Teesside darts academy hoping to find the next Luke Littler sensation
It's based at St. Mary's Social Club in Grangetown
A new darts academy for children and teenagers in Teesside is hoping to find the next Luke Littler.
It has been open for just over a month and it is based at St. Mary's Social Club in Grangetown in an effort to promote youth darts and stop kids from going down a route of crime.
Coach Joe Goodison said: "It's gone really well. When we first started we thought we were only going to get like 12 to 13 kids coming but I think we have something like 50 to 70 kids coming on a week now. We get new people coming in. I can't believe how popular it's become.
"All these young kids are turning up with Luke Littler darts. It's absolutely massive and it's not only that, it gets kids off the streets. There's a lot of poverty and violence and we don't want kids getting involved, so by bringing them here into a safe spot, they can learn the trade and if some of these become professional, they can become millionaires of it.
"At the moment it's a mix of some kids coming on Monday, some come Thursday or both. They'll do two or three games from 6pm until 7pm and then from 7pm to 8pm they'll play a mini-tournament between each other, but in the games they have to try and score points and get used to playing other people. We try and mix it up so they're not with their friends so they're making new friends as well.
"We've got kids starting at 6 years-old right the way through to 21 coming, so there's a whole range. I'm proud of them all now for coming out. It's better than being on the streets and doing whatever.
"We've got people coming from Middlesbrough, Eston, Darlington, Stockton and Redcar. We're going to Belfast in July to play an academy over there so we're taking 14 kids over so we'rel inking up with other academies trying to bring us altogether and make friendships. It seems to be going well."
14 year-old Emily said: "I think it gives me a bit more confidence because I feel like more people notice me and I get more attention drawn to me because I'm the only girl here. I feel like there needs to be a bigger influence on females like Luke Littler did but female."
Eight year-old Colin says he was inspired by Luke Littler: "He's just confident and he's that good it's hard to explain it, so he's just so good. I think probably yes I could be the next Luke Littler. I hit a 180 two-weeks ago. I was so happy. I was feeling that buzzing I can't even explain it."