Friday 27 January 2017
Darts Weekly
PREMIER LEAGUE
It’s back! 2017 season preview pages 2-3
Exclusive John Part on winning back his tour card at Q-School Pages 6-7
Two events taken off the BDO calendar over contractual issues Page 8
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Friday 27 January 2017 Darts Weekly
Will it be a hat-trick for Mighty Mike? Alex Moss CHIEF DARTS WRITER October 16, 2016 - Daryl Gurney knocked Michael van Gerwen out of the final European Tour event of the year in Germany. Since then the world number one has simply been on a rampage, winning the European Championship, World Series of Darts Finals, Grand Slam of Darts, Players Championship Finals and the PDC World Championship. If van Gerwen picks up where he left off and wins the Masters this weekend, the Dutchman will head into the start of the new Premier League season with an incredible 34-match winning streak in competitive matches. The Premier League, the PDC’s flagship non-ranking event which tours indoor arenas around the UK and Ireland, and since last year, also the Netherlands, is the longest tournament of the year. The first night at Newcastle’s
Metro Radio Arena is the first of 16 nights of action, culminating with the end of season play-offs at London’s O2 Arena on May 18. Last year’s line-up saw all of the top 10 on the PDC Order of Merit make the cut, with Michael Smith making his debut in the event. After being relegated on Judgement Night, Smith endured a tough rest of 2016, slipping out of
‘MVG lost on the first night in 2016 and then didn’t lose another game’ the top 10, and as a result of his poor form is one of two players from last year’s field to miss the cut in 2017. The other player, Robert Thornton, narrowly avoided relegation on Judgement Night, but was unable to build on his escape and also struggled for results during the rest of the year. Kim Huybrechts and Jelle
stores.ebay.co.uk/Mojo-DARTS
Klaasen return to the Premier League this year, the former after missing out on the 2016 campaign. While former BDO world champion Klaasen is back in the line-up after an eight-year absence - his previous and only Premier League season back in 2009. From Klaasen’s 2009 venture into the Premier League, most of the arenas and cities he played in still remain in the tournament,
Darts Weekly Friday 27 January 2017
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2017 Betway Premier League line-up By Alex Moss Michael van Gerwen App: 5th Best Performance: Winner 2013, 2016 Lost on the first night last season but then went unbeaten throughout the rest of the campaign to win his second Premier League. Will be favourite to win a third. x 4 Gary Anderson App: 7th BP: Winner 2011, 2015 Saw his reign as world champion come to an end after losing in the final to Michael van Gerwen earlier this month. World number two should make the play-offs. Peter Wright App: 4th BP: 5th 2014, 2016 Enjoyed arguably the best year of his career in 2016, climbing up to number three in the world. Has yet to reach the play-offs in three previous Premier Leagues. Adrian Lewis App: 10th BP: Runner-up 2011 Ended his barren run of missing out on the play-offs last year, but aside from winning the World Cup, did not get his name on any other trophy during the rest of 2016. James Wade App: 9th BP: Winner 2009 Wade was the only player to beat Michael van Gerwen in the Premier League last year, but won just two matches after Judgement Night and missed out on the play-offs. Phil Taylor App: 13th BP: Winner 2005-2008, 2010, 2012 Could this be the last Premier League we see Phil Taylor playing in? The 16-time world champion has talked about cutting back his schedule over the next few years. Dave Chisnall App: 4th BP: Semi finals 2015 Relegated from the Premier League on Judgement Night last year, but ended 2016 showing some great form and deserves his inclusion in this year’s line-up.
but instead of Coventry and Edinburgh, he will be travelling to Leeds, Dublin, and his home country of the Netherlands, in Rotterdam. Van Gerwen lost on the first night last season and then went unbeaten through the rest of it to win his second Premier League title. Will the newly crowned world champion make it a hat-trick of Premier League titles on May 18?
