Loxley Darts would like to extend our thanks to Courtney Hine for representing us proudly over the past 2 years. We wish Courtney all the very best of luck as she moves on to the next step in her career.
Courtney Hine
Carrying a name already well established within the darting world, Courtney Hine looks to emulate her father’s success on the professional circuit, as she looks to kick-start her career, and push to become one of the best players in the world of darts.
Courtney threw her first darts at just 8 years old, picking up her dad’s darts down the pub after his league game. “He was in the Top 50 in the world”, Courtney told me, “I wanted to be like him!”. Since then, she has continued practicing and preparing, making sure she is always prepared for the next opportunity that comes her way. Recently, it was the PDC Ladies Tour, and PDC Grand Slam Qualifier – an invaluable experience that will help set Courtney up for the 2021 darts season, ready to push herself against some of the best female players in the world.
Her biggest achievement to date, she informed me, was winning her senior county debut for Warwickshire, in their home match against Devon back in November 2019. Playing in the very first game of the weekend, Courtney managed to control her nerves, racing into a 2-0 lead before her opponent managed to peg back a leg. Finding her scoring power, Courtney raced to a finish in just 15 darts, allowing her plenty of time to see out the leg, sitting on 151 with her opponent well back on 340. She hit the final double, eventually checking out 15 to claim a win on her debut and establishing herself as a regular in the Premier Division side.
The moment that has defined her, and given her the confidence and desire to carry on was when she was approached by Loxley Darts. “They have given me the drive to play more than I have been”, Courtney said, “to try to get myself to where I want to be, which is one of the best ladies in the world”. This confidence, she feels, will reflect in her practice and her competitive performances, stating “they made me realise I do have potential if I put my mind to it”.
Her short term goal is a simple, yet difficult one: “to find the dart that is perfect for me, and improve my game”. Unhappy with her current arrows of choice, Courtney seeks perfection in the equipment she uses – something Loxley will help out with (look for the upcoming release of her new ‘Cyclone’ darts!). In the long term, she wants to “be one of the best players in the world”, as well as to “improve [her] confidence”, as well as to, “not be as nervous in any game”. While a difficult task for even experienced professionals, Courtney acknowledges that there “is a long road [ahead] to achieve [her goals], but I’m sure I can do it!”.
Thank you to Courtney for talking time to speak to me about her career to date – I can’t wait to see what’s next for the ‘Cupcake Kid’! Best of luck for the upcoming year, I can’t wait to see what you’ll achieve in 2021 should the PDC continue the Ladies Tour! Thank you again to Loxley for the opportunity to write for them – time to get started in the next project!
Author – Joe Reid