Interview; Mark ‘Mile High’ Hylton talks to Krispy

My latest exclusive interview is with Mark ‘Mile High’ Hylton, who a rising star of the PDC (named ‘PDC Newcomer of the Year‘ at the January PDC awards night no less!)

If you don’t follow the entire PDC pro tour as I do, you may have seen Mark on ITV at the Grand Slam, or maybe Sky Sports at the world championships, but still be wondered who Mark is.  That’s where I’ll try and help you!

If you did watch one more more of Mark’s games during those TV appearances, you probably have already heard that he was previously a senior cabin crew member – hence is nickname.

Anyway – I’ll let Mile High do the talking now…

Q. Mark, many darts fans may have first heard about you at the Grand Slam last year – how long have you been playing darts, and how did you start?

I knew about darts from my Father, who played to a high standard, in the Rugeley and Stafford area, and then watching televised darts with him. He used to enter the national railway singles and doubles, I sometimes went and watched him.  His doubles partner then gave me a set of copper darts, actually they were similar to the ones I use now!  (The late Perce Nicklin was the generous benefactor)

I then could not practice in the house or cause damage; believe it or not it was dad who forbade house practice and dispatched me to playing in the garage with the board propped up on the window ledge.  I played all Saturday afternoons listening to the footie scores.  Then put the board on the floor and aimed at it from the bottom bunk, thus learning to count.  The usual schoolboy stuff, imagining I was playing John Lowe, Eric Bristow etc.

At the age of 15 I used to go to the pub to watch dad on a Monday in the Rugeley and District League (301 nominate double 1 leg!) and I would practice on the real board before and after the match.

I was then given a chance to play in the team, near the end of the 1980/1 season. I must have done OK, they left me in the side for the 1981/2 season. Out of a 38 game season I played in 37 (missed 1 due to a Geology field trip) and won 36. I was by then an avid reader of my uncles darts World magazines and learning everything I could.

Q.  And when did darts get ‘serious’ for you?

I was quite serious from the start, playing for an adults team and the desire to not let anyone down, and then too prove myself, I started playing on a Friday as well and darts had become the highlight of my week.  So in a way it has always been serious! You could say seriously practising darts messed up my A levels (Dart Board in the common room).  I then had a taste of Super League with Jack Rutledges West Midlands side in 1983.

Whilst away at University from 1983 I played in local pub and district leagues in and around Wrexham, as a student the free food and occasional free Beer was very serious. I started to enter Open Competitions and played Wrexham Super League.  I played Rezo Cucchario, a Welsh International, he asked me to sign for the Sunday Super League. Having played well I was selected for Clywd I played for 2 seasons in 1988/9.

Having moved back from Wrexham in 1990 and took up Cricket and played at quite a high standard, probably missing out a few darts opportunities. I re-commenced Rugeley Super league and played with the legendary Lionel Smith which led to me being picked for Staffordshire County in 1993, first game was away in London. We shared our Hotel with the Chippendales!  I continued playing for Staffordshire till the later half of 2008.

I changed my shift in the Airline and concentrated seriously on Open Competitions and things started to go well.

Q. What made you feel like you should join the PDC pro tour?

I had always been a keen follower of all darts and thought; ‘One day…‘

Having qualified for the UK Open 2007, after a couple of other attempts (I won two qualifying places and played in the North West and Midlands Regional Final, missing out in the final game; Mark Walsh 4-5).  I qualified at Derby in 2007 for the TV stages at Bolton and things looked like becoming a reality.

However things did not go to plan, no sponsors appeared and my work and domestic circumstances prevented a move at that stage.  After leaving the County system I concentrated on Open events, I used the fledgling internet system of double16 and other forums to locate these competitions and travel the country playing darts and paying the bills. At one of these events I bumped into Callum and although I did not know it, it was the start of something.

Q. Where was your first PDC tour event, and what did that feel like? (I know I was daunted going to my first event as a guest!). .. and how long did it take until you felt like you belonged there – or that it felt natural to you?