Jelle Klaasen App: 2nd BP: 7th 2009 Run to the semi-finals at the World Championship 12 months ago should have earned him a return in 2016, but Klaasen is back this year after an eight-year absence. Raymond van Barneveld App: 12th BP: Winner 2014 Set a new record for the highest losing average in the World Championship last month. If he replicates that form he should make the play-offs at the O2 in May. Kim Huybrechts App: 2nd BP: 10th 2015 Was unfortunate to be relegated in his only previous Premier League campaign in 2015. Ended 2016 in some good form and will be hopeful of avoiding relegation.
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Friday 27 January 2017 Darts Weekly
The Masters should provide some upsets this weekend Chris Mason ITV PUNDIT The Unibet Masters returns this evening with the top 16, the best 16 players in the PDC battling it out over three days at the Arena:MK in Milton Keynes. All eyes are on the defending champion and the bookies favourite Michael van Gerwen, who is trying to win a third Masters title on the spin. He’s got a tough opener against Simon Whitlock, who has given him a few scares in the past, but there’s no easy games. Of all the favourites in the first round matches, they’ve all got potential banana skins. It’ll be a good event and it’ll be interesting to see how Michael responds after a little break. The first round is the best of 19 legs in this one, a format which Michael is very confident with. There’s always a chance in a best of 11 format that he could come unstuck, in a short race to six. Or even sometimes in the Premier League, but even that goes a little bit too long for the other guys to keep up with his streaks. Because that’s what he does, he plays in streaks. He puts his power game into gear and rolls off four or five legs in sub 15s, and often around the 11 and 12 mark. He may be rusty after a muchneeded break. I know he’s been busy with personal appearances and TV stuff, after winning the World Championship last month, so I don’t know how much work he’s put in. But when I speak to him, as a rule, during the season when he’s flat out he doesn’t actually practice. He doesn’t need to. Whitlock’s had time after the World Championship to go away and assess his game. It seems to be there or thereabouts again, so it’s a tough opener for Michael.
If Michael plays to the level he played at in the previous 12 months, I can see him replicating the 26 tournaments he won last season. And if it is possible, doing a clean sweep through the year. He is that much better than everyone else at the moment. It’s not a massive amount, but it’s just enough when it’s leg on leg pressure, he’ll get that invincibility that Phil Taylor had for so many years, when players are trying too hard to beat him. They’re trying too hard to compete, rather than focusing on their own game, but it’s easier said than done. If Michael comes through the first round he’ll play the winner of Mensur Suljovic and Jelle Klaasen. I think Klaasen wins this one. I think maybe Mensur may have
Last year’s finalists: Dave Chisnall (below) lost to Michael van Gerwen (right) in the 2016 Masters final already peaked. He’s the number eight seed for this Suljovic, but when you look at what he’s done, it’s ok, I think it’s quite deceiving his ranking. The proof will be in the pudding, we’ll see what he does in the next 12 months. James Wade and Robert Thornton always serve up a great match when they play each other. You can’t forget that Grand Prix match where they both hit nine dart legs, double start. At the moment you think Wade would be the favourite for that one. Adrian Lewis against Kim Huybrechts finishes off the top half, and that’s a potential banana skin for Lewis. Kim always shows up for TV tournaments. He’s a real tough, tenacious character. I’m really looking forward to that match. I can’t really pick a winner in that one, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Kim won that one. Next you’ve got Gary Anderson against Benito van de Pas. Benito looked awful in his first round game at the worlds, and then from then on looked to be what he is, and that’s a top 16 player. You never know with Gary, he’s not one for practicing. This could be his warm up for the year, so again it’s another one I wouldn’t be surprised if the favourite loses. Dave Chisnall takes on Raymond van Barneveld, and whoever comes through that one I think is going to have a run. I’ve got a funny feeling for Chisnall, I don’t know why. He’s very much like Peter Wright, they’re due a run in a big major. Rounding off the draw, I fancy Phil Taylor and Peter Wright to come through tricky ties against Michael Smith and Ian White.
