Darticles
Darticles brings you the best articles from the world of darts. This edition features an article from Ken Friend about the beginning of the youth darts program in America and specifically the Savannah, Georgia area. I was researching information about youth darts and contacted Savannah Area Darting Association President Dan Morgan who was very helpful. He put me in touch with Ken, a former SADA board member who was quite instrumental in American youth darts. Ken agreed to do an article which is I think, is very well written and informative and I hope you enjoy it as much as ! did. My thanks go out to Ken and the SADA for their help on this project and for their dedication in promoting the sport of darts. Ken welcomes any comments or questions you may have. To email him about his article, please "click here".
Archived Darticles listed below
"A hundred years from now, it will not matter what our bank accounts were, the kind of homes we
lived in, the kind of cars we drove..... but that the world may be different because we were important
in the life of a child."
This simple yet eloquent statement formed the foundation for organized youth dart activities in
Savannah, Georgia and ultimately in the United States. These subtle beginnings have blossomed into
much larger programs that have dramatically influenced the lives of many young people and those who
have served as mentors. Others who benefitted from the efforts of the original programs generally agree
that Savannah is considered the birthplace of organized youth dart programs in the United States. The
continued development of the original programs by the U.S. dart community and the American Darts
Organization has also carried the influence far beyond U.S. borders. So, how did it all start? The year
was 1982, and it all began with a phone call.....
After moving to Savannah, Georgia in 1981 I was asked if I would like to join a newly formed dart
league called the Savannah Area Darting Association. Since my family was still living in Shreveport,
Louisiana and wouldn't be coming to Savannah for another 3 months, I thought it would be a good way
to keep me off the streets. When my family was able to complete the move, my children, Ken, Jeff, and
Shannon had no friends yet, and little to do with their time. So, guess what? .....we hung a dart board!
The kids used the summer months to hone their skills, and before long we found the Florida room full of
neighbor kids playing imaginary games against the best in the world.
The adults played regularly at a local pub called "Cheers". Children were not allowed in bars, but there
was a dance studio above Cheers that the owner said we could use for small tournaments for the kids.
Each week my wife and I would go to the local trophy shop, buy small trophies, and head for "Nick's
Dance Studio". Each Saturday we had a simple luck of the draw tournament for our children, the
neighbor kids, and various strays that wandered in. The original interest was high, but when school
started the number of participants dropped dramatically. I told my wife that I would keep coming until
we brought only our children. One Saturday, we brought our children and one of the neighbors...... I told
my wife "that's it, we can't do this anymore." She said "but you promised the kids....". And then came
the phone call.....
Barbara Johnson, Recording Secretary of the SADA, asked if we would be interested in starting a youth
league with the help of the SADA. She had been contacted by several members of the SADA who also
had children interested in playing darts, but didn't know about our Saturday sessions. We decided to give
it a go, and held a meeting with those who were interested. Luke and Linda Sims, Guy and Carol Jervis,
Sherri and Jerry Rowell, and all our children sat down together and hammered out a plan to start the
Savannah Junior Dart League in January, 1983. The insight of the kids was extremely instrumental in
league development.
We were fortunate to have young folks that wanted to learn how to play darts AND run their league. It
was decided to have a clinic/signup for the program, and to hold elections for the Junior Board of
Directors. Adults were assigned as mentors for each position on the Board, but the task of running the
league fell squarely on the shoulders of the young folks. Signup produced 53 players! Officers were
elected, rules, regulations, and Bylaws drawn up, and the league was established as a non-profit
organization. The SJDL was born....
Due to the obvious age differences that were involved, the juniors decided that there should be some sort
of handicap system in place. The following system was adopted:
"A" level players: free - in, double - out 01 games.
"B" level players: free - in games, but after 5 turns at the double out, may shoot any combination
of numbers that will attain zero (0) exactly.
"C" level players: free - in games, not required to shoot doubles in a 301 match.
"A" level players: three (3) Bulls in CRICKET,
"B" level players: two (2) Bulls in CRICKET.
"C" level players: one (1) Bull in CRICKET.
The competition between skill levels was really good and much closer than one might think with the age
differences. (8 - 18)
"A"Skill level players won 61% of their games.
"B"Skill level players won 67% of their games.
"C"Skill level players won 41% of their games.
Players wanted to earn their "A" credentials in the worst way, but had to endure a "test" that was
conducted by the adults. The test consisted of accuracy and knowledge of the dart board. Three adults
would ask the player to shoot at a specific number, then at specific "outs" without the aid of an out-chart.
