Darts Video Coaching

Posted: 30.03.11 in Darts Performance Centre Blog category

Our new website is launched and it is a first! A video coaching and analysis service for dart players located anywhere in the World.

The Darts Performance Centre has launched the first ever “remote” coaching service for dart players from all over the planet. Darts Coaching. Co (yes .co) has been set up to give dart players the opportunity to have their throw analysed by a small team of specialist darts coaches.

How does it Work?

Players sign up at the darts coaching website (special introductory offer of £19.50) load up their video in their own personal profile area and when it is received at Darts Coaching HQ we set to work on investigating every aspect of the player`s technique.  We are searching for any flaws in their technique that if corrected would have a positive impact on their overall game.

The Analysts

Paul Gillings is qualified in the performance analysis of sport – this has involved investigating every aspect of a darts performance in the search for the “winning formula” found in successful dart players. Andy Humphrey is qualified in sport and exercise science and in particular has specialised in human body movement during sport. His research work recently has been focused entirely on darts. Oh yes, he has also played the game for thirty years.

How do we Analyse Your Throw?

When your video is loaded you press the “Notify DCA” button and we set to work. Your video is analysed using the latest up to date technology in the form of specialist sports analysis video software. The software allows for footage to be slowed to up to 60fps (frames per second) so we can detect the minutest changes in stance, aim, and also the trajectory of the dart that would normally be missed by the naked eye (we have already started re-writing "ther manual" on how to throw based on current findings). The video is then split up into a report format with screen prints detailing our findings.

The Report

We have allowed ourselves two working days to get your report back to you, we are very thorough! We cover every aspect of your throw; this includes photos with any helpful angles or lines and video clips for you to refer to. All this data is loaded into your profile area for you to look at anytime you like.

Does it Work?

The Theory – It is impossible to improve at any sport without feedback. Feedback is obtained in two ways. 1. Internally – a player can gauge themselves whether an action felt right (like throwing the dart for example) and can learn to connect the “right feeling “with a successful outcome (treble twenty).2.  External feedback is feedback received from a third party, a coach for example. It has been proven that valuable feedback can be obtained by studying video footage of a player`s technique.

In Practice  

We have trialled our video analysis at a grass-roots tournament – The Eastbourne Open. We have also run a session with a pub team – Team Kasbah and tested our new site on members of The Darts Performance Centre. All trials have led to very positive feedback from all who took part. We believe in total transparency of the methods we use (even though we risk imitators). How else can darts coaching move forward without total transparency?

What Next?

What do you do now? Rely on your mates to put you right or pick up some tips from a darts forum for free? Or, take some advice, based on sound academic coaching research by two qualified sports scientists who have tested, proven and published their coaching methods?