Darts Weekly Friday 27 January 2017
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Friday 27 January 2017 Darts Weekly
Part relieved to win back his tour card onto the PDC circuit Alex Moss CHIEF DARTS WRITER What were your expectations going into Q-School? Well, I expected that I should get myself a card. I don’t go to participate to not get the goal done. I didn’t want to have any other attitude than I was going to achieve the goal. I was trying to be more positive than maybe I have been in the past, in the last couple of years at times. I thought the all out confidence approach was the best way to go, and I guess it was. What was the hardest part about playing at Q-School? I only did it this year so I can’t really compare. I saw results and heard stories, but the hardest part about Q-School this year was all the reasons why you could cling on to doubt and fear and excuses about why you had a reason you couldn’t do it. That was the hard thing. It’s a very difficult task, luck is needed at times and obviously skill, you have to do it. So I wouldn’t say it was easy. When I say I was confident, I was confident in my ability to overcome something of this nature. It wasn’t confident like ‘oh, no one else is good’ or anything like that. I just wanted my mindset to be one of success. It certainly was a challenge at times, because there’s plenty of evidence of great darts play there. Were there any doubts you might miss out on a tour card after going out early on the first two days? The dynamic changed. I thought I could play solidly, I played pretty well the first day. I lost a tough second round match. I wired the bull to win the
last leg and I think I was ahead 4-3 at one point. The second day I was pretty tired and exhausted. I missed like six match darts to win my first game. I kind of regrouped there. I knew at that point, well you’re going to have to win your card straight through, because I had no points. It would have been very difficult for me not to just win on a day and still get through. On the day you won your card, your first three matches went the distance, but you steadily improved after that. What got you through the day? I always believe. If I can get through a few games I can win anything. It seems my biggest challenge is winning a few games. I just hung in there. I was good under pressure, got my steadiness, consistency and it was getting better and better as I went, and that’s pretty typical of me. I need to learn how to be explosive out of the gate for events upcoming. You don’t want to be weak at the start of an event in a sense, because a lot of guys do start quite explosively and you don’t want your day over too early. How did playing in Q-School compare to playing in events like the UK Open Qualifiers and the Players Championships? Aside from the vast number of people there, it was run very well, efficiently. I was quite used to that kind of format that they employ. The overall staging of it I was at home with. Seeing a lot of different faces was different. There were a lot of familiar ones as well there, people from all over the world. I think it was a great event just to play in for any dart player. I’d say
if you like playing darts and want to test yourself, that’s something, no matter where you are in the world, even if you can’t go on the tour, it’s worth giving it a go, because it’s so interesting. You beat Kirk Shepherd, in a repeat of your 2008 World Championship final win, in the final game to win back your tour card. What were your emotions after winning your card? I was very relieved. Especially as I had to win the last match in my mind, otherwise I had to almost repeat exactly what I’d done that day. It was a pretty big relief. It was a long day, I was tired. It was strange playing Kirk, because when I beat him in the World Championship I was a highly ranked player and he was an outsider. I had all the advantages. This time round he had all the advantages. He was pretty solid on points, I don’t think he needed to win, so he had no pressure. In your interview with the PDC, you said your goal was now to become a four-time world champion. What are your benchmark goals before that tournament? It’s a tricky proposition because I’ve basically got to do very well at the events at the beginning, the UK Open Qualifiers. I need to build up a pile of tour cash and that will make it more worthwhile for me to do more of the tour events. It’s not an all out commitment to every event, but the better I do the more you’ll see of me. And failing that, I still have ultimately the PDPA Qualifiers at the end of the year, which is sort of a miniature Q-School. I didn’t need to win a card to have that chance, but I think if I get things moving in a positive
Darts Weekly Friday 27 January 2017