Once they had satisfied the judges that they could hit what they were aiming for and could do the math,
they were asked to go to the dart board, turn, and face the judges. They were then asked to point in the
direction of specific numbers on the dart board. To this day, those young players who have joined adult
leagues say the "A" evaluation was the toughest thing they had to do as an SJDL player. Many of them
studied for a week before their test. However, most admit it was one of the best things they could have
learned.
The interaction of the parents and the young players changed over the course of a season. At first,
parents came in to watch and/or coach. We actually discouraged the adults from coaching in favor of
having the junior team captains handle match chores. Somewhat disgruntled, the parents began
dropping off their kids and going on their way until the end of the matches. About mid-season they
started coming back and staying the whole day. We used to joke with the kids by commenting on how
well behaved their parents were. I was curious about the change of heart. Time and again, I heard a
parent say "you wouldn't believe how well Johnny/Suzzie is doing in math at school and how well they
are getting along with other kids. I just had to come learn more about this". It was obvious the sport had
taught some young folks that there is actually an application for mathematics in the real world. The
adults were learning that a little time spent with their children actually DID have positive consequences.
As with any organized youth sport activity, the art of sportsmanship was taught at every level. League
members, both adult and junior, voted each season for those they thought most typified the ideals of the
league. This award was considered the "Oscar" of SJDL awards, and awarding the "Sportsmanship
Award" at the end of each season was always a heartwarming and emotional event.
The skill of the players grew, and they became hungry for more/better competition. At that time, the
only venues for competitive darts outside their league was luck of the draw tournaments or larger,
sponsored tournaments. An initial "trial by fire" test was created to get a better understanding of just
how the young players could handle adult tournament competition. The SJDL formed "All-Star" teams
based on singles competition from the previous season. The SJDL All-Star team then played a match
against the reigning SADA City Champion team. Those adult players who participated swear those
matches generated the worst pressure they had ever seen; not only from the competition, but from also
not being able to establish that "killer" instinct they would normally show against another adult. The
matches were always close, and generated fun and fond memories for everyone.
There was a lot of resistance to the youth program from some of the adults. Visions of young players
buckling under the pressure of endless rounds of competition and/or child-like emotions kept the adults
from warming up to having young people in a sport previously considered a sanctuary for parents and
adults. There were also concerns about exposing young people to the world of dart bars. I sometimes
think they were also leery of letting their children see how they acted when the kids were not around. We
encouraged the naysayers to come to the Saturday league sessions and to talk with/compete against the
kids. Once the skeptics got involved, their perceptions quickly vanished. Some bars would allow young
players to compete in their establishment if accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Once again, the
young folks stepped up and made a decision that only "A" level players could compete in adult events,
and only when a bar owner agreed they could do so.
Everyone was impressed with the skills and sportsmanship of the young players. Emotional outbursts
were rare, the kids were always sober, and their endurance was second to none. Even after long
tournament days we found the kids either off in a corner practicing with each other or hunting down an
adult to give them some competition. And when they got back to the house, they did it all over again.....
The kids would not let up, and it was decided to go to the "big leagues" to see how well the young
players could do. That decision was viewed as a "make or break" situation for the future of youth darts.
The only way to push the limits of their skills was in major competition; against each other, and against
the adults. In early 1984 the SJDL joined the American Darts Organization as the first ADO affiliated
league in the United States dedicated to young players. This paved the way for the young players to
compete at all levels in ADO competition.
The Area IV-3 Regionals was to be held in Ocala, Florida. Entry was $100 per player (there were no
special provisions for youth players at the time). When it was announced that SJDL players were going
to go to the Regionals, contributions came pouring in; even from some of those originally opposed to the
program. All-Stars were selected from the best winning percentages of the previous season, and 12
young players packed themselves into a van and a car and headed for Ocala. The adult players were
stunned by the audacity of the youth invasion until they started losing games to the kids. Although none
of the kids earned their way to the Area level, it took a 142 out in the final round robin leg to keep Mike
Rowell from advancing. At the end of the day, the kids had earned the credibility and respect required to
set future youth activities and programs in motion:
The newly formed Georgia Dart Association consisted of leagues from throughout the state of
Georgia. The President, Lewis Wells, suggested that the SJDL become a part of the association
so the kids would have a chance to compete in the State Championships.
Youth events were added to sponsored tournaments in cities throughout the United States.
Adults started to ask young players to be their partners in local and out of town tournaments.
The Bulls-Eye News ran articles on the Savannah League, the Immortals program in Southern
California, and other youth dart activities in cities around the country.
Local TV stations ran special segments on youth dart activities.
The ADO became interested in the creation of a National Youth Dart Program.
