Double 22’s Dart League brings in provincial/national team players for recent memorial dart tournament

The Whitecourt Double 22’s Dart League held its 8th Annual Memorial Mixed Team Dart Tournament on March 18. The event brought players in from the area and from far outside it, as some guests travelled in from Ontario and BC. The action started before lunch and continued through the afternoon. A total of 64 players participated. Players who scored 22 points on a single turn got to wear a poofy pink tutu, bringing out the laughs and increasing the fun.

There was a mix of newer players and veteran ones. One player from St. Albert, Cole Guenette, is an alternate member for Team Alberta this year. Provincially, Guenette ranks in the 20s and has played since he was four. “When I was a youth, I played on Team Alberta. I was able to make the team multiple times. I’ve been playing for a long time. It’s a good hobby. It’s good to compete for money and points, and you get to know the crew really well.”

Guenette had played in the Whitecourt tournament before and said the atmosphere makes for a stress-free competition. “My team won this event last year. It’s fun. We were joking about that; there’s no adrenaline in this or competition. I know that might sound bad, but what I mean is that it’s fun, and there’s no pressure.” He said new players joining the sport come out on teams to Whitecourt. “If you want to come into a room and just have fun, then this is where you come. Everyone is here for one reason only. This is why we come here.”

As someone who has competed in darts nearly his whole life, Guenette said playing one-on-one is very different because the adrenaline is high. “I want to win. That’s the focus. But here, throughout the day, whether I play good or bad, my mood always stays the same. I’m happy to be here. We come in from Edmonton/St. Albert area. The team I play with is from Vanderhoof, BC. They come in just for this. We spend the night, and we have fun all day. We say our goodbyes in the morning, and then we say see you next year and come back again.”

To get onto Team Alberta, Guenette competed in a three-day Provincials tournament. “You compete against the best in this province and try to make that top eight, top nine guys.” He said his goal going forward is to stay on the team. “I want to try and compete for the team every year and continue doing it. I’ve been doing this my whole life. It’s a big hobby for me. I sponsor it and always travel with the group. I also go with friends and sponsor friends.”

John Hannon was also at the Whitecourt Double 22’s Memorial; it was his first time. Hannon has played the game extensively across Canada and is currently ranked 5th in Alberta. He has played on the National Team since 2015 and was the captain last year. “I picked up darts when I was about twenty, so I’ve been playing around 17 years now,” said Hannon.

His start in the sport was by happenstance. “I used to be a pool player. When I was playing back home, there was only one pool table and two dartboards. So when I went to play pool, I practiced darts. One Tuesday night, a team playing was missing a player, so they asked me to play. I stepped in and actually won that night, and they asked me to stay on and play.” As a member of the National Team, Hannon said it’s a privilege to be amongst the best players in the country.

Originally from Ireland and now living in Leduc, Hannon played in the Double 22’s Memorial thanks to a heads-up from his coach on the Nationals Team. “He’s here with me today. He suggested we put a four-person team in. It’s my first time here, and it’s a great setup. It’s not taken too serious, but it’s also serious at the same time. Everyone wants to win, but everyone wants to have a good time too. That’s what I’m here for.”

Hannon and Guenette said the sport is great to get into. “It’s probably one of the greatest and simplest hobbies to play. It really is. You have to throw something pointy at a dart board, and everybody around in the sport where you go is willing to help you,” said Guenette. “I know a lot of people worry about the counting and the math, but there’s so much more than those types of games. It’s just a fun game, and it’s very common. I started as a kid. Now I teach my kids. I like coaching kids and adults that have never played. It’s a good overall hobby to have. And it’s a cheap hobby too.”

Several different dart tournaments are happening in the region over the next few months, and the Double 22’s are always looking for new people to join the fun. Drop-in dart nights happen on Fridays at the Whitecourt Legion. Registration starts at 7 pm, and all are welcome. Join the Whitecourt Double 22’s Dart League Facebook page to keep up to date on tournaments.