well that he would need to build a massive early lead to stymie Yozza, and he did it in a way that made the
direction, win a lot of matches, I might not need it. A few weeks before Q-School you were inducted into the PDC Hall of Fame. Did you have any idea you were being inducted? That was a pretty last minute thing there. I didn’t really have much chance to prepare much of anything. It wasn’t expected and I didn’t know much to what to make of it. I still don’t really entirely. I think there is no other hall of fame that I’m aware of at that level. As the only fifth player in, I can only justify that as it’s a PDC hall of fame. There’s so many legends I watched before I even really threw darts. It’s a wonderful thing. I try and think about it as what it is, it’s a recognition and I do feel it is merited in the scope of the PDC. Just for my one achievement of beating Phil (Taylor) and ending his eight-year run (at the World Championship). Listen to the full interview with John Part on this week’s podcast at darts-weekly.com/the-podcast
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Friday 27 January 2017 Darts Weekly
BDO remove two events from diary over contractual issues The Shownights European Open and European Classic were both removed from the BDO calendar for 2017 yesterday, with the organisation citing ‘contractual issues’ for their omissions. A statement on the BDO website yesterday read: ‘It is regrettable that owing to contractual issues the British Darts Organisation has to announce today the removal of the following two events from the 2017 BDO calendar. ‘(1) BDO Shownights European Open; ‘(2) BDO Shownights European Classic. ‘These events were scheduled to be held on the weekend of July 28th - 30th 2017. ‘We apologise to our members if the removal of these tournaments from the calendar cause any inconvenience.’ The double header was held in Blackpool last summer for the first time, with Scott Waites scooping the £2,000 top prize for winning the European Classic. While, BDO number one Glen Durrant (pictured) walked away with the £3,000 winner’s cheque for lifting the European Open trophy that weekend. Wayne Dobinson, promoter at Shownights, took to social media to vent his frustration at the BDO’s decision. He wrote on Facebook yesterday: “I’m absolutely gutted to say after all the hard work, financial burden and heartache I went through standing by the board and doing what I thought was best for BDO darts. After being begged in many phone calls from Sue and Wayne Williams to keep the European Darts Weekend last year going because they thought if I pulled it last year after the Deluxe Fiasco, it would be the final nail in the BDO’s Coffin. “I had many a phone call with Wayne Williams with me questioning to cancel last year’s
event due to the lack of confidence in the BDO system, but he said it wasn’t an option to cancel. “Wayne Williams told me the BDO would pay any shortfall, and it had to go ahead. “There was also massive losses due to aggressive social media promotion and signage costs etc, that I was hit with due to Deluxe Billingsgate Fiasco, but I personally covered this and also paid back all tickets that was sold via the Shownights platform back in February. I feel they have used me for their own personal Benefit, It was in the diary for over a year, with £17k worth of sponsorship so far. So the event was in a far better
place than before. “But in the last 4 weeks they added an additional burden of £10,000 sanction fee and £12,180.00 set up costs, insisted on the prize fund to be paid up front and all income from entry fees to go direct to the BDO. “And they wouldn’t answer my questions to how and when the new sanction came in to play and if other promoters or organisations would be also getting this ridiculous sanction fee added to their events. “I asked for a breakdown of the additional £12,180 but that never even came across even though the figure was very specific.”
In brief Chaney breaks into top 50 after Las Vegas Open win Joe Chaney climbed into the top 50 of the BDO Men’s Rolling Invitational table after winning the NODOR Fleetwood Las Vegas Open at the weekend. The American, who won the Charlotte Open and Colorado Open last year, defeated Joe Huffman 6-3 in the final.
Yorkshire go further clear Yorkshire opened up a 30-point lead at the top of the British InterCounty Championships Premier Division, following a crushing 28-8 win against Nottinghamshire. The defending champions held a 13-5 lead over the team, who were in third place heading into the weekend, before winning the Men’s A 10-2 and Women’s A 5-1.
Darts Weekly Friday 27 January 2017
9 CORAL UK OPEN RILEY’S AMATEUR QUALIFIERS - London Victoria (Lee Evans, Dan Read); Chester (Steve Maish); Sheffield (Dave Prins); Twickenham (Gary Eastwood); Wolverhampton (Gareth Pass, Neil Smith).
