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What started with a dartboard pulled from a client’s crawl space has grown into one of Valleycliffe’s most beloved weekly traditions, bringing together over 30 players every Tuesday night at The Backyard pub.
Three years ago, local contractor Jon Bowler, entrepreneur Kurt Anderson, and plumber Brad Corkin were enjoying a backyard barbecue when a chance discovery changed their Tuesday nights forever. Corkin had come across an old dartboard while working at a client’s home, and the homeowner told him he could keep it. He brought it out that evening, darts in hand, and the group started throwing. One weekend rolled into the next, and a simple backyard hobby quickly became something bigger.
It was Corkin who first floated the idea of starting a proper league. The three friends took the idea to The Backyard pub, who were enthusiastic supporters from the start. “They love sports,” said Bowler. “They said come on down.” The league found its home, and Tuesday nights in Valleycliffe were never quite the same again.
The league started with just five or six teams in its first season. Word spread through the community, helped along by posts on the Valleycliffe Facebook forum, and interest grew. Now in its third year, the league boasts 12 teams and draws more than 30 players on any given Tuesday. Participants have even come from as far as Whistler.
“It’s become bigger than ourselves,” Bowler said with a laugh.
A typical Tuesday night runs on two time slots, with games starting at 6:30 and again at 8:30. Teams face off in four game formats over the course of the season, including cricket, cricket with triples and doubles, 301, and 501. Anderson handles the stats, tracking everything from highest checkouts and most finishes to top point scorers across game types. Those numbers carry weight come playoff time, when wins are doubled and the competition gets noticeably more intense.
The league runs two seasons per year, generally through the fall and winter months when the weather’s dreary and people are looking for something to do on a dark weeknight. Entry is just $20 per player, which goes toward prizes, food and drinks at the end-of-season tournament, and keeping the boards and equipment in good shape. All skill levels are welcome, and Bowler is quick to point out that the social side of things is just as much a draw as the darts themselves.
“It’s great networking,” he said. “Every Tuesday you can come and meet people. There’s a whole array of people there, which is amazing.”
This season is now in its final stretch. The knockout tournament final is coming up next Tuesday, March 31, and Bowler has even had a custom trophy made specifically for the occasion. After two weeks of playoffs, teams will gather at the pub to face off in cutthroat knockout-style games, and crown a champion to close out another season.
For anyone looking to join next season, keep an eye on the Backyard’s Facebook forum for any announcements.
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