Danny Lauby has revealed how he had to bring his father, Danny Lauby Sr., out of retirement to help him chase his darts dream. In an interview with Tungsten Talk on Pluto TV, the American opened up about his unique journey to becoming a professional darts player, including the sacrifices that came with it. "I had to pull my dad out of retirement, like The Godfather Part III, like pulled him back in when he wanted to, and now he's running the academy," Lauby said. "Because I had to just go all in."
Lauby grew up in a true darts family, with his father one of the pioneers of American darts. But the sport was far less established in the United States than in Great Britain. "Darts isn't really prevalent back home. I mean, you can't walk into a pub unless you're 21, so it's just not something that's part of the culture. I grew up playing basketball, football and American football. But yeah, if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be involved." Lauby also paid tribute to the early American and Canadian players: "I know the averages aren't the same as they are today, but there is definitely a lot of talent over there. There are a lot of pioneers, if you will, as far as the US players and Canadian players, that don't get enough credit, in my opinion."
Music played an equally important role in his life. Lauby learned to play guitar and drums and worked as a music teacher and drum instructor for almost 15 years. "The thing is, I never second-guessed it. It was always going to be music or darts because that's all I knew. That's what my dad did. It was always going to be one of them," he said. "I think it always made him nervous because, in his head, he's like, 'You're going to be a musician or a dart player. Maybe have a third option if those don't pan out,' which any good father would think at that point. I always knew it was going to be one of the two. But yeah, music is something I miss."
Eventually, Lauby realised he had to make a clear decision. "So yeah, I taught music, private drum lessons, for almost 15 years. It just got to the point where I kept coming over for Q-School, Challenge Tours and everything, and just wasn't getting over the line," he explained. "I think it was the travel, and it just got to the point where I needed to put both feet through the door, kind of thing." His manager offered him a place to stay, making the transition easier. "It's a demanding sport. You need to be all in if you really want to get there, especially when you live so far away. It's too expensive. It just doesn't make sense unless you're here."
Lauby, who grew up in Terre Haute, Indiana, and supported the Indianapolis Colts, has since played at Lakeside and Alexandra Palace, and represented the United States alongside Jules van Dongen at the World Cup of Darts. "Oh, it's hard to even put words to it. It's an absolute honour. It's something to strive for, to represent your country playing. I mean, what more can you ask for?" he said. "You just don't want to do your nation. You want to do well and actually live up to the potential." He added: "The last couple of years, Jules and I didn't do as well as we probably could have. But so it goes. We'll see what happens. Hopefully this year's team, I wish them all the best."
After losing his PDC Tour Card, Lauby admitted: "If anything, I've let myself down. It's hard, it feels like getting demoted a little bit, you know, because you get to the point where your goal is, like, you know, you get your Tour Card. But then the hold is important. And, you know, so now I don't have one. So now I have a lot more to give. And I'm, you know, motivated. I'm ready to obviously have to get better results." He remains positive about his participation in the MODUS Super Series, where he has previously won a title. "I don't try to look at anything as a backward step. If anything, things are, it's just a different journey, a different path. It's all building. It's all just hills and valleys. So, no, I'm taking everything not for granted and just trying to move forward, you know, just do well. And moving forward slowly."
Lauby also discussed his fast playing style and his desire to work smarter. "Yeah, 100 per cent. I think everyone should do it that way. And that's something I struggle with because I tend to jump too soon and move quickly. But working smarter, not harder, is definitely something I'm trying to master, you know, lately." He plans to play in CDC tournaments this year but remains focused on Europe. "I'm going to be playing the CDCs as well this year. But my goal has always been to be here and to do it here. And I kind of have, in a sense, I just haven't gotten to where I want to be."
On the growth of darts in North America, Lauby highlighted the role of the Championship Darts Corporation and the World Series of Darts. He was particularly impressed by the recent World Series event in New York. "It's hard to say because everyone goes to Vegas. You can get to Vegas. It's just kind of more... I don't know. New York, there's more players. It's just a different kind of vibe in New York," he said. "This last World Series was just incredible. The fans, everything. I mean, even compared to Amsterdam, the actual finals, I think New York was better, which is, you know, I wouldn't have guessed that in a million years. But I think it's just logistics. I think New York's just more of a... it's just easier to get to."