Gibraltar 2010 was my first event, I had had only 1 weeks preparation and only received PDPA clearance 5 days before the event. Standing in the room looking around, I thought ‘what the bloody hell I am doing here‘, pretty surreal to be honest. Luckily I knew a couple of the other lads who helped me chill out all the feelings started to merge into one!  I managed to win a game on the 1st day and that began to settle me.

It was a gradual process with things feeling better in stages, by June I had settled a little and confidence started to come from playing well even if not winning games, close matches against Ronnie Baxter and Kevin Painter helped. A winning run in Holland with wins over Mark Frost and Jamie Caven and M.V.G seemed to be a turning point. Australia had been planned for a long time and to achieve and even better our aims there felt very good.

However probably qualifying for the grand slam and then walking back into the room at the start of this season as a top 64 player and new player of the year really completed the process.

Q. You’re already 53rd in the rankings after only a year attending pro tour events, is that better or worse than you hoped to be at this point?

Strangely I am not sure!  Obviously I originally tried to assure a tour card place and anything else was a bonus, however I am now more confident and have belief in my ability so my aims have altered accordingly.

Q. You appeared to be quite calm in your televised games – are you just a good actor or did you feel relaxed? Was the grand slam an enjoyable experience for you even though you didn’t get through the group stage? (I think you played well if that counts!)

Despite contact from several theatrical agents I will not be turning to an acting career!  It is very strange to watch something on TV one year and then be in it, again with 1 weeks preparation, is very surreal and a huge mix of confidence doubts , nerves etc.  Also a large sense of achievement in moving in the right direction and gain exposure and recognition. I did manage to enjoy the experience if not the result! Deep down I expected to do well, in hindsight I felt I justified my appearance and gained a lot!

Q. After a good 2010 – have you set yourself specific targets for 2011?

Yes – Between me and my ego though Krispy.  However I would like to experience many more of darts big occasions.

Q. I think you come across very well in the TV interviews you have done – do they come easily naturally, and/or do you think your previous job as a cabin crew member has helped?

I quite enjoy them and have been used to being in the spotlight, communication seems to come easily, previous airline experience does help in speaking clearly and trying to get across information.

Q. Your darts throwing action is quite unusual, throwing with your hand.. well ‘mile high’ 🙂 Have you ever tried to change it to something more ‘conventional’?

In the words of Tom Jones, its not unusual to me! It seems so to others, I feel its quite normal, only after re watching the UK Open did I notice its difference from others, however I like to think its just another example of how I am not a conventional dart player.

No I have not tried another technique as 30 years in the making seems quite enough, thanks.

Q. Which players on the tour do you usually hang around with – I know some players have their normal table of players they sit and practice with?

I was very fortunate to know a few of the players from the open tour and league darts over the years; Andy Hamilton and Colin Osborne helped for me to settle on the tour and I always get along with Jamie Caven, however I do not hang around with many darters outside of playing and seem to get along with most on the tour.

Q. And finally, as you’re fairly new to the tour (but already doing very well), what would you say to any amateur players out there thinking of giving it a go next year?

I think any new players should see PDC darts as a full package, it needs full dedication and commitment; a minimum of 2 years must now be taken into account.  The intensity of the whole experience cannot be underestimated and the idea of just having a go is a thing of the past. Full planning and preparation are totally essential now; facts, figures, costs and external matters such as peoples work, mortgages and family life must be taken into account. I believe that if you are to succeed it must be as a result all these factors as well as experience and any natural talent.

A massive thanks to Mark for his replies, and Callum for sorting it out for me!  I think that’s some great advice at the end of the interview – the main difference between entering BDO ranking events and opens, and playing in the PDC pro tour is the level of professionalism and commitment you will need to seriously compete day in day out.

Good luck to Mark in the future – if you’ve seen him play I think you’ll agree he’s going to be on our TV screens quite a lot more in the new few years.  You can find Mark’s own official website here.

Exclusive interview by Krispy for Darts, Beers & Cheers! 2011.

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