At the 2009 Australian Junior Darts Championships the Northern Territory Darts Council managed to get a Boy's Team together to contest a Championship for the first time in three years. It was great to see them back. Unfortunately they were unable to get a Girl's Team together, so the boy's and Captain Chippy Miller headed to Adelaide.
An early discussion at the Championships was to decide what would happen in the Mixed Doubles regarding the NT Boy's. Common sense prevailed and it was decided to give them a game by the boy's partnering the reserve players from other States that had an extra player missing out in this event.
So the draw was done earlier in the week with the NT Boy's and their new playing partners entered. Nothing more was said or mentioned about the event until it was played.
The NT pairings were :-
Jackson Young-Wilson and Kayla Holland (NSW)
Bryce Slade and Naomi Power (SA)
Travis McNamee and Hayley Smith (TAS)
Andrew Power and Tymeeka Gurd (SA)
Nothing unusual with those nominations you would think. Well when they lined up on the boards, there was a friendly laugh going around the room. The Travis McNamee and Hayley Smith combination had everyone talking and smiling. Travis "Gubba" McNamee is 17 and from Port Augusta where he is an apprentice Auto Electrician. He has represented South Australia at two previous Championships. His partner Hayley Smith who turns 12 next Valentine's Day is in grade six this year. She hales from Tasmania where she plays darts for the Brighton Darts Club. Still nothing unusual there.