Comments from a Flight Schooler

“Here recently, I’ve noticed that I’ve been playing the 10-ton drill so much that sometimes it’s just no problem. I was just curious if you had other drills at that difficulty level that you would recommend? “but I’ve started incorporating other games as well for the pressure side.”

Response from George S.

I’ve attached ‘C-9 Competing with yourself’ just to be sure you don’t start competing with yourself.

Comments from the Flight Schooler after his first win agains a ranked player

“have since started to play him regularly during the week which has really helped me with focus; I’m unable to replicate that
intensity (big surprise) and I was wondering if that’s usually the case with dart shooters or if that’s a sign of my sloppy practice. or just go back to the basics and it will come back real soon?”

Comments by George S.

Both of these indicate that what you need is more ranked players in your dart life, and more often. This is the third type of practice:
‘competition is practice for competition.’ You are beginning to experience a great thing in your dart life: you are running out of players who are good enough to make you sweat out a win. I suggest you consider playing challenge matches where you play someone a best of 51 (first to win 26). It looks as though you are ready, physically at least. Now you want to get your belief in your ability to outplay those who think they are better than you are, to be as good and reliable as your belief in your physical game. And the best way to do that is to compete.
And compete against the best you can find. I’m thinking that looking on the list of ranked players to find someone to play must allow you to feel very good about your game and the work you’ve put into it. I’m repeating myself with the ‘vB7 How good can you be’ attachment(I sent it to you before) but you may be ready to hear something in it that you weren’t ready for earlier. Same thing for ‘S4 The next level,’
attached. Flight School drills A1,A2,A3 are meant for perfecting your stroke, not for practice, and it sounds as though you have done that. A4 is meant for practice using your perfected stroke, and it sounds as though you are doing that too. It is now time for competing to perfect competing and it sounds as though you have begun that. From here out the sky is the limit and how well you control and maintain your focus is the thing at this point on. I have every confidence you will soon be on that list of ranked players.

Your cheerleader, George S.

          

Do you, have you, found yourself not even thinking about a number or numbers, but just sticking a dart into it, them, to get on to the next one in line? I suspect that might be the case. Just thought I might bring this up so you can think about the positives of your slow, slogging, progress.

Yeah, the ones that take the longest, and last to hit, are the ones where your real learning takes place. It’s where you learn to feel your loss of focus/determination, the most difficult thing to learn.

Congratulations, I can see your improvement without seeing your darts sticking.

Your support network of one, George S.

From: Flight Schooler
Sent: Wednesday, January 02, 2013 4:29 PM
To: George Silberzahn
Subject: Re: Flight School Status

Thanks George! There most certainly progress, and quite often of the slow and slogging kind. That being said I must admit that I have
started to become guilty of competing with myself.  In trying to keep my time for the 7 numbers to something under 40 minutes and the
inevitable disappointment when I go past that mark gives me a ‘I already lost’ feeling even if I had otherwise been shooting well or at least in
a focused manner and what I would have done in 50 minutes ends up taking 60-70 minutes.  I think a simple solution to that would to simply stop looking at the clock.  Maybe I’ll ignore the clock and just put the darts in as I put them in. As far as adding numbers, a that is mostly looking for a bit of variety but also it kind of bugs me I don’t spend a lot of time sticking darts into certain numbers like the double 5.  I suppose I’ll need to finish what’s on my plate first!  Slog slog slog…Also I think maybe I don’t quite understand what you are
actually saying about ‘not even thinking about numbers’. I mean I have to think about it to see what is next on my list..  As for losing
focus/determination I do know I can kick into an elevated level of focus that is almost transcendent and it’s where I am most likely throw a really stray dart, but it also the state where I throw my biggest scores. The only problem is that it is draining in a way or certainly hard to sustain.  If I could click into that and stay there longer I would be very good.  I’m kind hoping of learning that.  It’s hard, especially since  I think the doing well from being so focused creates the euphoria and all the brain chemistry that goes along with it that breaks the focus. Also, sometimes I can just say ‘oh d15?” and zip I throw it in and I haven’t used any kind of spot shooting or anything. Good thing or bad thing in the long run? Ok that is a lot of questions for someone who said they weren’t going to ask any more questions..

On Wed, Jan 2, 2013 at 12:39 PM, George Silberzahn <challengegeo@comcast.net> wrote:

Quotes from your email:

“Also, sometimes I can just say ‘oh d15?” and zip I throw it in and I haven’t used any kind of spot shooting or anything. Good thing or bad thing in the long run?”

Reply from George: Quotes from your email:

“I don’t quite understand what you are actually saying about ‘not even thinking about numbers’”

This, above, is what I’m saying in different words.
Definitely a good thing – it’s ‘taking out the trash,’ and I suggest you are using everything!!

This is the prowess I talk about. It’s knowing something and a lot of the supporting psychobabble without conscious thought.

It’s what leads to truly being “good.”

          

My opinion is Darts Beginning To End By my mentor George Silberzahn. Why? Well it covers how,what, why.
Many books are just an autobiography of what the guy did and to be honest I wanted something to show me how to play the game, discuss ya grip, your equipment, your stroke, your mental game, Dart exercise routines that aren’t boring and too hard for beginners. A way to progress from Beginning to end. And you get to e-mail and talk to the author !!!!! about questions and actually get
answers!! Of course ya get some of his and others experiences. What to avoid , what to do if say this is happening to you. Simply said if read and applied you will be the best you can be. George has dedicated much of his life to advancing darts and helping people. I just wish I was younger when I met George. His stuff works I’m living proof .
I was in my early sixties when I bought the book and took up Flight  School.
First season placed in the top ten shooters in top league! Next season vote MVP for team and place again in top ten shooters.
Next season Voted MVP for team , TOP shooter in league and won the championship!
Since have been in top 10 shooters. Won 11 trophies and or awards in 2 years of playing.
I play steel but was asked to play in state soft tip Tourney – Placed second in the State.
Enough already, but you get the idea ! Oh its lots of practice btw and not all wins but I just have to give credit where credit is due to my Friend and mentor George Silberzahn and the book “Darts Beginning to End” and Flight School”

Below in my signature is site to join flight school and its free for God’s sake!!!
Thanks George ! Larry Allen

          

Participating Leagues

Association of Bergen County Dartists;   Colonia DL;   Elizabeth DL;   Gloucester City English DL; Greater Trenton DL;   Jersey Devils DL;  Lake Hopatcon Dart Association; Morris County DL; New Jersey DL;  South  Jersey English DL

Where – Trenton Lodge No.105 B.P.O.E. 42 DeCou Ave. Ewing NJ 08628

(609) 771-0105

When – June 30, doors open 9:30 AM – Darts in the air 11AM ‘till 5PM

Visitors and spectators welcome