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Database PDC QUALIFYING SCHOOL (Robin Park Tennis Centre, Wigan) Day two fifth round - B Koltsov bt J Hajdar 5-4; J Bain bt J Noguera Perea 5-2; R North bt S Hine 5-4; A Alcinas bt P Mitchell 5-3; J Landon bt T Roach 5-3; M Mansell bt C Quantock 5-4; C Gilchrist bt P Harvey 5-4; R Edhouse bt M Rasztovits 5-3; R Lam bt S Taylor 5-3; P Jacques bt P Hudson 5-2; S Groen bt M Frost 5-2; J Sousa bt Z Lerchbacher 5-2; S Lennon bt M Schindler 5-1; M Langendorf bt W Van de Wiel 5-3; M Razma bt C Roelofs 5-1; P Nicholson bt K McDine 5-4. Sixth round - J Bain bt B Koltsov 5-1; R North bt A Alcinas 52; M Mansell bt J Landon 5-0; R Edhouse bt C Gilchrist 5-1; R Lam bt P Jacques 5-1; J Sousa bt S Groen 5-2; M Langendorf bt S Lennon 5-4; M Razma bt P Nicholson 5-4. Final round - R North bt J Bain 5-4; R Edhouse bt M Mansell 5-3; R Lam bt J Sousa 5-2; M Langendorf bt M Razma 5-4. Day three fifth round - Ji Hendriks bt N Rafferty 5-1; A Alcinas bt M Plooy 5-1; S Taylor bt W Jones 5-4; J Bain bt N Aspinall 5-2; P Nicholson bt P Rowley 5-2; H Muramatsu bt N Pinchen 5-1; R Baxter bt N Fullwell 5-2; R Burnett bt B Roith 5-0; M Edgar bt M Foreman 5-3; K Shepherd bt Z Lerchbacher 5-4; A Hunt bt J Lovett 5-2; J Part bt B Lynn 5-3; S Lennon bt K Garcia 5-1; K Thomas bt R Nathan 5-3; S Darbyshire bt M Dewsbury 5-3; C Quantock bt T Martin 53. Sixth round - A Alcinas bt Ji Hendriks 51; S Taylor bt J Bain 5-3; P Nicholson bt H Muramatsu 5-4; R Burnett bt R Baxter 5-3; K Shepherd bt M Edgar 5-1; J Part bt A Hunt 52; S Lennon bt K Thomas 5-2; S Darbyshire bt C Quantock 5-4. Final round - S Taylor bt A Alcinas 5-1; R Burnett bt P Nicholson 53; J Part bt K Shepherd 5-2; S Lennon bt S Darbyshire 5-2. Day four fifth round - P Rowley bt M van der Horst 5-2; D Portela bt M Mansell 5-3; M Schindler bt D Venken 5-3; W Scheffer bt C Kallinger 5-1; K Shepherd bt Roach 5-2; S Kellett bt M Todd 5-3; D Johnson bt A Tabern 5-4; R Baxter bt L
Woodhouse 5-3; Ji Hendriks bt K Fan Leung 5-0; S Darbyshire bt E White 5-3; D Forde bt J Landon 5-1; A Alcinas bt H Muramatsu 5-4; B de Hoog bt P Hudson 5-4; J Norman bt M Barnard 5-4; P Nicholson bt G Stone 5-1; P Cook bt P Mitchell 5-3. Sixth round - P Rowley bt D Portela 5-4; M Schindler bt W Scheffer 5-2; K Shepherd bt S Kellett 5-4; R Baxter bt D Johnson 5-2; Ji Hendriks bt S Darbyshire 5-3; A Alcinas bt D Forde 5-0; B de Hoog bt J Norman 5-3; P Nicholson bt P Cook 5-3. Final round - M Schindler bt P Rowley 5-3; K Shepherd bt R Baxter 5-0; A Alcinas bt Ji Hendriks 5-0; P Nicholson bt B de Hoog 5-1. Final Qualifying School Order of Merit (TC indicates the player has won a tour card via the Order of Merit) - 1. J Bain 17 points (TC); 2. Ji Hendriks 16 pts (TC); 3. R Baxter 15 pts (TC); = S Hine 15 pts (TC); = S Groen 15 pts (TC); 6. P Rowley 14 pts (TC); = S Darbyshire 14 pts (TC); = M Mansell 14 pts; 9. C Quantock 12 pts (TC); 10. J Norman Jnr 11 pts (TC); = D Johnson 11 pts (TC); = M Razma 11 pts (TC); 13. B de Hoog 10 pts; = M Edgar 10 pts; 15. W Scheffer 9 pts; = H Muramatsu 9 pts; J Landon 9 pts; = P Harvey 9 pts; J Sousa 9 pts; 20. S Kellett 8 pts; = P Hudson 8 pts; = P