After joining the ADO, a tournament dedicated to young players was sanctioned by the ADO. It was a
controversial sanctioning request because it focused on the young folks. However, sanctioning was
granted because it was also "open" to adults for the adult/junior events. This was the first junior
tournament sanctioned by the ADO, and highlighted the efforts of the ADO to form a youth program.
The "Spotlight" tournament had all the trimmings of a regular tournament; it was held at the Savannah
Moose Lodge, sponsored by Southeastern Wholesale Darts and Laserdart, and special rates for lodging
were provided by Days Inn. Kathy Maloney skipped another tournament to come spend the weekend
with the kids! The tournament was one of the first to enforce the no smoking rule, and had a "cuss box"
that generated over $75 for the Moose Lodge charities (at 25 cents per cuss!).
The tournament was held again in 1985, but two weeks before the tournament the trophy sponsor backed
out. The Georgia State Championships were held the weekend prior to the youth tournament. While at
the State Championship Lewis Wells and the Atlanta Dart Association came to the rescue by donating
over 50 trophies that players had contributed when they heard of the difficulty we were having. It was a
totally unexpected surprise, and became a prime example of the support and acceptance the kids were
receiving from the dart community. Several nights of shaving/replacing plaques generated some of the
best trophies we could have hoped for!
While at work one day late in 1984, I received a phone call from the President of the ADO, Jay
Tomlinson, asking if I would be interested in helping the ADO establish a National Youth Dart
Program. I was honored, but terrified. It was a clean sheet of paper with the only precedent being what
had been learned through the exploits of the SJDL and contact with other associations. Proposals were to
be reviewed at an ADO Board meeting to be held in Las Vegas at the North American Open the
following year.
There were two major concerns confronting the establishment of a youth program; amateur status and
safety responsibilities. The "award of choice" for dart players was/is financial, and young players might
have other activities that could be affected by cash awards earned while playing darts. The WDF and the
manufacturers of lawn darts had shown concern over the impact of careless injuries to young players.
Lawn Darts had been outlawed in the U.S. due to safety issues, and no one wanted to see darts go the
same route.
The only source of amateur status information that came to mind was the International Olympic
Committee. A letter was sent to the President of the IOC, George Miller, asking for advice. He said that
the IOC does not determine amateur status; each event has their own organization and set of rules. At the
time, there were 36 different governing bodies. He sent the names of the contacts for each one. A form
letter was sent out that inquired about how "dart" money might affect the amateur status within that
particular sport. Many of the letters went to foreign countries. One by one, the responses came in: "No
problem" in some cases, "don't even think about it" in others, and everything in between. It was obvious
we had to declare neutrality.....
After looking at the legalities and issues involved, two statements were generated to help protect the
young players, local organizations, and the ADO:
DISCLAIMER - AMATEUR STATUS: The host association and/or the ADO assumes no
responsibility for any adverse effects which Darts awards may have on the amateur status of any
youth participant. Please check local regulations/restrictions.
DARTS is an adult sport. It is dangerous for children to play without adult supervision.
After many iterations, a draft proposal was presented to the ADO Board in August, 1985. There was still
a lot of work to be done, and the ADO Board added a "Youth Director" position. A survey was created
for ADO organizations known to have youth activities. Using information gathered from the survey and
working with the ADO Board of Directors generated enough input to "tweak" the program to better meet
the needs and capabilities of young players and the ADO.
In August, 1986 the first National Youth Program was established and a "National Youth Manager"
position was added to the ADO Board. Due to the obvious change in the ages of potential tournament
participants, ADO organizations were strongly urged to place the amateur and safety statements on their
tournament fliers. It was also recommended that any cash awards for youngsters be handed to a parent or
person responsible for the young player. Hopefully, those funds would be used in trust. Work was begun
on a program that would reward young players without influencing their amateur status in other sports.
It was during this same time that Tom Fleetwood, General Secretary of the ADO, was serving on the
World Dart Federation Board of Directors. Communication with other WDF Board members had
renewed interest in youth dart activities outside the U.S. Just as the ADO was approving the new youth
program, Tom received communication from the WDF stating that youth events were going to be added
to the WDF agenda. Young champions from around the world would compete for youth titles during
World Cup competition. The ADO program was designed to declare a "National Youth Champion", but
had not been established long enough for the U.S. to crown a new champion under the new program
guidelines. It was decided to take the highest ranking youth player in the ADO points standings and send
him/her to the World Cup in England in December, 1986. That first player was Greg Cruikshank from
Southern California.
1987 was the first year for the new ADO National Youth Program to crown its National Youth
Champion. Only four Areas were able to send representatives; Area II, Pat Smith, Area III,.B. J. Preston,
Area IV, Ken Friend Jr., and Willie Hellman from Area VI. B.J. shot 3 180's on his way to the 1st
National Youth Champion crown. The round robin matches were close, and sportsmanship prevailed.
