"How to deal with my negative emotions sometimes" – Former Netherlands international helps Gian van Veen with mental development
PDC
Gian van Veen has enlisted extra support behind the scenes to make strides on the mental side as well. The Dutch star is working with former professional footballer Dirk Marcellis, who moved into mental coaching after his playing career. In the build-up to the World Grand Prix, Van Veen offered a glimpse into that collaboration in his latest vlog.
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Now ranked world number two, he has been regularly on the road with a camera this year. Through his vlogs, Van Veen shows what life as a professional darter looks like. In the latest episode, his preparations for the World Grand Prix in Leicester take centre stage, alongside a visit to an exhibition tournament.
A more important theme, however, is the mental side of his sport. Van Veen has called in Marcellis for support. The 38-year-old former defender played for PSV, AZ, and PEC Zwolle, and won three caps for the Netherlands. After retiring, he specialised in mental coaching.
Van Veen addresses difficult spell
Van Veen uses the conversations with Marcellis to analyse matches and the emotions that come with them. They look not only at what happens on stage, but also at the feelings that play a role before a match starts.
"It was good to catch up again to talk about what's happened, what's been happening in the last couple of months, what's going to happen the next couple of months and weeks. And just talk about what I feel like during my matches before. And of course, how to deal with my negative emotions sometimes, because, you know, as a darts player, you all know, hopefully you can still see me through the sun.
"It's not been going as good as I hoped this year. Last couple of weeks have been really good again. So that's always good."
But it's also good to reflect on what happened earlier this year and why it didn't go as planned. So it's been tough for me as well. So it's good to have a chat with him to talk about it and just to express my emotions and to get it all off of me.
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With that, Van Veen is trying to score gains away from the oche too. The Dutchman now sits among the absolute elite, which raises expectations and stakes at major TV tournaments. Working with Marcellis should help him handle that pressure better, and manage stretches when results dip.
Extra focus on doubles
Meanwhile, training had to continue as usual. With the World Grand Prix on the schedule, there was extra emphasis on doubles. The Leicester event stands out from almost all other PDC tournaments with its double-in, double-out format. A player must not only finish a leg on a double, but also hit a double before starting to score.
"So I need to practice. Need to practice my doubles, because that's very important in that tournament. Played well there in the World Grand Prix the last two years, but I still haven't won a set yet.
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"So it's about time for that. But, you know, I'm feeling good, feeling a lot better than I was a couple of months ago."
Van Veen wants to change that this week. The Dutchman opens his bid for success in Leicester against compatriot Dirk van Duijvenbode. That hands him a tough all-Dutch clash right away in the first round.
Samuel GillChief Content Officer
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of DartsNews.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy across professional darts coverage. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces, playing a central role in the development and daily operation of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has extensive experience in darts media and has been closely involved in coverage of the professional darts circuit for several years. Within the UK darts community, he is a recognised figure known for his consistent editorial output and ongoing reporting on major tournaments and developments across the PDC calendar.
In his current role, Samuel works closely with editors and writers to ensure content meets clear journalistic standards, with a focus on source verification, editorial consistency, and timely updates when new, confirmed information becomes available.
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