Make-A-Wish Maryland Open - Results

Dart players take aim at title in Laurel event

10/30/08 By David Driver ddriver@patuxent.com Email this story to a friend Darin Young takes aim at the dart tournament in West Laurel held Oct. 24-26, which drew about 100 competitors, including the top U.S. male. Photo by Don Watkins Jean Martin began playing darts about 20 years ago when a friend of hers needed a sub for an event in Anne Arundel County. "I just found that I liked it," Martin said. "The way I describe it is like a bowling league. Women can compete as much as men. It does not take strength. You just develop your skill." Martin, of Upper Marlboro, is the treasurer of the Central Maryland Dart League. She was one of 26 females who competed Oct. 24-26 at the annual tournament of the Central Maryland Dart League in West Laurel. The event was held at the Holiday Inn and raised money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Mid-Atlantic, Inc. The tourney is 18 years old but according to organizers this was the first time it was held in Laurel. The event drew 68 male competitors. Among those on hand was Pennsylvania resident Darin Young, the top-ranked American male. Young won a men's singles event and, along with Chris Oinkous, captured a men's doubles event. Young has qualified for the world championship slated for January in London. Among the top players in West Laurel was Steve "Shooter" Melvin, who has lived in Laurel since 1986. He began playing at a bar in Laurel in the early 1990s when a player did not show up and he was pressed into service. "About six months later I was the best in the bar," said Melvin, who played pool at a young age. Melvin, who works in the security industry and graduated from High Point High in Beltsville, now plays darts about four or five nights a week. He plays in a weekly league in Glen Burnie and also plays regularly at a bar in Virginia. The sport of darts remains very popular in Great Britain, according to Bill Villiers, the tournament fundraising director of the Central Maryland Dart League. "It is absolutely huge," said Villiers, who grew up in London but did not start playing darts until he joined a house league in Annapolis eight years ago. Villiers, who moved to Howard County in 1990 and now lives in Annapolis, said darts is also popular in the Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal and Spain. He said there are eight leagues in Maryland. Mick Nardelli, who competed this past weekend, moved to Washington about 10 years ago and he is now the chairman of the Washington Area Darts Association. "The dart community is pretty tight. We all travel to a lot of the same tournaments," he said. "You see the same faces." Nardelli said his organization puts on tournaments with a total cash pay that ranges from about $5,000 to $12,500. But he said the slumping economy has taken a toll on darts as well. He helped stage a national tournament in September near Dulles International Airport in Virginia. While the event attracted six of the top 10 men and four of the top 10 women in the country, Nardelli said rising gas prices kept away regulars who normally make the trip from as far away as North Carolina. Nardelli began playing darts when he worked at a college in upstate New York. "It is a lot more fun when you hit what you are aiming at," he said. For more results on the tournament, which hoped to raise about $2,500 for charity, go to www.marylandopendarts.com (story source...) Media Coverage

2008 Maryland Open - Reminder

For 18th Consecutive Year Maryland To Welcome Regions Top Dart Play

	Central Maryland Dart League (CMDL) announced that the 2008 Maryland Open, formally known as the Maryland State Championships and long viewed as one of the regions premier dart tournaments, will celebrate its 18th anniversary October 24-26, 2008 by donating sponsor’s proceeds from this year’s tournament to the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of The Mid-Atlantic (MAWFMA). “I am delighted that our board and members chose to support such a worthy Charitable Foundation,” said Bill Villiers, Director of Tournament Fundraising, “we have been selling dart board banners, program advertising and during the tournament weekend we will hold raffles and a silent auction to raise additional funds.” This year’s tournament not only has a new name but has been moved to the Holiday Inn Laurel West, Laurel, MD. “We decided to change the name to The Maryland Open as it better reflects the overall spirit of the dart tournament in terms of the players who attend, it’s not just local darters from Maryland & Washington DC, but players from up and down the east coast,” said Robert Ferris, President of CMDL, “we also decided to move it to a hotel environment which will enable players and their guests to "play and stay" in one location, combined with it’s central location, just off interstate I95 between Baltimore & Washington DC, it should ensure a great turn out.” The tournament is sanctioned by the American Darts Organization (ADO) and is expected to attract over 150 of the regions top dart players, who will square off against each other over 3 days of scheduled events, open to all players. Friday evening kicks off the tournament with a blind draw event (where doubles teams are drawn at random) at 7:00 PM, and concluding on Sunday afternoon with the 18th Annual Maryland State Championships, which are open to all residents of Maryland and Washington DC. The format is singles 501, for both men and women, in single elimination play over the best of 3 legs. Some past participants have gone on to represent the US in international play and indeed are playing professionally. According to the American Darts Organization, over 17 million people play darts in the United States each year. Maryland alone has 7 organized dart leagues and, if included Washington DC, has well over 2000 member players. With a recent explosion of interest across the globe, darts has a worldwide following that would rival that of most major professional sports. Indeed, the game of darts offers many of the same pleasures as other sports: the camaraderie of friends, challenge and excitement of harnessing personal skill and the necessary mental toughness to make the game winning shot. Perhaps best of all, the game of darts is inexpensive. The only equipment needed to get started in the game is a set of darts, which retail between $5 and $200, and a dartboard, which runs about $45. About Central Maryland Dart League Central Maryland Dart League (CMDL) is an all volunteer member organization dedicated to preserving and advancing the game of steel-tip darts in the State of Maryland area and across North America. League divisions run by CMDL include players of all skill levels, from beginner to semi professional. CMDL hosts one major tournament per year – the Maryland Open is held in October and includes the Maryland State Championship event. Sponsorship and advertising opportunities are available year round by contacting below. About the Make-a-Wish Foundation® of the Mid-Atlantic The Make-A-Wish Foundation® of the Mid-Atlantic, Inc. (MAWFMA) is a nonprofit organization that fulfills the wishes of children facing life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. The Foundation serves children in Maryland, the District of Columbia, Northern Virginia (Arlington, Fairfax, Fauquier, Loudoun, and Prince William Counties as well as city of Alexandria), and Delaware. Founded in 1983, the Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Mid-Atlantic, Inc. has fulfilled the wishes of nearly 6,000 children fighting illnesses such as Cancer, Pediatric AIDS, Cystic Fibrosis, Duchene’s Muscular Dystrophy and heart disease. This year, the Foundation anticipates a 25 percent increase in wishes as we actively reach out to all medically-eligible children in our region. A wish fulfilled creates a memorable experience for a child fighting a life-threatening medical condition and gives him or her something positive to think about instead of medical treatments and hospital visits. Recent wishes include visiting Walt Disney World, taking family vacations, receiving home computers, having bedrooms redecorated and meeting celebrities including the President. The average wish costs $7,500. http://www.marylandopendarts.com/ 2008 Make-A-Wish Maryland Open Including the 18th Annual Maryland State Championships October 24, 25 & 26 $7,545.00 Holiday Inn Laurel West 15101 Sweitzer Lane Laurel, MD 20707 Tel 301-776-5300 Directions Flyer