As they stood on stage for their awards, the young players received a standing ovation from the myriad
of players attending the North American Open.
ADO member organizations began writing and calling the ADO office for information about the youth
program. A 55 page ADO Youth Program Manual was developed to provide answers for those folks
who wanted to start their own youth programs. The manual was based on the experiences of
developing the Savannah Junior Dart League and the ADO program, and took a hard look at places to
play, coaching, skill factors, etc. For those who wanted to get started quickly, there was a set of rules,
Bylaws, and match sheets to build upon. The company I worked for at the time was generous enough to
provide the printing of 500 copies that were sent to over 300 people who requested information. Copies
were also distributed outside the U.S. to Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, England, Italy,
Norway, Spain, and the former Soviet Union.
There were many good suggestions for rewarding the efforts of young dart players. The ADO once
again asked for a proposal based on a "continuing education" suggestion of Bob Bettis, who was an Area
Manager at the time. Not a "scholarship" award in the classical sense, the program would help young
people get started in post-secondary schools. The original program had 2 parts: The first provided funds
for those who had earned their way to the National finals, and the second would allow the families of
young players to apply for financial assistance. The fund would be supported through contributions
from ADO member organizations, individuals, organizers, and sponsors. The first part of the program
was immediately approved, but the decision was made to hold off on the second part of the program
until the fund grew sufficiently to accommodate applicants.
The scholarship fund became a "Memorial Scholarship Fund" after K.C. Mullaneypassed away during
the North American Open in 1988. Shortly thereafter we lost Ed A’Hearnin a car accident.In many
cases donations to the fund were/are made at a family's request as a memorial tribute to a fallen player,
organizer, sponsor, or friend of the dart community.
Organizations continued to find ways to contribute to the fund and one, the Savannah Area Darting
Association, became the main contributor to the fund for several years. It seemed youth activities and
interest had come full circle, and the interest originally developed in Savannah had become infectious.
The ADO established 3 Trustees to the fund; Della Fleetwood, Kaye Axelgard Reeves, and myself. In
typical Della grace and style, she is the one who does all the work. Kaye and I just get to kick her back
into play once in a while. Della has personally handled the daunting task of distributing the scholarship
funds and maintaining the communications necessary to keep everyone informed. As of this writing
(November, 2009) the ADO Memorial Scholarship Fund has helped 50+ young people get started in
post secondary education! Della states that at any given time there are 25 to 30 young players who have
earned eligibility for assistance through the fund.
A spin-off program has been developed for the children of Savannah Area Darting Association members
based on part 2 of the original ADO proposal The program provides typical startup assistance to those
who have shown exceptional achievements both in and out of the classroom.
When asked to write this article, I was again honored and terrified. That seems a trait that goes with the
territory. After I retired from the ADO in 1991 I continued to monitor the progress of the youth
programs throughout the U.S. The ADO Youth Managers have done a terrific job at expanding the
program and making improvements to the system. But, I see disturbing ripples at the local levels.
Although newer under-age laws have kept many young players from competing with the adults in
league competition, some organizations have simply turned their back to young people instead of
finding a way for them to remain active. Hopefully, this article will inspire others to work with young
people and to re-kindle the desires for organized youth dart competition.
The overall quality of any project or program is measured by its success. Feedback has told us that the
effort was worthwhile and there are sooooo many feel-good and life-altering stories that have come
from those children and adults who participated in, and helped to develop, youth dart activities in the
United States. Youth programs have generated a host of high quality players from all over the country.
Some of the original members of the Savannah Junior Dart League have earned their own share of that
success: Mike Rowell went on to become part of the 4 person Georgia State Champions by taking out a
113 with a triple 1, triple 20, double bull in the final leg. Sean Morehouse has earned his way to several
ADO National events, and was part of the 1994 Pacific Cup team. Sean also became ADO
Representative on the SADA Board. Angel Cox played her way to many ADO National events and was
elected President of the SADA adult League in 2003. Tiffany Rowell was an excellent Tournament
Chairman for the SADA. Ken Friend Jr. represented Area IV in the very first National Youth
Championships. Although not a member of the original SJDL, Staci Whitney recently earned the right to
compete in the World Cup in Charlotte.
