Tuesday, December 23, 2025
Column 703
Leonard Gates and the Gap Between Talent and Touch
Every sport has its characters. Darts, being darts, may collect them faster than most.
And then, there’s Leonard Gates.
Gates is one of the most naturally gifted players the United States has produced in years. When he’s on, he throws with a confidence that suggests he genuinely expects the dart to obey him. That kind of self-belief is rare – and essential at the top level.
But talent doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It exists in bars, venues, warm-up areas, hotel lobbies. And it’s there – off the line – where Gates has become one of the most talked-about figures in modern darts, for reasons that have nothing to do with his averages.
The Reputation (Fair or Not)
Within darts circles (except when in front of cameras), Gates has developed a reputation for being distant, abrupt, or simply uninterested in fan interaction. That reputation didn’t appear overnight, and it didn’t come from one isolated incident.
Other players have spoken publicly about his reluctance to engage – refusing photos, declining handshakes, walking past people who expected at least a nod. The consistent theme isn’t rage or aggression. It’s something colder: indifference.
That may sound minor. But in darts – a sport built on proximity, accessibility, and the illusion that pros are “one of us” – indifference lands heavily.
Where Children Enter the Conversation
Here’s where things get delicate – and where care especially matters.
You will hear people say, “He was rude to my kid.” You will see social posts describing children being brushed off at events. What you will not find is documented misconduct, formal complaints, or verified reporting that establishes a pattern of mistreatment of children in any serious or disciplinary sense.
What does appear to be true is simpler, and perhaps more uncomfortable: Gates often treats children exactly the same way he treats adults – by not engaging at all.
For some fans, especially parents introducing their kids to the sport, that feels personal. A refusal of a photo or autograph from a grown adult is shrugged off. The same refusal involving a child sticks.
Intent matters – but impact does too.
The Counterpoint (Because It Exists)
Not everyone has had a negative experience. Some fellow professionals have gone out of their way to describe Gates as a good guy, even generous in private settings. There are also moments on record where he’s shown empathy toward opponents, particularly when crowds crossed lines that shouldn’t be crossed.
That’s important. This isn’t a cartoon villain story. It’s a complicated human one.
The Unavoidable Truth
Here’s the thing darts doesn’t like to admit:
Being good at darts doesn’t buy you insulation from public expectations. If you play on televised stages, if fans pay to attend events, if kids wear replica shirts and wait with Sharpies in hand – then silence, avoidance, and refusal become statements, whether you intend them to or not.
Nobody is owed access. No player is required to smile on command.
But reputations are built from repetition, not intention.
Final Dart
Leonard Gates may never care about this conversation. He doesn’t have to. Plenty of champions don’t.
But in a sport still fighting for mainstream legitimacy, the gap between brilliance and approachability matters. Especially to the next generation standing behind the barriers, dart case in one hand, hero worship in the other.
Darts remembers how you throw.
Fans remember how you make them feel.
And those memories – fairly or unfairly – tend to linger longer than a missed double.
Stay thirsty, my friends,
Dartoid
Great article! Love to watch & try to understand him, maybe a word is difficult! Maybe it is an attempt to stay concentrated!