YellowknifeSA国际影视传媒檚 Norm Sanderson has been synonymous with darts in the NWT for nearly three decades as both a player and volunteer.

His work over that time has finally been recognized at the highest level of the sport in Canada.

The ever-present member of Team NWTSA国际影视传媒檚 menSA国际影视传媒檚 squad was presented with life membership by the National Darts Federation of Canada (NDFC) during the awards banquet at the Adult National Darts Championships in Toronto on June 17. Lifetime membership is given to players who have had outstanding achievement, either as a player and/or administrator provincially, nationally or internationally, along with being a member in good standing with the NDFC for 15 consecutive years or more.

He joins Dean Willis, who was the first NWT resident to receive life membership in 2014.

Sanderson said he had no idea beforehand that he was even being considered for the honour.

SA国际影视传媒淏efore they announced my name, I couldnSA国际影视传媒檛 figure out who they were talking about,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淭hen they said it was me and it was an emotional moment, for sure.SA国际影视传媒�

He said he figures Willis, Elvis Beaudoin and Keith Way were responsible for getting him the honour.

SA国际影视传媒淭hey would ask me about certain tournaments, things I did back home, and I didnSA国际影视传媒檛 clue in that they were probably putting something together (for an awards nomination),SA国际影视传媒� he said.

Sanderson said he first took up the sport in 1993 and he couldnSA国际影视传媒檛 hit the board at all.

But enough practice seemed to improve things over the years.

SA国际影视传媒淚 was working a four-week-in, four-week-out shift at the time,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淲hen I was at home, I would practice 10 hours a day and I got better at it.SA国际影视传媒�

So much so that he would win his first territorial title in 1996 in Inuvik.

SA国际影视传媒淚 played a lot of good players and I was lucky to win games off of them,SA国际影视传媒� said Sanderson.

From there, he has played in several territorial and national championships, even hitting the road to compete in nationally-ranked tournaments from time to time, including the Snoflake Open and Klondike Open in Alberta on multiple occasions.

SA国际影视传媒淚 guess I did a lot of good things over the years,SA国际影视传媒� said Sanderson. SA国际影视传媒淒ean and I would always help out whenever we travelled to tournaments and I just wanted to help out the darts community in Canada.SA国际影视传媒�

Sanderson was part of this yearSA国际影视传媒檚 team in Toronto, the first adult national championships since 2019. None of the NWT players were able to advance to the knockout stages in the singles, doubles or mixed doubles, but there were close calls on several occasions.

SA国际影视传媒淟ots of our players were one game away from advancing,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淎 lot of the matches went to a third leg (best-of-three leg matches) but they just couldnSA国际影视传媒檛 win that last leg. If they did, it could have been a lot different, but everyone had a great time and we all had a lot of fun. It was great to get back out on the road and play again but I was feeling it in my legs and back after it was done.SA国际影视传媒