Mitchell 8 pts; = T Roach 8 pts; = M Todd 8 pts; = K Thomas 8 pts; = Z Lerchbacher 8 pts; = C Roelofs 8 pts; = R Szaganski 8 pts; = A Hunt 8 pts; P Jacques 8 pts; 31. D Portela 7 pts; = C Kallinger 7 pts; = G Stone 7 pts; = W Jones 7 pts; = J Walker 7 pts; = C Rydz 7 pts; B Koltsov 7 pts; = S Douglas 7 pts. QUALIFYING SCHOOL TOUR CARD WINNERS - (Outright winners) P Jiwa, L Bryant, S Burton, J Brown, R Lam, M Langendorf, R North, R Edhouse, S Taylor, J Part, R Burnett, S Lennon, P Nicholson, K Shepherd, A Alcinas, M Schindler, (Order of Merit winners) J Bain, Ji Hendriks, R Baxter, S Hine, S Groen, P Rowley, S Darbyshire, M Mansell, C Quantock, J Norman, D Johnson, M Razma.
WDF NODOR FLEETWOOD MEMORIAL LAS VEGAS OPEN (Tuscany Suites & Casino, Vegas) Men’s final - J Chaney (89.5) bt J Huffman (87.3) 6-3. Women’s final - P Murphy (69.1) bt T Wright (70.1) 5-3. BDO -BRITISH INTER final J Chaney (89.5) btCOUNTY J Huffman (87.3) CHAMPIONSHIPS 6-3. Women’s final -Premier P MurphyDivision (69.1) bt -T Cambridgeshire (22 pts) beat Devon (17 pts) Wright (70.1) 5-3. 19-17; Cheshire (23 pts) beat Essex (16 pts) 20-16; Lancashire (17 pts) lost to Warwickshire (22 pts) 19-17; Lincolnshire (30 pts) beat Glamorgan (9 pts) 27-9; Yorkshire (31 pts) beat Nottinghamshire (8 pts) 28-8. Division One - Cleveland (26 pts) beat Co Durham (13 pts) 23-13; Cornwall (25 pts) beat Kent (14 pts) 22-14; Dorset (30 pts) beat West Midlands (9 pts) 27-9; Gwent (15 pts) lost to Oxfordshire (24 pts) 21-15; Hampshire (19 pts) drew with London (19 pts) 18-18. Division Two - Berkshire (15 pts) lost to Derbyshire (24 pts) 21-15; Northamptonshire (17 pts) lost to Hertfordshire (22 pts) 19-17; Northumberland (22 pts) beat Staffordshire (17 pts) 19-17; Suffolk (24 pts) beat Cumbria (15 pts) 21-15; Worcestershire (23 pts) beat Surrey (16 pts) 20-16. Division Three Gloucestershire (19 pts) drew with Gwynedd (19 pts) 18-18; Humberside (15 pts) lost to Merseyside (24 pts) 21-15; Montgomery & Radnor (24 pts) beat Leicestershire (15 pts) 21-15; Sussex (28 pts) beat Somerset (11 pts) 25-11; Tyne & Wear (24 pts) beat Buckinghamshire (15 pts) 21-15. Division Four - Bedfordshire (26 pts) beat Shropshire (13 pts) 23-13; Clwyd (23 pts) beat Norfolk (16 pts) 20-16; Pembrokeshire (15 pts) lost to Middlesex (24 pts) 21-15; West of England (30 pts) beat Isle of Wight (9 pts) 27-9; Wiltshire (29 pts) beat Breconshire (10 pts) 26-10. Scotland North - Tay Valley (20 pts) beat Central (16 pts) 15-13; Highland (18 pts) drew with Angus (18 pts) 14-14; Grampian (33 pts) beat Perthshire (3 pts) 25-3. Scotland South Greater Glasgow (20 pts) beat Ayrshire (16 pts) 15-13; Renfrewshire (19 pts) drew with Lothian (17 pts) 14-14; Clackmannanshire (10 pts) lost to Borders (26 pts) 18-10. FIXTURES TODAY - SUNDAY UNIBET MASTERS (Milton Keynes) TOMORROW - SUNDAY ROMANIAN CLASSIC (Bucharest) TOMORROW CORAL UK OPEN RILEY’S AMATEUR QUALIFIERS (Coventry, Greenock, Harlow, Liverpool, Norwich, Nottingham) SUNDAY CORAL UK OPEN RILEY’S AMATEUR QUALIFIERS (Leicester, South Benfleet) ROMANIAN OPEN (Bucharest) GWYNEDD OPEN (Llangefni) THURSDAY BETWAY PREMIER LEAGUE WEEK ONE (Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle) Subscribe to the Darts Weekly magazine for FREE by emailing dartsweekly@gmail.com
