Make no mistake about it, Bernard Miller wants to excel at the national darts championship later this month in Thunder Bay.
“My goal is to be number one,” he said.
And yet the Maple Leaf Acres resident admits having a good time is always at the forefront.
“The whole goal of it, to me … is to get together and see each other for a few days and have fun,” he added.
Joining him for the June 12 to 15 tournament will be his partner – both in life and mixed doubles darts – Shelley Miller.
“I want to win the Canada Cup,” Shelley said when asked about her expectations.
Eight men and eight women will represent Team Ontario at the tournament, with the goal of finishing with the most overall points to claim the coveted top prize. Alberta claimed the Canada Cup last year and the Millers hope to regain the title for Ontario.
Over 1,000 Ontarians play darts competitively in tournaments recognized by the National Darts Federation of Canada. Of those, 256 men and 128 women qualified earlier this year for the provincial tournament. The Millers played well enough, both individually and as a team, to make the 16-member provincial team.
“It’s tough every year [to make it],” said Shelley.
When she’s not competing, she can often be seen pacing and cheering on Bernard, who is originally from Newfoundland. He moved to Ontario in the 1980s and has lived in Centre Wellington for about seven years.
Bernard has played darts for two decades, while Shelley, who is originally from Barrie, has played for about 15 years. They couple actually met at a darts tournament.
“So some good has come out of it,” Shelley said with a smile.
Both practice for hours each day at home to stay sharp.
“It’s a sport that if you get good at it, it’s very addicting,” said Shelley.
And while the Millers love the competition and travelling to tournaments throughout southern Ontario, they took up the sport in the beginning just to have some fun.
“You make a lot of friends in it,” said Bernard. “I want to win, but if you’re not going to enjoy it, you shouldn’t play.”
For more information on the national tournament, visit www.ndfc.ca.
