Sporting Memories

 

Darts

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It’s a running joke in our family that we probably couldn’t be less sporty if we tried. Roy doesn’t watch sport, support a team or play. The boys, as active as they are, don’t claim to be sporty and while they’ll play footy etc. with friends and climb trees, they’d be just as happy walking round the Moors or such-like. Myself, I used to be sportier than what I am now. I played hockey for the Thirsk women’s team in my teens and at school was on the netball team (when much younger). All this mostly fell by the wayside when school work became more involved and boys came onto the scene to be honest.

Coming from a family with three brothers to balance us three sisters out it was always going to be a safe bet that there would be sport growing up and there certainly was. As well as avid football supporters, ranging from Boro to Man Utd to Rangers there was wresting, cricket (one brother is still a keen cricket player for a local team), F1 and more.

I have fantastic memories of playing sport when younger, visiting other schools to take part in competitions, playing badminton and even playing rounders on the beach with family. Thinking back I was probably sportier than I’ve since given myself credit for. One of my fondest sporting memories though is being snuggled up on the sofa and watching Bullseye or anything to do with darts. There’s something very soothing about the game yet it certainly has its excitements.

I’m no Phil Taylor or Jocky Wilson but if I was given the chance to play anything now it would be darts. Maybe it’s because of the fabulous memories I had of watching it with family or playing it as a young adult with my half a shandy in our local but whatever the reason I do love darts! I’ll even admit to sneaking off from time to time to throw a few darts in the so-called Man Den we have (an outside workshop) where Roy has hung a board. We’re also keeping our eyes peeled for the World Cup of Darts, and might even consider having a flutter on it if we get too tired of throwing them.

Do you have sport-related memories from a child and as you’ve grown? Have you continued to play sports or have an interest in them as a grown up? I’m curious! It’s strange that despite being very active when younger, enjoying team sports and what not that I have so little interest in it now, other than darts. Perhaps I used up my life-time of sport playing energy back when I wasn’t sat at a desk during the week or chasing boys around when not!

If you had a free hour or two and could try any sport, what would it be?

November Movember Goalvember

I’ve written before about how I like the odd flutter here and there, be it via online bingo or one of the many sites which allow users to have a small bet and hopefully win a few pounds back. I don’t buy scratch cards, bet on the horses despite having our own race course here at Thirsk, I don’t do the National Lottery, or indeed any paid lottery however I do enjoy the odd bet here and there at times.

To say I’m an amateur would be putting the point across very mildly indeed but hell, why not? Some of the games are actually quite fun! The latest to hit my radar is the Goalvember game from online betting site Coral. Running for another week (Goalvember / November) players get to pick their football hero from a list of players on the site who will be playing during the week on qualifying games. For every goal your “hero” places you get a free bet. I’m a new customer to Coral so it would only cost me a fiver to place.

This game has tickled me great, mostly because I don’t recognise anyone! Seriously, Gary Lineker, Gazza, Peter Schmeichel or even Emlyn Hughes are all players whose names ring a bell (me and my two sister grew up with three football loving brothers) so you can tell how long it has been since I’ve watched a match! Given that I know very little about the form of these players it really would be a lotto of sorts however I can see why the football fans out there who are a little more in the know would find this latest game a winner.

For me they all look like supermodels, no cut eyebrows, long hair or a dirty face to be seen and yet I’m guessing with a few Google clicks I could find a hoard of stats on any of them that took my fancy.

Are you a football fan? Would this game be one you could win free bets from? I’m not knowledgable in any way when it comes to the great came however what caught my eye was the fact that Coral are paying a pound to the prostate cancer UK charity for every entry so for me this could be an enjoyable way to do your November Movember Goalvember bit.

coral

I’m all for a bit of charity fundraising and if you can enjoy yourself at the same time (I struggle to grow a Movember ‘Tash) then why not. Will you be supporting Movember and Prostate Cancer UK this month?