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Friday 27 January 2017 Darts Weekly
DAVE McNALLY DARTS WRITER LAWRENCE LUSTIG/PDC
Young players have plenty of exciting opportunities With Qualifying School now done and dusted, it was great to see some of the old faces returning for another crack this year. I was pleased to see the return of Ritchie Burnett and John Part in particular, two players who have gained, if not legendary, at least cult status throughout the darts world. Both are previous world champions and both still have a lot to offer the sport. The two are looking to bounce back onto the scene after a spell in the wilderness for different reasons, and are under no illusions as to how difficult the job will be to break into the top echelons again. Although it is good to see some of the older stalwarts of the game keeping their hopes alive, darts seems to be moving towards a younger person’s game with the traditional, playing in pubs being hindered by less and less provision on offer, and parents not too keen on youngsters spending time in pubs getting their first taste of the sport. Nowadays, the youngsters coming through are getting full on professional coaching by the various academies that are set up around the UK. One such academy is run by Steve Brown, who is heavily involved with the Junior Darts Corporation. Steve and his team run academies for children from the age of eight, who are competing on a national level, utilising modern technology such as specialist apps, so his students can measure their performances against their friends
and on an international scale. Youngsters also have the chance to take part in a European Championships and a UK tour, with the final being held at the Alexandra Palace during the PDC World Championship. This sort of atmosphere and level of competitiveness goes a long way to preparing the youngsters for life
‘The Junior Darts Corporation has its grand final played at Alexandra Palace’ on the professional circuit, should they make it. One of the most pleasing things about these academies is that they are getting the backing of parents, whereas darts was often frowned upon in the past. Many parents are seeing it as a good way of using mental
arithmetic along with the focus on team and character building, as well as helping children develop motor skills and gain a wider circle of friends. Increases in prize money and the hero worship of top professionals has also made it a viable potential career for the youth coming through, as they are spending time practicing darts as much as the traditional sports such as football. Darts is also working its way into classrooms as teachers use it as a tool for mathematics, so it is becoming more commonplace in the minds of today’s youth. With the accessibility of darts on the escalation, coupled with the increased take up in academy numbers and the match play situations that the youngsters find themselves in, it is no wonder that the future of darts looks to be one where the youth have every chance in the world to make it to the top.