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'I punched my darts case. I didn’t want to play' – Callan Rydz admits he fell out of love with darts before help of sports psychologist

Originally posted on Dartsnews.com | Last updated Aug 11, 2025 2:24 PM ET

Callan Rydz has revealed how a crisis of confidence and frustration with the sport left him falling out of love with darts last year – to the point where he didn’t even want to step on stage.

Speaking to PDC referee Huw Ware on the latest episode of the Welshman's Tops and Tales podcast, the 25-year-old recalled how a flashpoint against Rusty-Jake Rodriguez summed up his mindset at the time. “I did fall out of love with the game, probably last year, when I had the thing with Rusty-Jake – when I punched my dart case,” Rydz admitted with honesty. “I didn’t want to play, I didn’t even want to go there. I don’t know why I did, but in my head it was, ‘If you just win a couple of games, there’s a good bit of money.’ I was 5–2 up and I lost it. He played well, but I know I lost that game – he didn’t deserve to win it, but that’s my fault.”

At the time, Rydz’s results on television were scarce – “I think I’d won one game on TV in 10 months,” he said – making his run to the 2025 PDC World Darts Championship quarter-finals earlier this year, all the more surprising. “I don’t know where that run came from, but I’m blessed that it happened,” Rydz remembered with a warm smile.

Escapism and breaks from the game

Rydz also told Ware that time away from the oche can be vital for him keeping perspective of his career. “I remember I had three weeks off – I didn’t qualify for a couple of the Euro Tours – and I didn’t even touch my darts once,” he said.

But the Newcastle thrower is wary of taking too much time out. “If I do that all the time and I start not to miss playing darts, I’ll not want to come back,” he explained. “I know I’ve got a break when they’re in New Zealand, but that’s when I’m going to be practising, playing in local comps just to keep my arm in, ready for the next lot of Pro Tours.”

Love for playing – not for travelling

While Rydz insists his passion for playing remains strong, he admits the relentless travel can sap his enthusiasm. “Playing-wise, I love it – but I don’t love travelling,” he said. “Going to Germany… you’ve got to wait in one airport for two hours, then your connecting flight is three-and-a-half hours, then another flight, then a train. You might not get there until 11 or 12, you’re literally in the room and out by 8 because you’ve got to practise. Sometimes it does drain you.”

He said he once relished life on the road, but slumps in form and “mixing roundabouts of different people” can turn enthusiasm into excuses. “There’s no excuse – it’s just you,” he admitted.

A recent Euro Tour stop in Hildesheim was another frustrating experience: “I played awful, but I just walked away thinking, ‘Right, you know what we’ve got to do next time.’ I practised well all three days – it just didn’t happen. I know it’s there, definitely. Just for those three days, it didn’t come out.”

Hostile crowds and favourite venues

Ware noted the difficulty of flying out to a European Tour event, losing early, and facing a long trip home. Rydz agreed, saying some venues are far more draining than others. “Sometimes you’re in the back end of absolutely nowhere in Germany,” he said. “Belgium’s great – I played there last year, lost first round to Joe Cullen, and I stayed and loved it. The crowd was so respectful. Holland’s good – I’ve played there a few times and that’s great."

“Germany’s good when you’re not playing a German," Rydz adds. "I’ve played there a few times against Germans and it can be so hostile.”

Finding happiness on the big stage

Ware, who refereed several of Rydz’s matches during his run to the 2023/24 World Championship quarter-finals, remembered a more relaxed and upbeat figure at Ally Pally. “In the advert breaks, you and I were having a laugh and a joke. You were playing ever so well, and you just seemed happy – more happy than I’d seen you for the 12 months previously,” Ware told him.

Rydz admitted that happiness – or at least a clear head – is crucial to his game. “Obviously, I’m an absolute fruitcake – I think everyone will agree I’m a fruitcake,” he laughed. “But if my head’s clear, I know I can play well. If anything’s going on – whether it’s back home, with my friends, my family – I show it on the board. I’m frustrated, and I wish I could get it out of my head.”

In a bid to address this, Rydz has turned to professional help: “I’ve been seeing a sports psychologist. Even he looks at you going, ‘Well, what can you do?’ I’m thinking, ‘I don’t know – you’re meant to help me here!’”

Despite the challenges, his ambition remains undimmed. “If I can go to darts with a clear head, I think I could go on runs all the time. I’ve got up to 21 in the world, and I want to get back there, push into the top 16. I know I’ve got the game to do it – but consistency is a massive thing in this game.”

“Honest and authentic”

Ware was quick to defend Rydz’s character: “I don’t think you’re a fruitcake, Callan – not at all. We’ve spent time together at exhibitions, and I really enjoyed your company. No matter what people say, you are honest with your feelings and your emotions on the dartboard. That’s a trait to be admired – you’re being honest, you’re being authentic.”

For Rydz, the focus now is on rekindling the love for the sport he first picked up as a youngster – and ensuring that when the next big run comes along, he’s ready to embrace it.