Many of the original SJDL players now play in the SADA and other leagues throughout the Southeast. I
often find them talking about those Saturdays spent at Nick's Dance Studio and Cheers. There is but one
regret; that most of these young people, who were so instrumental in changing the face of the Savannah
and U.S. dart community, never got a chance to compete in the ADO National Youth program. They did
not set out to be leaders, but assumed the role through the quality of their intent and the integrity of their
actions. Their legacy remains unchallenged, and no realistic value can ever be established for their never
ending contributions to our sport. Southern Hospitality and the strong sense of family took control when
these youngsters looked at Mom & Dad and said "I wanna play". And then came the phone call........
lived in, the kind of cars we drove..... but that the world may be different because we were important
in the life of a child."
This simple yet eloquent statement formed the foundation for organized youth dart activities in
Savannah, Georgia and ultimately in the United States. These subtle beginnings have blossomed into
much larger programs that have dramatically influenced the lives of many young people and those who
have served as mentors. Others who benefitted from the efforts of the original programs generally agree
that Savannah is considered the birthplace of organized youth dart programs in the United States. The
continued development of the original programs by the U.S. dart community and the American Darts
Organization has also carried the influence far beyond U.S. borders. So, how did it all start? The year
was 1982, and it all began with a phone call.....
After moving to Savannah, Georgia in 1981 I was asked if I would like to join a newly formed dart
league called the Savannah Area Darting Association. Since my family was still living in Shreveport,
Louisiana and wouldn't be coming to Savannah for another 3 months, I thought it would be a good way
to keep me off the streets. When my family was able to complete the move, my children, Ken, Jeff, and
Shannon had no friends yet, and little to do with their time. So, guess what? .....we hung a dart board!
The kids used the summer months to hone their skills, and before long we found the Florida room full of
neighbor kids playing imaginary games against the best in the world.
The adults played regularly at a local pub called "Cheers". Children were not allowed in bars, but there
was a dance studio above Cheers that the owner said we could use for small tournaments for the kids.
Each week my wife and I would go to the local trophy shop, buy small trophies, and head for "Nick's
Dance Studio". Each Saturday we had a simple luck of the draw tournament for our children, the
neighbor kids, and various strays that wandered in. The original interest was high, but when school
started the number of participants dropped dramatically. I told my wife that I would keep coming until
we brought only our children. One Saturday, we brought our children and one of the neighbors...... I told
my wife "that's it, we can't do this anymore." She said "but you promised the kids....". And then came
the phone call.....
Barbara Johnson, Recording Secretary of the SADA, asked if we would be interested in starting a youth
league with the help of the SADA. She had been contacted by several members of the SADA who also
had children interested in playing darts, but didn't know about our Saturday sessions. We decided to give
it a go, and held a meeting with those who were interested. Luke and Linda Sims, Guy and Carol Jervis,
Sherri and Jerry Rowell, and all our children sat down together and hammered out a plan to start the
Savannah Junior Dart League in January, 1983. The insight of the kids was extremely instrumental in
league development.
We were fortunate to have young folks that wanted to learn how to play darts AND run their league. It
was decided to have a clinic/signup for the program, and to hold elections for the Junior Board of
Directors. Adults were assigned as mentors for each position on the Board, but the task of running the
league fell squarely on the shoulders of the young folks. Signup produced 53 players! Officers were
elected, rules, regulations, and Bylaws drawn up, and the league was established as a non-profit
organization. The SJDL was born....
Due to the obvious age differences that were involved, the juniors decided that there should be some sort
of handicap system in place. The following system was adopted:
"A" level players: free - in, double - out 01 games.
"B" level players: free - in games, but after 5 turns at the double out, may shoot any combination
of numbers that will attain zero (0) exactly.
"C" level players: free - in games, not required to shoot doubles in a 301 match.
"A" level players: three (3) Bulls in CRICKET,
"B" level players: two (2) Bulls in CRICKET.
"C" level players: one (1) Bull in CRICKET.
The competition between skill levels was really good and much closer than one might think with the age
differences. (8 - 18)
"A"Skill level players won 61% of their games.
"B"Skill level players won 67% of their games.
"C"Skill level players won 41% of their games.
Players wanted to earn their "A" credentials in the worst way, but had to endure a "test" that was
conducted by the adults. The test consisted of accuracy and knowledge of the dart board. Three adults
would ask the player to shoot at a specific number, then at specific "outs" without the aid of an out-chart.
Once they had satisfied the judges that they could hit what they were aiming for and could do the math,
they were asked to go to the dart board, turn, and face the judges. They were then asked to point in the
direction of specific numbers on the dart board. To this day, those young players who have joined adult
leagues say the "A" evaluation was the toughest thing they had to do as an SJDL player. Many of them
studied for a week before their test. However, most admit it was one of the best things they could have
learned.
