Newfoundland and Labrador Darts Association
A Chat With The Players of Tomorrow - Kip Morrish
I was sitting on the plane heading for Thunder Bay, Ontario to
attend the 2005 Youth National Championships when the
idea came to me “why not interview some of the youth players
for a change”. After all these are our “adults of tomorrow”. I am probably a little
prejudiced but I believe Canada’s youth program is one of the best. This is due,
in part, to the excellent training the provincial youth leaders have received over the
years from Carol Collett, our longtime National Youth Development Director.
Jenelle Legge hails from Marystown in Newfoundland/Labrador, is now 19 years
old, and is presently attending college and so this is her final year as a youth
player. She has represented Newfoundland/Labrador since 2001 was the Senior
Girls Singles Champion in 2004 and again in 2005 as well as Joint 3rd in the
Senior Girls Doubles in 2005. She has been playing darts since she was 13 and
became interested because her parents played the game. She hopes to
continue to play as an adult but she has plans to leave Newfoundland/Labrador
and become a resident of Alberta, so she should have lots of opportunity to
continue her dart career there. Jenelle has graduated from high school and is
presently attending college. As a result, the money that she won at the bursary
shoot will certainly be an asset to her with her post secondary education. The
bursary shoot is a new event that has been added for the advantage of our youth
players and it was certainly well received this year. An amount of $500.00 is
designed for the bursary for each of the four youth levels with $300.00 going to
first place and $200.00 going to the runner-up. The youth have two-years from the
date of their 19th birthday to provide verification of registration in a post-
secondary program to become eligible to receive the appropriate amount.
I then spoke to Simon Cayer who hails from Quebec City. Simon has
represented Quebec on seven occasions. As Simon is now 18 this will be his
last year of competition at the youth level. He wasn’t quite sure whether he would
continue to play as an adult but we certainly hope that he will. Simon first started
playing darts in 1997 and became interested because his father sold dart
supplies. In 1998, with his partner, he won the Junior Boys Doubles. Although
the best standing Simon has achieved in singles is Joint third, he has been a
fierce competitor over the years and I am sure he will be missed at future youth
events. Simon achieved a “first” this year. He became the first youth player to
attend and pass the Officiating Certification Program, which qualifies him as a
Level II Certified Official.
I couldn’t avoid talking to one of the players from the host province. Justin
MacLeod is 17 years old and hails from Blind River, Ontario. Justin has been
playing darts since he was 13 and this was the second time that he has
represented Northern Ontario at the Nationals. Justin has won numerous events
in Blind River and on the first occasion of attending the youth nationals, won the
Junior Boys Singles. He won his second national event in 2005 when, with his
partner Raymond Ritchie won the Senior Boys Doubles event. His grandparents
are great supporters and like to go out and see him play. His main aim is to be
the Canadian Singles Champion.
Finally I spoke to Clayton Downs who hails from my home province of Manitoba.
Clayton is now 17 years old and has made his presence known at the national
championships in past years. He was Junior Singles Champion in 2003 and
runner-up in 2004. This year was his first as a senior and the competition was a
little harder so Clayton has found that he will need to do a little more work. He did
finish Joint Third in the mixed doubles with his partner Courtney Conroy. I am
sure he will be practicing during the coming year in an effort to get back on the
winning podium.
He has been playing darts since he was 10 and both his father and grandfather
(who is a former member of the adult Team Manitoba) were dart players so
obviously he had some family support.
I thoroughly enjoyed the weekend at the Youth Nationals. It is so rewarding to
see these young people playing like professionals and we certainly hope that
many of them will proceed into the adult program when they reach the magic
age.
attend the 2005 Youth National Championships when the
idea came to me “why not interview some of the youth players
for a change”. After all these are our “adults of tomorrow”. I am probably a little
prejudiced but I believe Canada’s youth program is one of the best. This is due,
in part, to the excellent training the provincial youth leaders have received over the
years from Carol Collett, our longtime National Youth Development Director.
Jenelle Legge hails from Marystown in Newfoundland/Labrador, is now 19 years
old, and is presently attending college and so this is her final year as a youth
player. She has represented Newfoundland/Labrador since 2001 was the Senior
Girls Singles Champion in 2004 and again in 2005 as well as Joint 3rd in the
Senior Girls Doubles in 2005. She has been playing darts since she was 13 and
became interested because her parents played the game. She hopes to
continue to play as an adult but she has plans to leave Newfoundland/Labrador
and become a resident of Alberta, so she should have lots of opportunity to
continue her dart career there. Jenelle has graduated from high school and is
presently attending college. As a result, the money that she won at the bursary
shoot will certainly be an asset to her with her post secondary education. The
bursary shoot is a new event that has been added for the advantage of our youth
players and it was certainly well received this year. An amount of $500.00 is
designed for the bursary for each of the four youth levels with $300.00 going to
first place and $200.00 going to the runner-up. The youth have two-years from the
date of their 19th birthday to provide verification of registration in a post-
secondary program to become eligible to receive the appropriate amount.
I then spoke to Simon Cayer who hails from Quebec City. Simon has
represented Quebec on seven occasions. As Simon is now 18 this will be his
last year of competition at the youth level. He wasn’t quite sure whether he would
continue to play as an adult but we certainly hope that he will. Simon first started
playing darts in 1997 and became interested because his father sold dart
supplies. In 1998, with his partner, he won the Junior Boys Doubles. Although
the best standing Simon has achieved in singles is Joint third, he has been a
fierce competitor over the years and I am sure he will be missed at future youth
events. Simon achieved a “first” this year. He became the first youth player to
attend and pass the Officiating Certification Program, which qualifies him as a
Level II Certified Official.
I couldn’t avoid talking to one of the players from the host province. Justin
MacLeod is 17 years old and hails from Blind River, Ontario. Justin has been
playing darts since he was 13 and this was the second time that he has
represented Northern Ontario at the Nationals. Justin has won numerous events
in Blind River and on the first occasion of attending the youth nationals, won the
Junior Boys Singles. He won his second national event in 2005 when, with his
partner Raymond Ritchie won the Senior Boys Doubles event. His grandparents
are great supporters and like to go out and see him play. His main aim is to be
the Canadian Singles Champion.
Finally I spoke to Clayton Downs who hails from my home province of Manitoba.
Clayton is now 17 years old and has made his presence known at the national
championships in past years. He was Junior Singles Champion in 2003 and
runner-up in 2004. This year was his first as a senior and the competition was a
little harder so Clayton has found that he will need to do a little more work. He did
finish Joint Third in the mixed doubles with his partner Courtney Conroy. I am
sure he will be practicing during the coming year in an effort to get back on the
winning podium.
He has been playing darts since he was 10 and both his father and grandfather
(who is a former member of the adult Team Manitoba) were dart players so
obviously he had some family support.
I thoroughly enjoyed the weekend at the Youth Nationals. It is so rewarding to
see these young people playing like professionals and we certainly hope that
many of them will proceed into the adult program when they reach the magic
age.
