BEAVER BANK/SAINT-HYANCINTHE, QUE.: Emily Alford said she will take a lot of memories from her career as a youth dart player.
Alford finished off her youth career representing Nova Scotia at the Dart Nationals last week in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec with podium finished in three of the four events she competed in.
The Beaver Bank woman helped N.S. to a joint third in the Nordor Cup (team event); got joint third in Senior Girls Singles; second place with Team N.S. teammate Sierra Thurber in Senior Girls doubles; did not place in the podium but had a fun day in Senior Mixed Doubles with Cohen Campbell.
Alford also earned an invite to join Team Canada at the WDF World Masters in Budapest, Hungary.
Overall, it was a weekend that left Alford satisfied.
“I’m pretty proud of how I did on the weekend,” she told The Laker News. “I shot some good darts but also got to see faces I don’t see often which was great too.”
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She said to do as well as she was something that made her feel good.
“It meant a lot to do well in my last year because I’ve been working at this since I was seven-years-old,” she said. “To be able to look back on my career as a whole has been overwhelming.”
Alford also left an impression on a young dart player, named Saylee. Every year at nationals she gives a youth dart player that stood out to her a pack of her darts from One80.
She spoke about that moment.
“I gave a young from Alberta a set of my darts. She was a sweetheart,” said Alford. “I like to give someone who stands out to me a set of my darts as a form of encouragement to keep going.
“She was so sweet in all the matches I watched her play, and I couldn’t think of someone who I would have rather had them.”
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Alford said her most memorable moment of the weekend was when she and another player, both in their final youth dart nationals, spoke to the competitors.
“I was making a speech at the banquet with my friend Blake from B.C., where we said our goodbyes to the youth program and thanked those who helped make it happen,” she said.
She admitted to being shocked at the invite to Hungary. Two other N.S. youth dart players, Abbey Harty and Brooke Martell also received invites.
“I’m still partially in shock about getting the invite to Budapest,” said Alford. “To be able to represent Canada isn’t something I take lightly, and it was a really emotional thing when I got the invite this year.
“I definitely will be attending this tournament and I look forward to playing my first tournament in the adult ladies division on the world stage.”
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Alford said she had something else that made her realize the impact she’s had.
“Something that really stood out to me in my youth dart career is representing Canada,” she said.
“I have had girls coming up to me telling me that they are still playing because of either a conversation or watching me play.
“It was very surreal to think about younger players looking up to me.”