The interaction of the parents and the young players changed over the course of a season. At first,
parents came in to watch and/or coach. We actually discouraged the adults from coaching in favor of
having the junior team captains handle match chores. Somewhat disgruntled, the parents began
dropping off their kids and going on their way until the end of the matches. About mid-season they
started coming back and staying the whole day. We used to joke with the kids by commenting on how
well behaved their parents were. I was curious about the change of heart. Time and again, I heard a
parent say "you wouldn't believe how well Johnny/Suzzie is doing in math at school and how well they
are getting along with other kids. I just had to come learn more about this". It was obvious the sport had
taught some young folks that there is actually an application for mathematics in the real world. The
adults were learning that a little time spent with their children actually DID have positive consequences.
As with any organized youth sport activity, the art of sportsmanship was taught at every level. League
members, both adult and junior, voted each season for those they thought most typified the ideals of the
league. This award was considered the "Oscar" of SJDL awards, and awarding the "Sportsmanship
Award" at the end of each season was always a heartwarming and emotional event.
The skill of the players grew, and they became hungry for more/better competition. At that time, the
only venues for competitive darts outside their league was luck of the draw tournaments or larger,
sponsored tournaments. An initial "trial by fire" test was created to get a better understanding of just
how the young players could handle adult tournament competition. The SJDL formed "All-Star" teams
based on singles competition from the previous season. The SJDL All-Star team then played a match
against the reigning SADA City Champion team. Those adult players who participated swear those
matches generated the worst pressure they had ever seen; not only from the competition, but from also
not being able to establish that "killer" instinct they would normally show against another adult. The
matches were always close, and generated fun and fond memories for everyone.
There was a lot of resistance to the youth program from some of the adults. Visions of young players
buckling under the pressure of endless rounds of competition and/or child-like emotions kept the adults
from warming up to having young people in a sport previously considered a sanctuary for parents and
adults. There were also concerns about exposing young people to the world of dart bars. I sometimes
think they were also leery of letting their children see how they acted when the kids were not around. We
encouraged the naysayers to come to the Saturday league sessions and to talk with/compete against the
kids. Once the skeptics got involved, their perceptions quickly vanished. Some bars would allow young
players to compete in their establishment if accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Once again, the
young folks stepped up and made a decision that only "A" level players could compete in adult events,
and only when a bar owner agreed they could do so.
Everyone was impressed with the skills and sportsmanship of the young players. Emotional outbursts
were rare, the kids were always sober, and their endurance was second to none. Even after long
tournament days we found the kids either off in a corner practicing with each other or hunting down an
adult to give them some competition. And when they got back to the house, they did it all over again.....
The kids would not let up, and it was decided to go to the "big leagues" to see how well the young
players could do. That decision was viewed as a "make or break" situation for the future of youth darts.
The only way to push the limits of their skills was in major competition; against each other, and against
the adults. In early 1984 the SJDL joined the American Darts Organization as the first ADO affiliated
league in the United States dedicated to young players. This paved the way for the young players to
compete at all levels in ADO competition.
The Area IV-3 Regionals was to be held in Ocala, Florida. Entry was $100 per player (there were no
special provisions for youth players at the time). When it was announced that SJDL players were going
to go to the Regionals, contributions came pouring in; even from some of those originally opposed to the
program. All-Stars were selected from the best winning percentages of the previous season, and 12
young players packed themselves into a van and a car and headed for Ocala. The adult players were
stunned by the audacity of the youth invasion until they started losing games to the kids. Although none
of the kids earned their way to the Area level, it took a 142 out in the final round robin leg to keep Mike
Rowell from advancing. At the end of the day, the kids had earned the credibility and respect required to
set future youth activities and programs in motion:
The newly formed Georgia Dart Association consisted of leagues from throughout the state of
Georgia. The President, Lewis Wells, suggested that the SJDL become a part of the association
so the kids would have a chance to compete in the State Championships.
Youth events were added to sponsored tournaments in cities throughout the United States.
Adults started to ask young players to be their partners in local and out of town tournaments.
The Bulls-Eye News ran articles on the Savannah League, the Immortals program in Southern
California, and other youth dart activities in cities around the country.
Local TV stations ran special segments on youth dart activities.
The ADO became interested in the creation of a National Youth Dart Program.
After joining the ADO, a tournament dedicated to young players was sanctioned by the ADO. It was a
controversial sanctioning request because it focused on the young folks. However, sanctioning was
granted because it was also "open" to adults for the adult/junior events. This was the first junior
tournament sanctioned by the ADO, and highlighted the efforts of the ADO to form a youth program.
