History

Peter Loader - Our Very First President

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Peter started playing darts in the early 70’s with a team called “Wainui Glass” Playing in garages and going over the hill to the Hutt, Upper Hutt and Petone. In the late 70’s the rules for drink – driving became a real issue (and rightly so says Peter) so rather than going over the hill every week getting drunk they decided to play in the valley. With a bit of a push from Ted Short  -  John Ellis, Frank Williams and Peter Loader decided to start an association in Wainuiomata. 

They started with a social grade only. A phone call in those days to Neville Tristram,  who put in a lot of work to get the Association going, was a toll call and Peter made many. The first job was to get a venue and they got the old red cross hall in the village which has now gone. While also playing from some of the garages.  One that comes to mind is “The Parkway Poms” because their garage was like a five star hotel.  He had a potbelly to keep warm.  It was said that in those days the frosts were twice as severe as they are now.  When you went outside you could not see three feet in front of you – but not sure if it was fog outside or the fog in the eyes.  The WDA owned a big pot and that did the rounds each week and the wives had to make supper which was mainly a Stew or Peter made a hot curry.  Little Davie Harrison made a mean pot of Curried Sausages which was enjoyed by all.

Peter learnt many things as he went along and one thing that stood out was that Wainui spirit that “Anything Goes”. Everyone worked well as a team and he says that he could not have done anything without the team behind him. He stopped playing the darts because like today players some in his team had to do night shift and others moved out of the valley so could not find enough players to field a team. Peter has made some life long friends,  Brian Gibbs – though he was friends as teenagers and Ted Short -  Ted is still playing for Recycled on a Thursday night.  Today he does not play darts but he and his wife Heather are relaxation technicians (retired) and find many things to do.  He rings the bell at 6pm on a Friday night .

The one person who he admires the most in the darts is Graham Reardon and the work over the years he has put in – Just a top guy and a loyal person to have around.  He is proud of the Association and the long way it has come and he is proud to have begun something that people still are enthusiastic about today.   

Interviewed By Sophie Neilson - 7th May 2008