Samantha Ponak of Mission, B.C. was crowned as Canada鈥檚 top young female darts player, winning first place for singles (over 16) at the Canadian National Youth Darts Championship.

The national tournament was held from May 19 to 23 in Toronto, with each province bringing their top 10 players for both doubles and singles competition.

The tourney starts with a round robin, then playoffs before the finals are played on a stage in front of hundreds of people. Seventeen-year-old Ponak, said it felt surreal to win.

鈥淚t was like a realization of like, 鈥楬oly crap 鈥� I just won singles. Now I鈥檓 first in Canada,鈥欌�� she said. 鈥淚 will have to defend my title next year because there鈥檚 eight other provinces coming for me.鈥�

Jeff Ponak, her father, is a provincially ranked darts player in B.C. He said she鈥檚 been competing for four years, starting after he signed her up for a youth group in Abbotsford.

He said the room 鈥渆rupted鈥� when she scored a 177: 鈥淚t鈥檚 called the perfect score.鈥�

The games were being live-streamed for audiences across Canada. Jeff said his daughter once suffered from anxiety, but you wouldn鈥檛 be able to tell from her performance.

鈥淛ump four years later, here she is on stage, as cool as a cucumber,鈥� he said. Jeff nicknamed her 鈥淭he Uprising.鈥�

Ponak came home with a big trophy, $500, and invitations to play for the World Masters in the Netherlands and Jamaica. They are now trying to fundraise to send her to play against the world鈥檚 best.

She said she practises a couple times a week during the school year, and credits her dad for tutoring her skill.

鈥淗e鈥檚 never gone easy on me .. he鈥檚 not gonna let me win,鈥� Ponak said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 like, 鈥榊ou play me, then you鈥檒l get better.鈥欌��

patrick.penner@missioncityrecord.com
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