Darts is a sport that is woven into British culture, but it has boomed worldwide over the last two or three decades – largely thanks to the success of the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC). This mainstream success has made the game more attractive to juniors who might not have otherwise ever dreamed of throwing a dart, never mind playing every night.
Now that has all changed, with youth players having more opportunities than ever before. There is, though, far more reason to encourage children to play darts than the prospect of one day winning the World Championship at Alexandra Palace. Darts sharpens the mind and motor skills, which children can take into other areas.
Numeracy
Improving numeracy skills are the obvious mental skill that children can refine when playing darts, as it is a numbers game. In the traditional game, players begin with 501 points and must score points to be deducted from their score, and must finish (checkout) on a double – i.e. if a player has 40 points remaining, they can checkout by hitting double 20 but not by hitting two single 20s. This forces players to think and throw strategically, not just when throwing for a checkout but also when setting up shots.
For example, when you watch a professional game, it is common to see a player aim at treble 19, as opposed to treble 20, when left with a score of 195 – but why? The obvious urge is to aim for the treble 20 as that is the highest scoring part of the board and hitting three means scoring a maximum 180. However, taking 180 away from 195 leaves you with 15, which is a two-dart checkout (i.e. single seven, double four). Hitting three treble 19s (171) leaves on 195 leaves you a score of 24, which is a one-dart checkout (double 12) and leave more room for error, giving the player an extra dart to hit the double segment should they need it.
Sticking with the example of a player on 195, another reason they may aim for treble 19, rather than treble 20, is the potential for an easier route to the checkout. While scoring 171 leaves 24, even the very best players struggle to hit three perfect darts every throw, which is again where that room for error comes into play. If a player hits just one treble 19, with the other two darts landing in the single 19 segment, that leaves a score of 100 – a nice and simple two-dart checkout (treble 20, double 20).
In contrast, hitting one treble 20 and two single 20s scores 100, leaving 95 – which is another two-dart checkout, but a far more awkward one (treble 19, double 19). The reason why 95 is far more awkward than 100, despite being a lower score, is because if a player misses the double and scores a single 19, they cannot immediately aim for another double. If a player misses the double 20 by hitting the single 20, they can move straight down for double 10 without needing another dart to bring their score to an even number.
Intricacies like this make players think about the numbers on the board and what they are aiming for. Seasoned players can add and subtract in milliseconds, knowing exactly where to aim for next without breaking their rhythm. Such polished mental arithmetic certainly makes for a valuable skill, on or off the oche.
Hand-Eye Coordination
To be any good at darts you require good hand-eye coordination. Sadly, darts isn’t as easy as the players on the television make it seem (just take a look at the video below, showing Ricky Evans hitting a 180 in 2.65 seconds!).
For Evans to be able to throw a 180 like that, his hand-eye coordination has to be perfect – as well as having a good amount of muscle memory from the result of hours of practice. Hand-eye coordination allows us to perform tasks using our vision and muscles and that is not limited to sport, but also to other tasks that demand the use of motor skills such as tying shoelaces, drawing, pressing a button, catching, gripping and more.
It may not be immediately obvious, but darts has the capability of developing these motor skills because of the requirement for flawless hand-eye coordination. In this aspect, it isn’t just children that can benefit from darts but so can adults, too. As we become older and our bodies age, we begin to deteriorate in some areas – one of which is hand-eye coordination. Playing darts can help to maintain good hand-eye coordination as it is constantly in use.
Should Juniors Play on Specialised Children’s Dartboards and Oches?
One key question that many young beginners and/or parents ask is whether children should play darts to regulation measurements or not? The answer is that to ensure that children enjoy the best experience when playing darts, measurements should be altered to accommodate the player.
A standard dartboard is mounted on the wall so that the bullseye stands at 5’8” tall and players throw from a distance of 7’9.25”. That is far too demanding of a child, who will likely struggle to reach the board, never mind accurately aiming the dart. A good rule of thumb to abide by is to mount the dartboard with the bullseye at the height of the child’s nose.
Children playing on a dartboard mounted at regulation measurements will struggle, both in the short and long term. Players will begin by aiming upwards, adopting a body shape to accommodate the action and, over time as they grow taller, their body shape will change as the throw changes. The constant changes to the throw will hamper the child’s development as they won’t ever be able to become comfortable with their stance and throwing action as they would be if the dartboard was at a suitable height. By the time the child is an adult and has stopped growing, they will have a comfortable throwing stance and action that they have developed for years without needing to constantly readjust.
Recognise Achievement
As with any sport, children playing darts gain motivation when their achievements are recognised. Whether that is winning a competition, hitting a 180, scoring a high checkout or recognising their improvement, it all warrants something to say well done. Here at Fen Regis Trophies, we have been engraving and supplying darts trophies for more than 40 years.
If you would like some more information on our range of trophies and medals, please do not hesitate to get in contact with a member of our team today by calling 01945 588100 or sending us a message via the contact page.