Junior darts players headed to nationals

By Sean Rooney on May 11, 2018.

There are a lot of skills required to be a provincial champion in darts.

Hand-eye coordination.

Focus.

And, of course, math.

Two junior players from Medicine Hat have proved they’ve got those and more, and the benefit isn’t just that they get to go to Drummondville, Que. May 16-21 for youth nationals.

“When I was in Grade 9 it helped me out, brought my mark up so high,” said 15-year-old Mykel Kequahtooway of his math grades.

“My dad (Rob, who coaches the local juniors) teaches us our outs, our finishes, what to go for on certain numbers,” added Jaliah Kochie, also 15. “My math skills have improved a lot.”

Being able to know almost automatically where the next dart needs to go has helped both players, who won provincial titles in January at Edmonton and each won an event on home boards this past weekend.

Kochie won the girls’ main event Saturday at Medicine Hat’s Royal Canadian Legion, while Kequahtooway claimed the Silver Cup title Sunday.

“It keeps you on balance, you’re focused on what you’re going to hit next; you don’t have to step back after every dart,” Kochie said of how math helps in darts. “I know what to look for and I know how to set it up.”

It’ll be the second appearance at nationals for each athlete. Kequahtooway went last year, winding up in the top 16 in singles, the top four in doubles and top eight in mixed doubles. Kochie was fourth in singles in 2016. They’ll both be more comfortable returning in the same age division.

“My goal every year is to at least get top three in every category,” said Kochie. “One of my main goals is to have fun, make some new friends. It’s nice to have some new darts faces I haven’t seen before.”

A win would book them a trip to England for the Winmau World Masters, but they’re not thinking that far ahead.

Kequahtooway’s been playing ever since he moved to the Gas City three years ago. Kochie’s been at it a couple more years than that. Both would love to follow in the footsteps of another Medicine Hat youth champ, Dawson Murschell, who’s turned pro and is now living and playing in England.

“He inspires us to do better, that’s where we can end up if we keep practising,” said Kequahtooway.