Meet the coast-to-coast Canadian family turning darts into a serious sport

Bill Hammond Jr. still laughs when he remembers how he first reacted to competitive darts.

“I thought it was a joke,” he said, recalling when a friend invited him to try the game in the 1990s.

The joke didn’t last long. Hammond discovered he had a natural talent, and after meeting his future wife, Sandy Hope, darts quickly became a shared passion — and eventually, a family affair.

“There just weren’t the opportunities back then like there are now,” Hammond said. “Today, you can actually make a career out of darts.”

That’s exactly what his son Peyton Hammond is hoping to do. The 17-year-old won the World Darts Federation World Cup Youth Singles title in 2025 in Seoul, South Korea, and has his sights set on England, where high-level tournaments happen almost every weekend. World Darts Federation

“In the U.K., I could play almost every week,” Peyton said. “Here, it’s more like once a month.”

Before chasing the professional circuit abroad, Peyton and his family are focused on growing darts at home.

Sixteen-year-old Jayda Hammond, herself a national champion, is quick to challenge the stereotype that darts is just a bar game.

“It’s not just a pub sport like everybody thinks it is,” she said. “If it were, I wouldn’t even be allowed to play. It brings families together.”

And for the Hammond-Hope family, that connection stretches across the country. Bill and Sandy live in Langford with three of their children — Peyton, Jayda and 23-year-old Trey. Two older siblings live in St. John’s: Alycia Hope, who now works with youth dart players, and Quentin Hope, a former competitive junior.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the family leaned into virtual dart matches, setting up webcams and competing across provinces. That’s when Peyton’s skills really took off.

He’s been around darts nearly his entire life — watching from a high chair as his father practiced. By age three, he was throwing darts himself. Now, Peyton practices anywhere from three to six hours a day.

“Pretty much every night, we’re playing,” Bill said. “And if Alycia’s not here, we’ll call her and play webcam darts.”

Beyond competition, Bill says darts offers real benefits: hand-eye coordination, mental focus, physical control and even math skills. It’s also accessible.

“A decent dartboard is about a hundred bucks, and a good set of darts is about the same,” he said.

Jayda adds that despite the intensity at higher levels, the darts community is overwhelmingly supportive.

“Pretty much anyone at a tournament will help you out,” she said. “It’s like a big family.”

Still, the family says growing the sport in Canada isn’t easy. Many players only get involved if their parents already play, and attempts to introduce darts in schools have been blocked because the pointed tips are considered weapons.

“That makes it tough,” Bill said.

For now, the family relies heavily on social media — especially Facebook — where most Canadian dart leagues organize and advertise events.

Their advice to newcomers is simple: find a local group online and give it a try.

If the Hammond-Hope family has anything to say about it, the future of Canadian darts is already taking shape — and it’s aimed straight at the bull’s-eye. 🎯