In the world of modern sports, the competitors are looked upon as celebrities and they are expected to behave impeccably. People clamour for news of the famous and pass judgement on their misdeamenors and hold them to standards far in excess of anything that people expect of themselves. People, especially young people, look for people to aspire to be, to use as a role model. Its widely expected it to be the most professional, the most skilled, most successful and one with no known trouble.
In the world of darts, the most successful is Phil Taylor and he is probably the biggest superstar in the game. Other players like King, Whitlock, Osbourne may be considered as a role model for young players due to their approach to the game. But players are humans which by their very nature are flawed, they make mistakes sometimes they’re big ones. Perhaps the best role models are those who have made a mistake, been punished and are now fully focused on the game and not just from the perspective of “here’s not what to do” Perhaps someone like Chris Mason comes into play here. Now the sheer thought of a convicted criminal being a role model for anything will cause some to scream & shout so let’s have a brief look at his career on and off the oche.
Chris started his career in the BDO but soon switched to the PDC. He switched back and enjoyed a very good spell. 2 consecutive World Champ Semi-Final appearances including an epic match against Ted Hankey where he hit 16 180’s (38 in 9 sets, still a record to this day) Semi-Final of the World Masters. He had an epic encounter the year before with Martin Adams where he fought from 4-1 down to take the match 6-4. He took part in the World Matchplay making the Quarter-Finals and Semi-Finals (losing to Phil Taylor and Ronnie Baxter respectively) He also hit a 9-darter in the World Masters. Switched back to the PDC where he made the Quarter-Finals losing to eventual champion John Part. Wins in the Irish Masters, Scottish and English Opens added to the list of his achievements. His passion and determination were not something that could be questioned. His temperant however, was another matter.
Personal matters off the board were affecting him on the board. Convictions for assault resulting in various sentences kept him away from tournaments and practice. In 2003, he was convicted of aggrevated burglary with intent to cause grievous bodily harm after an argument over a dog. Reports of a hammer being involved in the incident are rife but no evidence to suggest Chris was the one weilding it. He was sentenced to year 3 years in jail but served 1 year. During one match, he had a very public altercation with Phil Taylor on stage resulting in a very angry Taylor threatening to quit the game.
Since returning to the game, he has won the Vauxhall Open, the West Tyrone Open and a UK Open regional. He has done some commentary work for ITV on GsoD but has started getting back into darts seriously and recently made the Semi-Finals of the Swindon Players Championship.
So how is this all adding up to being a role model?
To me its not about not making mistakes, its about how you react to your mistakes and how you learn from them. It’s very easy to point at Chris and say “that’s what you don’t do” but I prefer to look at the way he looks back at it all and what he’s done since. People could put Phil Taylor in a similar vein but Taylor’s misdemeanors didn’t affect his game. Plus he didn’t end up with a custodial sentence. Chris has served his punishment and is focused on getting into the Pro Tour. His Twitter posts and comments on Doublefinish very much give the impression of a focused and committed player. He hasn’t hidden from his past, he’s learnt the lessons of it and seems to be ensuring he uses it as a positive not wallow in self pity. This is a great example to use to those coming into the game. Saying “stay focused and professional and you won’t make mistakes” is useless because they will make mistakes. Saying being focused and professional will help over come the mistakes and help you learn better is a far more realistic expectation.
Determination is a massive factor and a desire to overcome obstacles is not something that can easily be taught. There are people who will want to hold mistakes and misdemeanors against others and this is possibly something Chris and Phil get. I don’t worry what people think about me and I doubt they do either. But because they are in the public eye, it gets brought up repeatedly and unfortunately, they have to deal with it.
I doubt anyone becomes a professional sportsman wanting to be a role model but it’s now part of the territory. Chris doesn’t come across as someone who is proud or boastful of his past which again is another great example, especially in an age where going to prison is almost seen as a status symbol. Mistakes need to be avoided if possible but if you do do something stupid, accept the punishment and work hard to not repeat the mistake and strive to be better than you were before.
Besides, what can you learn from someone who’s never made a mistake?
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