Junior darts in the Nottingham area has been given a huge boost following a Bullseye Maths schools visit by Devon Petersen and a special Room 180 Academy visit by local MPs.
The PDC launched Bullseye Maths earlier this year as an initiative to encourage maths development in Key Stage 2 children, with in-school sessions accompanied by an online portal at pdc.tv/maths.
The latest Bullseye Maths school visit saw popular South African star Petersen visit Cotmanhay Junior School, where 16 students undertook the hour-long session.
Petersen was also welcomed by a 150-strong school choir, who sang Bruno Mars’ “Count On Me”, and the former German Darts Championship winner joined in dancing with pupils to his walk-on song, Shakira’s “Waka Waka”.
Petersen also paid a visit to the Room 180 Academy at Nottingham College, which is affiliated to the PDC and also now hosts a weekly Junior Darts Corporation Academy on a Monday night.
Pupils from Cotmanhay Junior School were joined by students from Hempshill Hall Primary School in visiting Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena and playing darts on stage on Thursday ahead of the Cazoo Premier League’s visit to the city.
“It’s great to see the Bullseye Maths programme and I loved it,” said Petersen. “It’s a fun way to learn maths and it’s fantastic because it’s interactive and helps the children to learn.
“Knowing your multiplications of two and three is crucial in darts and we get used to those patterns, but you have to be able to add up, subtract and multiply all at the same time.
“The session included some of that and the children were great, they really got involved and enjoyed themselves.
“Growing up, I was okay in school but this programme is so good for your basic maths. Helping the next generation of players to learn the game is a big ambition of mine and Bullseye Maths is a brilliant concept.”
Petersen added: “I’m working to set up my own Academy in South Africa and I want to continue working with the PDC to develop the sport there and worldwide.”
The Room 180 Academy was also the venue for a recent visit of local MPs Alex Norris (MP for Nottingham North), Nadia Whittome (MP for Nottingham East) and Lilian Greenwood (MP for Nottingham South).
The trio enjoyed a game of darts whilst on a tour of the Basford Hall campus of Nottingham College, as well as learning about the Bullseye Maths initiative and associated player development programmes through the JDC.
For more details about the Room 180 Academy or the JDC’s Nottingham Academy, please contact Gary Horsley via gary.horsley@nottinghamcollege.ac.uk.
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Images: Debbie Whitmore
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