It started with, “180!” – Year 13 student and fourth year SBHS Darts Club member, Matt Kendall, shouting into the SBHS Assembly Hall microphone in front of 650 Shirley Boys. “You are all invited to enter the first ever SBHS Darts OPEN Championship”, “that’s right, it open to every SBHS student”.

SBHS has followed in the footsteps of the international rise in popularity of Darts. 

Starting in 2014 at first with a friendly teachers match between SBHS old boy and current Director of Sport, Mr Jamyn Keats and Head of Geography, Mr Mike Skinner. 

Eight to ten students and a few staff would come into F1 classroom for a bit of banter and some fun darts. 

Two weeks later and it was Mr Keats laying claim to starting it all with the first 180 at SBHS. Now Mr Skinner has eight and Matt Kendall has 14, and counting.  Fast Forward a few days ago, and almost 100 spectators were cheering on a darts battle between a Year 9 and Year 13 student.

The SBHS Darts Open Championship started with an official 48 entries, from Year 9 to Year 13, with four ranked players from SBHS Darts Club; 

• 1 Matt ‘The Spin’ Kendall, 
  
• 2 Lachie ‘Dagger’ Watson, 
  
• 3 Ryan ‘Rhino’ James 
  
•  4 Lachie ‘Niuean Lightning’ Osakai-Wilson
  

Mixing amongst the other keen dartists from the student body – no teachers being allowed to enter this competition.

Each round of matches was advertised in the daily notices and an invite extended “to bring your lunch to F1 Arena and enjoy some darts on the three boards”. Double finishes were required and the match of the round score was on the big screen for all to follow.

From Day One,  there were always 50 plus spectators watching and cheering on a match, whether it was between “Q-Ball” and “Danger” or “The Knight” and “Braddles”– rules of entry meant all students had to have darts nickname, and walk-on songs were needed should you make the final. Players and spectators in the Arena quickly embraced the festival atmosphere that seems to travel the globe with Darts at the moment.

After six days of competition, it again ended with Matt Kendall waiting anxiously in the ante-room, this time with his Grand Final competitor, Lachie Watson.

Mr Skinner, the SBHS Darting Doyen, organised the event to mirror what most observers have come to see regularly on SkyTV. 

With flag bearers walking the players in to their chosen walk-on songs. To spectators chanting and Mr Skinner on the board calling the scores on the mic, these scores were then followed via the big screen, all the while streaming live over the internet and lastly the lucky “corporate box” winners with free food and fizzy whilst sitting on the classroom’s two lazy-boys.

The Grand Final lived up to its billing as an exciting and tense battle, Matt especially, having a point to prove, after Lachie had beaten him in the SBHS Premier League Semi-Final last term. Both players started nervously but it was Matt that took the first leg. Lachie came back in the second with some high scoring darts. However, a short break gave Matt a chance to connect with his throwing coach and he came out with more purpose in the second stanza to take the next 2 legs. Winning the final 3-1.

This all bodes well for the new school, with larger spaces being able to accommodate the darts AND the spectators.

Relive the spectacle here: 

https://www.facebook.com/100016937613904/videos/312648789309706/

Or read the local sports reports here:

https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/view/62008904/norwest-news-september-04-2018/13

https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/view/62008895/pegasus-post-september-04-2018/15