The "Spotlight" tournament had all the trimmings of a regular tournament; it was held at the Savannah
Moose Lodge, sponsored by Southeastern Wholesale Darts and Laserdart, and special rates for lodging
were provided by Days Inn. Kathy Maloney skipped another tournament to come spend the weekend
with the kids! The tournament was one of the first to enforce the no smoking rule, and had a "cuss box"
that generated over $75 for the Moose Lodge charities (at 25 cents per cuss!).
The tournament was held again in 1985, but two weeks before the tournament the trophy sponsor backed
out. The Georgia State Championships were held the weekend prior to the youth tournament. While at
the State Championship Lewis Wells and the Atlanta Dart Association came to the rescue by donating
over 50 trophies that players had contributed when they heard of the difficulty we were having. It was a
totally unexpected surprise, and became a prime example of the support and acceptance the kids were
receiving from the dart community. Several nights of shaving/replacing plaques generated some of the
best trophies we could have hoped for!
While at work one day late in 1984, I received a phone call from the President of the ADO, Jay
Tomlinson, asking if I would be interested in helping the ADO establish a National Youth Dart
Program. I was honored, but terrified. It was a clean sheet of paper with the only precedent being what
had been learned through the exploits of the SJDL and contact with other associations. Proposals were to
be reviewed at an ADO Board meeting to be held in Las Vegas at the North American Open the
following year.
There were two major concerns confronting the establishment of a youth program; amateur status and
safety responsibilities. The "award of choice" for dart players was/is financial, and young players might
have other activities that could be affected by cash awards earned while playing darts. The WDF and the
manufacturers of lawn darts had shown concern over the impact of careless injuries to young players.
Lawn Darts had been outlawed in the U.S. due to safety issues, and no one wanted to see darts go the
same route.
The only source of amateur status information that came to mind was the International Olympic
Committee. A letter was sent to the President of the IOC, George Miller, asking for advice. He said that
the IOC does not determine amateur status; each event has their own organization and set of rules. At the
time, there were 36 different governing bodies. He sent the names of the contacts for each one. A form
letter was sent out that inquired about how "dart" money might affect the amateur status within that
particular sport. Many of the letters went to foreign countries. One by one, the responses came in: "No
problem" in some cases, "don't even think about it" in others, and everything in between. It was obvious
we had to declare neutrality.....
After looking at the legalities and issues involved, two statements were generated to help protect the
young players, local organizations, and the ADO:
DISCLAIMER - AMATEUR STATUS: The host association and/or the ADO assumes no
responsibility for any adverse effects which Darts awards may have on the amateur status of any
youth participant. Please check local regulations/restrictions.
DARTS is an adult sport. It is dangerous for children to play without adult supervision.
After many iterations, a draft proposal was presented to the ADO Board in August, 1985. There was still
a lot of work to be done, and the ADO Board added a "Youth Director" position. A survey was created
for ADO organizations known to have youth activities. Using information gathered from the survey and
working with the ADO Board of Directors generated enough input to "tweak" the program to better meet
the needs and capabilities of young players and the ADO.
In August, 1986 the first National Youth Program was established and a "National Youth Manager"
position was added to the ADO Board. Due to the obvious change in the ages of potential tournament
participants, ADO organizations were strongly urged to place the amateur and safety statements on their
tournament fliers. It was also recommended that any cash awards for youngsters be handed to a parent or
person responsible for the young player. Hopefully, those funds would be used in trust. Work was begun
on a program that would reward young players without influencing their amateur status in other sports.
It was during this same time that Tom Fleetwood, General Secretary of the ADO, was serving on the
World Dart Federation Board of Directors. Communication with other WDF Board members had
renewed interest in youth dart activities outside the U.S. Just as the ADO was approving the new youth
program, Tom received communication from the WDF stating that youth events were going to be added
to the WDF agenda. Young champions from around the world would compete for youth titles during
World Cup competition. The ADO program was designed to declare a "National Youth Champion", but
had not been established long enough for the U.S. to crown a new champion under the new program
guidelines. It was decided to take the highest ranking youth player in the ADO points standings and send
him/her to the World Cup in England in December, 1986. That first player was Greg Cruikshank from
Southern California.
1987 was the first year for the new ADO National Youth Program to crown its National Youth
Champion. Only four Areas were able to send representatives; Area II, Pat Smith, Area III,.B. J. Preston,
Area IV, Ken Friend Jr., and Willie Hellman from Area VI. B.J. shot 3 180's on his way to the 1st
National Youth Champion crown. The round robin matches were close, and sportsmanship prevailed.
As they stood on stage for their awards, the young players received a standing ovation from the myriad
of players attending the North American Open.
