Starting the process on the long road to youth darts

Over here in Australia, we have whats called liability Insurance and when I checked to find out how much it was to be covered for having a darts school, the price per year was $20,000 and I had to be a business as well! I was at my father in laws talking about strangely enough... darts, I then told him I wanted to start teaching kids to play darts while enjoying themselves as well as learning respect, maths and above all good sportsman ship.

My Father in law suggested I got to the local PCYC (Police & Community Youth Club) and talk to them. This suggestion came about as he as a kids from England, used to go to the youth club where he lived to play all sorts of sports there.

So in I went with a planned introduction in my hand, I said to the co-coordinator that I wanted to do this for the kids and the community as there are potential stars of the future out there and if we do not try to find them, Darts will die a slow death as the kids of today ARE the future of darts.

After an hour of throwing my idea's around and the co-coordinator had suggestions of his own, we worked out the best plan of action to get this "activity" as the PCYC likes to call it and other sports, up and running. Firstly, my proposal would have to be sent off for risk assessment and activity approval (which I have been told would get the OK as the Footy is more of a risk). The PCYC (in Australia) is covered for Three Million Dollars liability insurance, so the way to get around that is to let the activity be run under the PCYC umbrella and I be the coach and mentor.

One of criteria they have with all sports activities is that the person who runs a school/clinic must be accredited (as in coaching) so I have gone for my Coaching accreditation but will have to wait for the class to start. In the meantime I have to sit very patiently and wait.. wait for the OK and accreditation.

I was asked by the co-coordinator if I would mind coaching at the other 2 PCYC's in the area and I said most certainly. That's when my brain started to go overtime, I said we could have inter club competitions and a few years down the track travel to play other PCYC's until the kids are old enough and experienced enough to be in a team. I then mentioned travel to other PCYC's and was informed that they have their own bus and driver! I couldn't believe it, after all the pressure of stress that I was under with liability insurance looking like it would stop me from starting a Youth Darts School how great and easy everything fell into place.

I was shown a room and asked if this would be big enough to use, it most certainly would hold 2 boards easy and enough room for at least 10 kids! Excellent lighting, just one proviso is that I put up and take down the boards myself as I will be the sole responsibility for all equipment.

Also, I have been informed that as a volunteer (as darts school will be under the PCYC) I will be given a PCYC shirt and ID Card & pass for security reasons which of course is natural and a very small price to pay to help the community and the future of darts!

I have a forecast of 5 years (a realistic number as one never knows what may happen).

After all that is passed then the School will get going and I am going to be at it night and day. For starters I will need to get 2 dartboards (new), 12 sets of darts with spare stems and flights, few pocket checkout charts for the kids to take home and learn, some posters of current Players (for the youth to associate with when I talk about players) also perhaps an Oche' Mate would come in handy as I will have to take down and put up the boards myself every time we have school.

Best wishes

Warren.