Skegby youngster Jackson is aiming to be King of the dartboard

The Skegby teenager, who turns 17 this month, began playing alongside his twin brother, Harvey, and elder brother, Charley, the second their grandad bought them their first velcro board as toddlers and he hasn’t stopped since.

All three siblings went on to play competitively as youngsters and from when they were eight-years-old were part of the Jamie Caven Academy in Derby, but it’s Jackson who is now making huge strides as he competes on the JDC [Junior Darts Corporation] Foundation Tour and recently took part in the JDC World Championships in Gibraltar.

And with the sensational exploits of new PDC world champion Luke Littler seeing more and more youngsters take up the sport all the time, Jackson’s mum Jayne Banks explained that her son’s progress has been exciting to witness.

She said: “Because he was affiliated with the JDC through Jamie Caven’s academy, Jackson went down that road and has been doing really well.

"We’ve got sponsors including the Cueball Academy [where the Jamie Caven Academy is based] and Robin Hood Garage Doors in Mansfield which has helped pay for Q-School and the Foundation Tour with JDC.

"But Jackson’s also now been signed up by Unicorn who are providing all of his equipment so that’s a huge help and massive step forwards.

"He’s playing in more and more tournaments and winning those has helped top up his funds that helps cover a lot of travel and hotel costs, and played in the JDC Super 16s with Luke Littler in 2023.

"He got to the last 32 of the JDC World Championships in Gibraltar and while there he made the last 16 of the Gibraltar Youth Open.”

Jackson is now ranked sixth in the world JDC standings and third in England, won five different events in 2024, was runner-up in two others and has impressed throughout the ranking events in which he’s taken part.

Having been old enough to play two Development Tour events last year, he’s now about to take on the whole tour, including matches abroad, which is the plan for 2025 and for which he is keen to attract sponsorship to aid the numerous travelling costs involved.

And Jackson’s exploits are all the more remarkable given he has autism, dyspraxia and ADHD, all hurdles he refuses to let hamper his progress but which have also led to more awareness in the darts community, with safeguarding courses having been introduced by the JDC for all academy mentors to take part in.

Jayne added: “It’s always a challenge for Jackson but it’s never stopped him. Darts can help children with autism, it’s just a case of helping them control their feelings if they lose a match and putting things in perspective – you’ll lose more than you win so it’s about ensuring they can cope with that.

"Things like giving them more time out rather than coming back to mark other matches straight away, as is the custom when you’re knocked out of a tournament.

"I’m also co-ordinator of the England Disability Youth Darts which I’m very proud to do and Jackson is able to compete in those events too, in which he’s also done really well.”

Jayne has supported her sons throughout their darts journeys but also now runs her own academy, the Kings Darts Academy, based at The Towers in Mansfield and launched in November last year.

She said: “We have ​been affiliated by the JDC which makes such a big difference because it means our players can take part in the JDC events for a fee, which you can’t do if you’re not affiliated.

"And thanks to our connection with Unicorn through Jackson, they approached us straight away to sponsor the academy so supplied us with oches, boards, lights, surrounds, marker boards and so on, which set us up really well.

"It was a dart room anyway so it was just a case of replacing everything that was there with the new equipment.

"We have support from the Derby academy too and I go there once a week to run a group for those who can’t get over to us in Mansfield, as we don’t want them to lose out and they can be registered to our academy meaning they can do the JDC events too.

"We have good numbers already and don’t want too high a capacity because it’s about quality over quantity, because we are training them and if you have too many you’re taking money to them and risking leaving them to their own devices if the coaches are spread too thinly.

"With the success of the likes of Luke Littler over the last year, there have been more academies affiliated than ever before, which is great because it means kids don’t have to travel as far and hopefully it’s going to help bring a great generation of players through.”