`Mile High^ helps give school darts lift off!
Since joining the PDC, and being given his chance to achieve his lifetime ambition, Rugeley based dart player Mark `Mile High’ Hylton has determined not to forget that the game is played first and foremost for social entertainment by millions of people. Darts has given Mark over 30 years ofenjoyment and opportunity to meet people and see new places as well as confidence, concentration and many other useful life skills.
Soon after he started playing in the PDC event mark was asked by a local school, Hednesford Valley, if he would visit there lunchtime dart club. This became the first of many visit as he was massively impressed with the positive effects that the club was having on the young players. Hednesford Valley is a special school and the focus, fun and interaction provided by darts can be a huge benefit. Being struck by this Mark asked his manager if any more could be done to encourage this excellent scheme, with a little help from `The Power’ himself Lets Play Knockout darts supplied some Phil Taylor replica shirts all badged up in an attempt to inspire the guys and girls.
It seems to have worked, a number of
other visits have taken place over the past couple of years, Mark and even his
manager have been drafted in to entertain or even mark the board at matches
between Hednesford and
other local schools who have begun to catch the bug for darts! A couple of the
players from Hednesford Valley have progressed and can be seen often at local competitions and even
playing for local league sides after finishing school and one has represented
himself, his school, his county and even played on the PDC youth tour and
gained a victory or two so far!
It has been really positive to see that following on from Hednesford other local schools have become involved and now have arrows clubs and arrange inter school matches, marking these can be great fun and the rivalries are quite as intense as anything in the Pro game! Hagley Park Academy have a fully fledged dart club and are massively enthusiastic, as can be seen from the photo’s, they are very supportive of their local `star player’ after a recent visit for a charity evening Mile High was taken and shown the notice boards in the school and to say he was quite touched would be an understatement. Darts is proving a valued aid in many classrooms across the country both in mainstream and special education establishments, even being used during ofsted inspections.
The interaction between mainstream and other education pupils is inspiring to watch and when you see pupils at events such as the World Championship & The UK Open cheering Mark on even though it is normally difficult for them to cope with crowds, heat & noise can bring a lump to your throat.’
Here is what Tracy Sutcliff of Hednesford valley has to say on the subject:
`I have run a lunchtime darts club and a school darts team at Hednesford Valley High School for three years now and have been amazed by its popularity, it very quickly overtook football as the most popular breaktime activity with over 30 players attending regularly out of a total school population of 110 – over a quarter of the students regularly play!! Aswell as the obvious hand eye co-ordination benefits darts is also brilliant for maths, for sportsmanship and for teamwork and self discipline. Hednesford Valley is a special school and all the students have special needs and learning difficulties, including autism, downs syndrome and behavioural problems but their love of darts seems to have united them and brought out the best in them all! We have played against, and beaten, teams from local mainstream schools and have also organised charity tournaments and knockout competitions in local youth clubs. Several of my students have now started to play at county level and darts has given them a great opportunity to mix and compete with their peers on an equal footing. We would love to support darts in other schools and are hoping to organise a league and a coaching system in the local area.’