Darts academy to send team to the world championships

TRAINING is in full swing for members of a Fettercairn darts academy who were recently selected to represent Ireland at the Junior Darts Corporation World Championship in Gibraltar next November.

Thomas Keane (17), Sean McKeon (17), Paul Ryan (13), and Scott Doyle (13) from the Hornets Darts Academy in Fettercairn have been selected to compete on Team Ireland for the championship.

Also joining them is the up-and-coming young darts player Blake Martin (13), who will compete in the MVG Open and Gibraltar Open and is also finessing his darts skills with the Hornets.

The young men are being put through their paces in their twice-weekly training sessions in the Fettercairn Community Centre, and are also participating in a Step-Up Programme.

The director and head coach of the Hornets Darts Academy, Brian Doherty, told The Echo: “We run the academy on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

“After that, I run a programme called the Step-Up Programme where I give them extra coaching and practice games to keep them sharp and focused.”

The extra tuition has paid off, and the boys now have their sights firmly set on competing in the JDC World Championships.

Sean McKeon, Blake Martin, Scott Doyle, Paul Ryan with head coach Brian Doherty

When asked how the players reacted when they realised they’d been selected, Brian said: “It was just euphoria.

“They worked hard for it, because they had to do it over a certain amount of weeks, and they were competing against all of the other junior darts academies in the country.

“They realised the work they had put in had paid off.”

Playing darts has also helped the boys in their lives away from the dart board, with many of them having improved maths skills and growing confidence due to their involvement in the sport.

Brian said that he believes that the young players’ continued involvement in darts is because they can see themselves improving all the time.

“I think it’s the coaching they’re getting,” he said. “They’re in a safe environment, and whatever help they need, the coaches can give it to them.

“And they can see themselves getting better and making progress – it’s not just someone telling them to do something.”

As the Junior Darts Corporation World Championship draws ever closer, the players from Fettercairn are putting the finishing touches on their game and Brian is confident of their success.

“Training is going brilliantly,” he said. “We’ve got two sessions left with the Ireland training camp.

“There’s one in October, then another in November just before we go to the championship, so they’re 100 per cent mentally and physically ready in their game play before we go.”

The Junior Darts Corporation World Championship will take place in the Europa Point Sports Complex in Gibraltar from November 29 to December 2, followed by a World Final in Alexandra Palace, London.

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