Will Dean Winstanley turn over a new leaf?
Dean Winstanley was not winning but he was happy with the fact that he was still being listed as a finalist in most of the darts tournaments and championships.
This was not true for all championships, as in 2010, he was able to secure victories in the German Open, Belgium Open and England Open.
Unfortunately, he could not continue his winning streak for long and above all, it was at a crucial time when his darts began to desert him.
At a mainstream event, such as the Grand Slam of Darts, or GSOD, ‘Over the Top’ was able to claim victories over most of his opponents, like Ted Hankey, Ian White and Barneveld.
As soon as he proceeded to the second round, things began to take a rather unexpected turn for him.
In a close and thrilling encounter with Mark Walsh, he was forced to march back towards the pavilion.
However, throughout the time span he spent at the BDO, he was categorised as one of the best darts players that the organisation has ever produced.
Things are not meant to be the same and this was precisely what Winstanley had in mind.
With the intent of modifying his game to a new level and further reorganising it to meet contemporary standards of darts, he decided to move into the PDC.
Yet again, it was the slump he was going through in his career that once again manifested itself here.
In his qualifying match, he was knocked out by Pat Pace by 6-5. His opponent took out an 11-darter to claim victory in the final set of the game, thus leaving Winstanley to gamble his luck, once again, to acquire the status of a PDC circuit player.
What is done is done. Even Winstanley knows that. However, it is the overcoming part he can face difficulty in.
Keeping in mind that he began to show signs of interest in the game at the tender age of two and has been rigorously practising the sport since he was 22 years old, he might be experiencing the trauma of failing to reach the top.
So what is most appropriate for him in such a situation? He can either quit darts and adopt some other profession he is better at, or think of some other alternative of arranging bread and butter for his family.
Are we seriously thinking he is going to even ponder on any one of such options? A person who was attracted to darts when he only knew how to pronounce a couple of English Language syllables meant that he has darts running in his blood.
For him it is like soccer for Latin Americans. He would never quit playing it and to be honest why should he?
He has been going through an immensely eventful career filled with occasional crests and troughs. For a player like Winstanley they are a part of life.
It is a learning process, just like life, where you evolve and learn new things from the mistakes you make.
There is no point behaving like a cry baby and surrendering to the existing circumstances. Instead, it is important to prove the spirit of perseverance and resilience that Winstanley can show in such circumstances.
At 30-years of age, when Winstanley is already termed as ‘the oldest darts player in 30’s’ because of his physical appearance, he would rarely find another suitable job to support his five children.
Hence, he has no option other than to once again ignite the darts monster inside him.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own and in no way represent Bettor.com's official editorial policy.
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