her friends was throwing darts, so we hung out in the dart area watching football and darts. A dart team was short a player and asked if I would be interested in subbing for them. After informing them that I had never played steel, not touched a dart in years, and receiving a look of “Oh great” I threw some solid darts. The team requested that I show up every Sunday to shoot with them. I continued to borrow darts from players on my team and at the bar until Marlena convince me to purchase my own. After trying several different sets, I purchased my first set of Hammer Head Precision Grip darts by Bottelsen American Dart Lines. I have been using them ever since!!.
A group of us from that Sunday in house team got together and entered our team into B Division of Washington Area Dart Association (WADA). We won that season and moved into A Division where we were not as successful, however we all enjoyed shooting and getting better so we continued as a team in WADA. In second year of WADA, I decided to try my luck at the WADA open against the likes of several top US darters. I was hooked into tournament play and continued to go and finally broke through early 2007, making it into Top 4 in singles cricket.
Later in 2007 my work took me to Cumberland, Maryland and my son Landry was born, so darts was put on hold for a short period of time. After a few short months, I tried finding a place to throw steel, however Cumberland only threw soft tips on an electronic board and Thursday night leagues were already set. I purchased a lesser set of darts that were 18 grams and would go throw after league nights on Thursdays hoping someone would pick me up. After a couple weeks, I was asked to join a team. Not liking the new set of darts, I went on to Horizon Darts web page to find a set that was close to my original set and low an behold there they were 18-gram Precision Grip darts from Bottlesen American Dart Lines. I placed an order that day along with some new flights and tips. The team I joined went on to win several sessions of the Cumberland Dart league. With the help of the Cumberland Dart League, I was able to organize a successful fundraising tournament for the March of Dimes, an organization that helped my family thru a difficult lose of our middle son Gabriel and helped save the pregnancy of our daughter.
Wanting more I found an electronic state tournament in Carlisle PA. In 2011, I walked into the hotel conference hall only to see some of those great darters I mentioned throwing against in steel. I was glad to see a familiar face from my hometown (Eldred PA), Dan Shields. Dan served as a good distraction and support system to make me less nervous about facing those great darters again.
In 2012 my daughter was born, and work would have me traveling back to the DC area. I found a steel tip Luck of the Draw in Frederick, Maryland where I would be moving to for the next project. I ended up finishing second and a couple darters there asked me to join their team. After settling in I was off to shoot in the Western Maryland Dart Association Wednesday night league. I currently continue to compete in the WMDA League at the Orioles Nest using conversion tips for my 18 gram Precision Grip darts.
In 2013 my good friend Joe Deter form Cumberland working for CSX was in Howard county and had his partner not show for some American Dart Association American Dart league doubles match he was supposed to shoot in. After talking with Joe and getting the go ahead from my wife, I started throwing in my First ADA American Dart League. We managed to win that electronic soft tip doubles division. A year later I got a couple electronic boards brought into Frederick and another in house American Dart League was created. My partner Brock Lawrence and I won that doubles division and continued playing other tournaments pushing each other. He mentioned ADA nationals to me and I was very interested, however I was not able to come up with the funds nor did I know the full ins and outs of it all. In 2015, I met the owners of Extreme darts, started throwing in more ADA leagues with 221, and learning more about the ADA including Nationals. I went to my first Nationals in Texas 2016 where I was able to play the likes of Leonard Gates and learned another valuable lesson about nationals. Unlike any other tournament that I went to they had long format for singles after jumping out to a 2-0 (what I thought was a win) I went on to miss doubles in leg 3 and never regain my composure. The team that I shot on for open express managed to finish in second losing to Chris Lim and his team. This was the first time that I had met Chris and after our match we talk about different strategy of the game we just finished along with several other scenarios.
I had my best success playing in St. Louis 2017 where I made the finals stage in several events along with and against some great darters. In 2018 in Pittsburgh PA it was let’s just say a down year and more like that of the 2016 showing for me personally. I am looking forward to my first nationals this year as a ADA Pro for many different reasons. The first I need to mention is that my wife will be making the trip. The next is I get to compete for the first time against the ADA Pros and do it at Graceland in Memphis Tennessee. Oh, I can’t forget the chance to enjoy a cold Sam Adams with you Karl! I just wish that I had some of my Frederick Maryland 221 Pro and non-pros going to Memphis to have the complete ADA ADL experience. These darters are a great group we continue to push each other and grow our area adding a couple teams each session.
I enjoy shooting at ADA Nationals I also shoot at the following events: (steel tip) WADA Open, Virginia Beach Dart Classic, Steel City Open, Maryland state, TRICODA, WMDA for the Cause and 501 tournament, Maryland state team event (Electronic Soft Tip) PAMMA Pennsylvania states, NY states in Waterloo, summer showdown, and in the past Bullshooter.
Other than the above I still enjoy watching sporting events both on tv and live. Most of all I enjoy watching my son and daughter compete. My son plays soccer and trains at a local Frederick Gym, Crucible Performance, where they help prepare him both mentally and physically for the challenges of sports and life. My daughter swims competitively and takes gymnastics.
We look forward to Bill and his success at ADA Nationals this July! Thank you Bill for continuing to throw Bottelsen Darts and being an ADA Member! We will have a Sam Adams with your name on it at Graceland!
To check out Bottelsen and all their amazing products, check them out here: http://www.bottelsendartsinternational.com/