BullShooter Magazine August 2015 Number 8 Volume 32 | Page 10

Omaha, Nebraska

Greater Omaha League Players
Successful at NDA Junior Championships
The 2nd Annual NDA Junior Dart
Championships is now in the past
and one group of teens are finally
able to rest easy. The team known
as Wolfpack: Next Generation, from
Plattsmouth, Nebraska, had a long
road to the 2015 Junior tournament.
The team was put together in
January of this year when league coordinator Steve Garrean Jr. and his
Junior League coach, Matt Winters,
saw potential in four young dart players. The team, comprised of Trent
Record (18 years old), Kole Gray (16
years old), Chance Taylor (14 years
old) and Dallas Winters (13 years old)
had no idea what would transpire after they accepted the invitation.
The team was told that they had to
earn their way to the tournament, so
it wouldn’t be a financial burden on
their families. Over the course of the
next several months, the team and its
coaches hosted fundraiser dart tournaments, spaghetti feeds, raffles, and
much more while also finding sponsors to help pay for the expenses incurred by the trip.
When all was said and done, the
team had reached their financial goal
with help from sponsors that included
Greater Omaha Leagues, Plattsmouth
Eagles #365, Varsity Sports Bar and
Brumm Eye Care. The team, with
two of its members having thrown for
less than a year, knew that it had a lot
to improve in their game too.
The coaches had the boys sign up for
their local “A” Division Team League
as well as play in local tournaments,
have extra training sessions and even
play in larger Regional dart tournaments (BullShooter Nebraska and
Heartland Dart Championships)
against top competition. After all, if
these boys were that serious about the
competitive side of the game, this was
necessary. The six months prior to
the Junior tournament witnessed an
extreme improvement in their aver-

ages, teamwork and professionalism.
Once at the Junior Tournament, the
boys exceeded everyone’s expectations; including that of their coaches.
Here’s how they ended up:
Chance Taylor (14)--Singles 501 National
Champion
Kole Gray (16)--Singles 501 National
Runner-Up
Dallas Winters (13)--Singles Cricket
National Runner-Up
Trent Record (18) & Dallas Winters
(13)--Doubles 501 3rd Place
Kole Gray (16), Chance Taylor (14) &
Steve Garrean, Jr. (Adult)--Adult/Youth
Trips National Champions

Upon returning home, they were
welcomed with fan fare and a pseudoceleb reaction. They were featured
in articles in local newsletters, on
social media, and were even given
their own segment on the news. All
four players will return for next year’s
Junior Tournament, but it will be as
player-coaches helping 2-4 new teammates get ready for National competition. The coaches, as well as these
four players, will be scouting during
Greater Omaha Leagues’ Summer
Junior League to see who they want
to add to their team.
The team would like to thank everyone who supported them through the
whole process and hope they will continue to suppport the team with newly
added members as they raise the money for next year’s trip.

Adult / Youth Trips National Champions
Chance Taylor, Steve Garrean, Jr. & Kole Gray

Singles 501
Kole Gray (2nd) &
Chance Taylor (National Champion)

Submitted By
Greater Omaha Dart Legue
Cricket Singles National Runner-Up
Dallas Winters

Team M & R Darts

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