ADO member organizations began writing and calling the ADO office for information about the youth
program. A 55 page ADO Youth Program Manual was developed to provide answers for those folks
who wanted to start their own youth programs. The manual was based on the experiences of
developing the Savannah Junior Dart League and the ADO program, and took a hard look at places to
play, coaching, skill factors, etc. For those who wanted to get started quickly, there was a set of rules,
Bylaws, and match sheets to build upon. The company I worked for at the time was generous enough to
provide the printing of 500 copies that were sent to over 300 people who requested information. Copies
were also distributed outside the U.S. to Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, England, Italy,
Norway, Spain, and the former Soviet Union.
There were many good suggestions for rewarding the efforts of young dart players. The ADO once
again asked for a proposal based on a "continuing education" suggestion of Bob Bettis, who was an Area
Manager at the time. Not a "scholarship" award in the classical sense, the program would help young
people get started in post-secondary schools. The original program had 2 parts: The first provided funds
for those who had earned their way to the National finals, and the second would allow the families of
young players to apply for financial assistance. The fund would be supported through contributions
from ADO member organizations, individuals, organizers, and sponsors. The first part of the program
was immediately approved, but the decision was made to hold off on the second part of the program
until the fund grew sufficiently to accommodate applicants.
The scholarship fund became a "Memorial Scholarship Fund" after K.C. Mullaneypassed away during
the North American Open in 1988. Shortly thereafter we lost Ed A’Hearnin a car accident.In many
cases donations to the fund were/are made at a family's request as a memorial tribute to a fallen player,
organizer, sponsor, or friend of the dart community.
Organizations continued to find ways to contribute to the fund and one, the Savannah Area Darting
Association, became the main contributor to the fund for several years. It seemed youth activities and
interest had come full circle, and the interest originally developed in Savannah had become infectious.
The ADO established 3 Trustees to the fund; Della Fleetwood, Kaye Axelgard Reeves, and myself. In
typical Della grace and style, she is the one who does all the work. Kaye and I just get to kick her back
into play once in a while. Della has personally handled the daunting task of distributing the scholarship
funds and maintaining the communications necessary to keep everyone informed. As of this writing
(November, 2009) the ADO Memorial Scholarship Fund has helped 50+ young people get started in
post secondary education! Della states that at any given time there are 25 to 30 young players who have
earned eligibility for assistance through the fund.
A spin-off program has been developed for the children of Savannah Area Darting Association members
based on part 2 of the original ADO proposal The program provides typical startup assistance to those
who have shown exceptional achievements both in and out of the classroom.
When asked to write this article, I was again honored and terrified. That seems a trait that goes with the
territory. After I retired from the ADO in 1991 I continued to monitor the progress of the youth
programs throughout the U.S. The ADO Youth Managers have done a terrific job at expanding the
program and making improvements to the system. But, I see disturbing ripples at the local levels.
Although newer under-age laws have kept many young players from competing with the adults in
league competition, some organizations have simply turned their back to young people instead of
finding a way for them to remain active. Hopefully, this article will inspire others to work with young
people and to re-kindle the desires for organized youth dart competition.
The overall quality of any project or program is measured by its success. Feedback has told us that the
effort was worthwhile and there are sooooo many feel-good and life-altering stories that have come
from those children and adults who participated in, and helped to develop, youth dart activities in the
United States. Youth programs have generated a host of high quality players from all over the country.
Some of the original members of the Savannah Junior Dart League have earned their own share of that
success: Mike Rowell went on to become part of the 4 person Georgia State Champions by taking out a
113 with a triple 1, triple 20, double bull in the final leg. Sean Morehouse has earned his way to several
ADO National events, and was part of the 1994 Pacific Cup team. Sean also became ADO
Representative on the SADA Board. Angel Cox played her way to many ADO National events and was
elected President of the SADA adult League in 2003. Tiffany Rowell was an excellent Tournament
Chairman for the SADA. Ken Friend Jr. represented Area IV in the very first National Youth
Championships. Although not a member of the original SJDL, Staci Whitney recently earned the right to
compete in the World Cup in Charlotte.
Many of the original SJDL players now play in the SADA and other leagues throughout the Southeast. I
often find them talking about those Saturdays spent at Nick's Dance Studio and Cheers. There is but one
regret; that most of these young people, who were so instrumental in changing the face of the Savannah
and U.S. dart community, never got a chance to compete in the ADO National Youth program. They did
not set out to be leaders, but assumed the role through the quality of their intent and the integrity of their
actions. Their legacy remains unchallenged, and no realistic value can ever be established for their never
ending contributions to our sport. Southern Hospitality and the strong sense of family took control when
these youngsters looked at Mom & Dad and said "I wanna play". And then came the phone call........