'Aiming for the future'
About us.....
Blackburn Youth Darts Academy is a non-profitable organisation launched in March 2017 by founder and Academy Director Keith Brunt.
The Academy aims to promote the Sport of Darts to children and young people whom are the future of the sport.
The Academy enrolls both boys and girls aged 6 to 18 years to participate in darts activities. We hold weekly coaching sessions and attend competitions locally and nationally representing the town. Since our launch we have participated in numerous competitions and won many of these, some of which were against some well established academies. We have reached the Semi Finals also on a couple of occasions.
The academy is now based at St Paul's Working Mens Club, Blackburn. This is our 4th venue since launching, having to move due to venues closing or the Academy outgrowing the venue. The Academy has 10 free standing dartboard set ups and a main stage set up. This really is one of the best darts facilities around which is admired by other academies around the country.
We are a JDC affiliated and Target Elite 1 Affiliated Academy. We are fully insured, all our Coaches and Volunteers are fully DBS checked and are qualified in Child Safeguarding. We have 4 Level 1 Qualified Darts Coaches from only around 18 in the world. We currently have over 60 students and this is growing every month. All funds collected go back into academy by paying for equipment, trips, competitions and general running costs.
Not only do we coach and mentor our students, but we are dedicated to ensure each member improves and develops as a darts player. This is why the Academy Director analyses each members stats every 8 weeks and produces tables and graphs to show if members are improving or if more coaching is required in certain areas.
We are committed to identifying talent within the sport and have had 3 students signed by companies such as Target, Cuesoul and Mission.
During our time, we have made so many great achievements from Academy Director being awarded the JDC Community Award in 2019, numerous students qualifying for the Junior World Championships each year, Students securing PDC Development Tour Scholarships, Students setting records within youth darts such as highest ever average in youth at 115.3 and first to get a 9 darter during a JDC event, having student represent both England A and B teams in the World Cup and more recently having a student hit the winning dart for England to win the World Cup.
We are proud of everything we have achieved at the academy and of our fantastic team and venue, and are certain even more great achievements will follow. Why not join us and be a part of our fantastic journey.
Our Ambassadors
Alan Warriner-Little
Alan Warriner-Little
Alan Warriner-Little
"I am proud, honoured and inspired to be the Ambassador for Blackburn Youth Darts Academy, my Lancastrian roots will always give me pleasure when I see someone from the area doing well,
or showing the promise and potential to be a professional player one day.
All the guys at the academy are there for you and to help you enjoy playing da
"I am proud, honoured and inspired to be the Ambassador for Blackburn Youth Darts Academy, my Lancastrian roots will always give me pleasure when I see someone from the area doing well,
or showing the promise and potential to be a professional player one day.
All the guys at the academy are there for you and to help you enjoy playing darts, I am really looking forward to seeing all these young players giving it their all,
Have fun and enjoy playing, and I hope to see you all on the Oche at the Academy".
Darryl Fitton
Alan Warriner-Little
Alan Warriner-Little
Darryl Who is the Head of Youth Development for Target and the Elite 1 team will be a great addition to the academy. Darryl has visited the academy and is in contact with Keith and helps mentor the students, watching their progress,
"It's a fantastic honour to become an ambassador for Blackburn darts academy because after all these kids
Darryl Who is the Head of Youth Development for Target and the Elite 1 team will be a great addition to the academy. Darryl has visited the academy and is in contact with Keith and helps mentor the students, watching their progress,
"It's a fantastic honour to become an ambassador for Blackburn darts academy because after all these kids are the future of our sport and a big well done to the guys who take there own time out every week to make this happen"
Joe Cullen
Alan Warriner-Little
Joe Cullen
Joe is the latest Professional player to join our team of Ambassadors here at Blackburn Academy.
Joe was so impressed with our students who attended his exhibition, that he was only too pleased to accept the invitation to become an Ambassador.
Joe is planning on doing an exhibition for the Academy to help raise funds.
Welcome to the team Joe.
Laura Turner
Laura Turner
Laura Turner
Laura Turner was pleased to become one of Blackburn Youth Darts Academy's Ambassador. We hope Laura can inspire more girls to join the academy.
John Gwynne
Laura Turner
Laura Turner
"I have watched with interest the development of the Blackburn Youth Darts Academy in recent years and, on one occasion, saw it in action.
That was a night in early March, pre-lockdown for COVID-19, when I turned up to see the club in action and to hand over a cheque.
I had decided to answer a plea from the BYDA for sponsorship of the ce
"I have watched with interest the development of the Blackburn Youth Darts Academy in recent years and, on one occasion, saw it in action.
That was a night in early March, pre-lockdown for COVID-19, when I turned up to see the club in action and to hand over a cheque.
I had decided to answer a plea from the BYDA for sponsorship of the certificates which are awarded to youngsters who have shown positivity, progress and potential over a given time, incentives which encourage players from six to sixteen to improve their game. The money I was happy to part with, I was told by Keith Brunt, would keep them in certificates for the next three years, probably four in view of the closedown during the pandemic.
I am thrilled to have been invited to be an Ambassador as well".
Paul Booth
Laura Turner
Paul Booth
Paul has been a keen supporter of Blackburn Youth Darts Academy since he first saw them attending a Darts Exhibition at Thwaites Empire Theatre where Paul was the MC for the Late Legend of Darts Eric Bristow. Since that evening Paul has followed the academy with interest and has always promoted them at Exhibitions and even at the Televised BDO World Trophy Event in 2019.
