German player urges women to take up darts: 'Men are just as nervous as us at the first time'

Michaela McClain was at an exhibition tournament in Germany last weekend with Max Hopp, Gabriel Clemens and Niko Springer.

McClain is mainly active in softtip, a discipline in which she even became European champion in the past. Now and then she also combines with steeltip darts. Her heart, however, lies with electronic darts.

''For the future my concentration will remain on soft-tip darts, but I would never give up steel-tip because I like playing that too,'' McClain tells Dartsnews.de. And I would have liked to go to the Women's Series (last weekend in Hildesheim, ed.) if the date of the exhibition tournament hadn't coincided with the Women's Series. In the past I did participate once in the Women's Series in Düsseldorf and finished ninth. That was a great result for me. It was super fun!"

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Nevertheless, she hopes that there will be tournaments in Germany again soon, so that she can participate in the Women's Series again. "I really hope it comes to Germany every year. I would love to participate again.''

What are her motivations for participating? "To measure up to the ladies of the PDC. Also for myself. To know where I am or can be. What can I play? Where is the end for me? If someone is just playing with a better average, just dominating on the board, you know you've reached your limit.''

Because of her own background, the German hopes that women's darts will continue to grow. She urges doubting ladies to pick up the darts above all.

"What I think is very important and good is that women dare to practice this sport more and more. I would be very happy if this trend continues and more women take the step to the dartboard. Do not say: 'I am bad' or 'I am afraid' or 'I dare not'. Men have that too. They just have to learn to deal with it. Men are also scared when they are on stage for the first time, when they are playing for the first time. They are just as nervous as we are.''

Hence McClain's appeal to the ladies' world: "Just dare. Just do it. Don't think about it, just do it!"