Bermuda?s national darts team head to the 15th Caribbean Championships in Fort Lauderdale, Florida at the end of the month with national coach Eldon Lewis convinced that the Island can secure their best-ever finish at the biennial event.

?This is one of the best groups of players we have ever taken down there,? said Lewis.

?In terms of structure and preparation I cannot remember a better team in my years involved with the sport. I think there is a strong chance that will will finish much higher up the rankings than we have before ? perhaps even as high as fourth.?

Bermuda?s most successful campaign was in 1998 when the team finished sixth, behind the likes of Caribbean powerhouses the Bahamas, St.Lucia and Jamaica.

The team of eight men, five women, one coach and a manager, have been preparing since last November and consist mainly of seasoned campaigners with many years of experience at the regional event and at the darts World Cup.

Lewis? 20-year-old daughter Stephanie is the youngest member of the squad and will be making her Caribbean debut in Florida.

?We have three new faces this year in the form of John Almeida, Stephanie Lewis and Janet Burrows,? Lewis said.

?But overall we are taking players with a lot of experience which will hopefully help us when we are in pressure situations.?

Despite his obvious contentment with the talent on offer in the current national team, Lewis also lamented the Island-wide decline in popularity of darts in the face of an unrelenting barrage of modern day distractions.

?I?ve been involved in this sport for many years and I have seen a pretty rapid drop-off in interest with a lot of people not bothering to come out and play,? he said.

?I put it down to a decline in sporting club life in Bermuda. There are a lot of other things such as satellite TV and video games which have become significantly more popular and although we are taking down a strong team this year, I am somewhat anxious about the future.?:Dave Griffin, Gregor Mcqueen, Simon Carruthers, Jimmy Pratt, Baritt Lewis, Steve Hickmott, John Almeida, Vernon Daniels: Brenda Hutton, Elizabeth Hicknott, Stephanie Lewis, Janet Burrows, Terry Cartwright: Eldon Lewis: Baritt Lewis