Since its inception in 2015, the JDC has changed and adapted its methods to become a better learning platform for darts. The JDC teaches juniors aged 8-18 that darts is for anyone. It\u2019s inclusive for people of all abilities whether darts is ingrained in your life or a brand-new hobby. Over time, the JDC\u2019s reputation has increased with sponsorships secured with Winmau<\/a>, the Professional Darts Corporation<\/a> (PDC) and more. With the PDC as official partners, the PDC now recognises all JDC tournaments. This has opened the door to junior players qualifying for PDC tournaments and tours by participating in such events.<\/span><\/p>\n A stand-out feature of the JDC is its infamous coloured grading system. The coloured medal system is similar to karate-style grading, with each colour corresponding to your level as a dart player. The colours begin at white for beginners rising to black for the high-level players. Originally, the coloured system was represented by coloured shirts but this has since changed to medals. JDC administrator Darren Barson<\/a> said that darts has become so popular that everyone wants their own darts shirt and some academies now have their own. The new medal system was a more financially stable method of grading due to juniors growing out of their shirts. This system is used to help juniors track their progress and have something physical to show off that progress. \u201cA child can wear them, they can go to school and show off what they’ve done,\u201d says Darren.<\/span><\/p>\n To further execute their vision, the JDC created the Greenzone dartboard. This board is the same as a normal dartboard except the middle of the board has a larger green section which is called the Greenzone. This made matches more competitive between the higher and lower-skilled players. The higher skilled players finish a match by hitting a double, whereas the lower-skilled players finish a match by hitting the Greenzone on the JDC dartboard. Darren told us it was to break down two barriers \u2013 spending three hours on double one trying to finish a game and spending ages working out which doubles to go for. The larger Greenzone finishing area allows beginners to just practice throwing rather than worrying about their maths. \u201cGreenzone is giving the majority of young kids the chance to enjoy the game,\u201d said Darren.<\/span><\/p>\n JDC founder Steve Brown and former World Champion Peter Wright holding the JDC Greenzone dartboard.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n The JDC uses a handicap system corresponding to the coloured grading medals. The colour of someone\u2019s medal is decided through their performances in a training programme, specifically created for the JDC, which is used as a medium to measure the ability of players.<\/span> It consists of 57 individual targets utilising the entire dartboard. \u201cIt’s challenging in some areas when you go for the doubles but it’s not so challenging when you’ve just got to hit the single numbers,\u201d said Darren. The system used in the JDC is explained below.<\/span><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.shefnews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2021\/12\/263589834_287308009995387_3268554307234379233_n-283x300.jpg\")
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