BullShooter Magazine May 2019 Number 5 Volume 36 | Page 18

Like so many of the people who are a part of the game of darts, this
player must find time to compete while he shoulders the responsibility of
raising a family. Let’s talk to Derek Priest and find out more about his
interesting story!
Derek lives in Fate, Texas, near Dallas. Derek and his wife, Chelsea,
have been married for nine years and have two sons, Parker (2.5) and
Jesse (6 months). Derek told me, “I love the game of darts, but my num-
ber one focus is family and finance.” As you will see, he meets these
challenges in a unique way.
Derek Priest
Pacer: Tell us why you said
that your current job is by far
and away, the toughest one
you’ve ever had.
Derek: (Laughing) Well, I’ve cho-
sen to be a stay at home dad and
believe me, Parker and Jesse do a
great job of keeping Dad busy.
Pacer: I had three sons, so I
can totally relate to your situ-
ation. In all honesty, I don’t
think I could have been able to
handle the challenge like you
have.
Derek: It is a challenge, but
my wife, Chelsea, is a practicing
attorney, and she has devoted so
many years into her education so
it didn’t make sense for her to stay
home with the kids. We wanted a
At the Texas Regional in January, Derek teamed
up with Ken Swanson and Debra Ivey and won
1st place in Mixed Triples.
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BullShooter MAY 2019
parent at home while the kids are
young, so right now that is my job.
Pacer: I’m sure a lot of dart-
ers who are reading this really
admire the decision you made.
You kind of give a new mean-
ing to the term, family man.
Derek: It is all about the family.
Like I said, our two main focuses
are family and finance.
Pacer: It really seems like you
have a good handle on your
situation, and believe me those
boys will grow up faster than
you can ever imagine. Now, I
want you to drift back in time
and tell us how Derek Priest
became a dart player.
Derek: Well, back in 2006, my
brother Steve and I met in a place
that is now called The Bourbon
Street Bar & Grill in Wichita.
They were having a blind draw
and they asked me to play. I was
like, well I’ve never played but I’ll
do my best. Somehow I got lucky
and won the tournament and I
was hooked the first night I ever
played the game.
The next thing I knew, I couldn’t
get enough of the game. I was
practicing two to five hours every
day and really trying to become
a good dart player. Chris Martin,
who everybody calls ‘Turbo’, was
the best player in the Wichita area
and I told myself if you want to be
Last year at the BullShooter 33 Finals in
Chicago, Derek captured 2nd in Men’s 501
Singles. (Pictured with ‘Turbo’ - Chris Martin)
the best you have to beat the best
and I decided that I was going to
do whatever it took to make myself
competitive against ‘Turbo’. Chris
is one of those great players who
a lot of people don’t know about
because he hasn’t had the opportu-
nity to travel a lot. It took a whole
lot of practice and hard work, but
today when I look at the players I
am competing with and against, I
am really totally amazed. I never
thought I would accomplish what
I have.
Pacer: The first week of
January you got your year off
to a great start at the Texas
Regional and that tournament
was literally stacked with great
players.
Derek: There are so many great
players. Of course the Pro divisions
are incredible but even the open
events are getting tough because
the fields are so much larger and