Warrnambool Darts Association's Monday night competition is back

With his iconic long beard, Australian darts player Simon 'The Wizard' Whitlock has become a popular figure and his sport has grown too.

Darts competitions are attracting stadiums-full of people and drawing plenty of eyes to television screens.

So has the darts phenomenon hit Warrnambool?

Warrnambool Darts Association committee member Ken Jones said the group wants to grow the game.

"Around Warrnambool it's not as popular as we would like," he said.

"That's why we're here to try and promote it a bit more.

"We have a couple of competitions, we play on Monday night and Thursday night."

Jones said there was plenty to like about the game.

"You can have a beer while you're playing sport, that's always good," he said with a laugh.

"There's a lot of friendly banter when there's a lot of people in the same venue."

Fellow committee member Christine Huismann, who returned to the sport three and half years ago, believes the game has a lot to offer.

"I reckon it's a really great social night," she said.

"It's probably one of the easier sports, not so hard on the body unless you've got a sore shoulder."

Last year, Warrnambool Darts Association had 12 teams involved in its Thursday night competition.

This year it has dropped to 10.

But Huismann is optimistic the numbers can pick up again.

"I think it's going to take a few years but hopefully with getting the darts out there again that will improve and we can increase the numbers."

WDA's Monday night competition is back with fresh faces welcome to join.

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Jones and Huismann are overseeing the competition.

The association hosted a qualifying night on Monday and will have another qualifying round this Monday from 7.15pm.

"That will determine where you sit in which team," Huismann said.

The Monday night competition will be held at Warrnambool's City Memorial Bowls Club.

Huismann said 22 people attended Monday's event and they may have two divisions depending on numbers.

The season will start on Monday, August 12 and will wrap up at the end of November.

Each team of three will play 27 games on a given night with each individual to play nine matches.

Huismann said darts was an affordable sport with a one-off registration of $10 and then six dollars to play per week.

She it didn't matter if people couldn't commit to the full-season because the club is happy to have fill-ins.

WDA also has a Thursday night spring season competition which begins this week.

Each team has its own pub to play at.

WDA has also had a reshuffle with Dylan Jewell the new president.

Huismann and Jones, who play for Commercial Hotel Koroit on Thursday nights, are also part of a new-look committee.

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