BullShooter Magazine May 2019 Number 5 Volume 36 | Page 19

good amateurs are popping up all
over the place.
Pacer: Well, let’s list your suc-
cesses at the Regional. You
had a 1st in the Mixed Triples
with Ken Swanson and Debra
Ivey, a 1st in the Mixed Doubles
Cricket with Debra, and 4th in
the Pro Men’s Doubles 501 and
the Pro/Am Cricket with Ken.
Last but not least, you had a
very impressive 4th in the Pro
Cricket Singles, an event that
was loaded with great shoot-
ers.
Derek: Tom, when I think about
where I am competitive-wise right
now, it really seems surreal to me.
I’ll tell you one thing I am not a
pretty player to watch. Honestly, I
have an ugly stroke.
Pacer: (Both Laughing) So
you don’t think people will copy
your style of play?
Derek: Oh no, not at all. I really
have some terrible mechanics. It’s
kind of like, I just choose a target
and shoot at it and it seems to
work, but I wouldn’t recommend
my style to anyone.
Pacer: Well the old saying
is, “ if it ain’t broken don’t fix
it” and I would say you have
found out what works for you
and my advice would be to ride
that horse as long as it’s run-
ning good.
Derek: I’m really happy with my
progress, but I have seen videos of
myself in competition and I think
to myself how in the hell am I hit-
ting my target?
Pacer: Tell us about the
experiences you’ve had at
the BullShooter Challenge of
Champions in Chicago.
Derek: Well Tom, like I told you
right now the two most important
things for me is family and financ-
es, so I’m not traveling as much as
I would like, but Chelsea is more
than understanding about darts.
She knows what the game means
to me, and encourages me to play.
In fact a few years ago, I won a
tournament in Pennsylvania and
had my trophy picture taken with
her and Parker when he was three
months old. I’ve been able to go to
Chicago three times and this is
the way I explain the results.
The first tournament, I was
there to strickly donate and I
did a good job.
The next time I went it was
more of a break even situation
and that was a little better.
Then last year at BullShooter
33, I actually came a little bit
ahead, got to experience the
Bullpen, and had an abso-
lutely great time! I’m hoping
John Foreman will be able to
make it to Chicago this year
and partner up with me. Also,
I would like to mention that I
am a member of Team Extreme
Darts based in Virginia. They
are all about helping players
and supporting the game of
darts. I’m proud to be associ-
ated with them.
Pacer: Derek Priest is
a prime example of how
dart players across the
country and around the
world juggle everyday life,
and still find time to be a
part of the giant dart fam-
ily. Looking forward Derek
told me, “As the kids get
older and get involved with
school, and other things
I will have more time to
practice and compete and
we’ll see where it takes me.
Hopefully someday Parker
and Jesse will be some of
my competition. Parker
already has his little set of
darts and loves to throw at
the board. It would be real-
ly great if that comes to pass.”
Then his focus would be family,
finances, and darts.
Pacer
BullShooter.com
19