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 He’s just back from the 2003 World Cup
in France, and Canada’s own Norm The Storm Tremblay has arrived like a hurricane! At 28, Tremblay, of Timmins, Ontario, is beginning to live out his
darting dreams.
Climbing up the ranks over the past few years, The Storm has made himself a
mark on the Canadian and International darts scene. 2002 saw Tremblay qualify to Team Canada for the World Master in England. His first international
experience fuelled the fire of his desires to complete, be the best, and yes shake up the big boys. Canada’s John Part has rattled the cage and Tremblay is
determined to follow his lead.
And yes! Tremblay is getting noticed, not only for his fierce competitiveness,
good looks, genuine attitude, and all around nice guy image, but also for a few other unique qualities.
Mr Tremblay throws his darts almost identically to the PDC World #1 Mr. Phil
Taylor. This caused quite a stir in Vegas this past summer where even the Power took a stop by the action to check out the Canadian that everyone
was talking about. (For anyone not knowing how Taylor’s darts fly, check out his 9 darts game on www.planetdarts.co.uk ). Taylor was impressed and told
Tremblay he can count on one hand all the players that throw with that same style and now Tremblay is another one added to his list. These players have
an uncanny throw in which the dart hangs low and the triple 20 is always exposed.
Another quality of Norm The Storm is that he does not drink while playing
serious competition but will occasionally drink socially. Tremblay had a very
bad experience in his youth (16) that has stuck with him over the years. The experience saw Tremblay in the hospital with a hose down his throat pumping
his stomach clean.
“It wasn’t me!” Tremblay said to his father. “It was a man named Jack...Jack
Daniels!” Unfortunately, his dad knew Jack Daniels too and tanned his hide. Tremblay recalls that it was either the pumping of his stomach, or the fact
that when his dad was finished with him he couldn’t sit down for a week, or maybe both that deterred his interest in alcohol to this day. Either way
alcohol is no longer is a priority in Tremblay’s life.
Sadly Tremblay has lost both his parents. His mother lost her battle with
breast cancer when he was 16 and his dad to lung cancer just 8 years ago.
So what else motivates The Storm? Recognition, to be known as a
consistent dart player, a serious contender, and of course money is second to that. Tremblay understands how difficult it is the master this sport, the
time one needs to devote to achieve your goals, and the self gratification knowing that those three perfect darts were thrown by you.
“The fact that no one can help you at the oche but yourself is very
encouraging because your self control, emotionally and mechanically, and one’s own self confidence are your only weapons in this game. But they can
also your opponent’s weapons as well. Two warriors on the line but the best of friends when a match is completed. What a great game!” states Tremblay.
He picked up his first dart at the age of 19. “Funny really how things worked
out,” recalls Tremblay. “The deal was that I was to pick up my father from the bar and bring him home so I could have the car and pick up my girl friend to
do all those important teenage things that there are to do when in possession
of a vehicle! When arriving at the bar, Jakes, in South Porcupine, that where
my darting career started, my father asked if he had time for another drink. Well, I was to have nothing of it, after all I kept my side of the bargain, I was
there on time and now all that was left was to bring dad home and the car was mine!”
“That’s where a Mr. Wayne Boudreau, (a good friend of my father and top dart
shooter, national caliber) told me to come play some darts while my dad had another brew. I never played darts before, didn’t know the rules either, but
Wayne explained the object of the game. It’s not really rocket science, eh?
I picked up a set of bar darts and gave it a go. It didn’t seem too difficult but after getting cleaned 2 games in a row, fortune smiled on me and l put
together a couple of tons and a double to grab my first career dart win,” claims Tremblay.
“I didn’t realize that beating Wayne didn’t actually happen too often in town
even at fun darts. Wayne was the best in the area (and still is in my heart) he gracefully blew sunshine up my ass telling me that I was really good for
never shooting a dart before,” laughs Tremblay. “And from what he’s seen, he said that I probably could place in a tournament money round with just how I
played! That’s the word that got my attention...MONEY! You can make money at this I exclaimed?”
“Every weekend there was money to be won and Wayne was cleaning up. It
may have been jealousy or greediness, but I wanted what Wayne had, the respect, the recognition, and the confidence. I never looked back. I bought
myself a set of 28 gram Jockey Wilson’s and started practicing.”
“Wayne was my mentor. He taught me everything. My mechanics, my
stance, my outs, and no matter how much I achieved he supported me all the way. I love that man to this day and in my mind he is the replacement for the
hole left in my life with the passing of my father.”
“Now here I am, 8 years after touching my first dart and I have qualified to the
World Masters twice, the 2003 World Cup, 5 time member of Team Northern Ontario, 2 times Provincial Champion, and a whole list of achievements that
have followed me throughout,” beams The Storm.
So what else does Norm do outside of darts? He is a recent college graduate
in the Police Foundations program and looking for employment on the police force. Until then, he volunteers his time to law enforcements through Ride
-Along programs, Big Brothers of Canada, and other municipal worthy causes. He also has two young children Samantha – 5, and Normand Jr. – 3 who
keep him pretty busy when not job hunting or pounding the dart board.
Tremblay also volunteers his time to the Northern Ontario Darts Association
as a director for the Timmins’ district, loves to promote darts, and his game. He constantly works on his own web site keeping his fans up-to-date with his
latest achievements. You can check out Norm The Storm, or sign his guest book at www.normsdartspage.canadianwebs.com. 
The next time when you think a hurricane may be hitting your city, taker a
closer look as it just may be The Storm making his grand entrance at one of your local darting events.
Storm Statistics
Darts: 20 gram Power Point
Hero: Superman! And fly around with X-ray vision (just kidding!) “I admire a
couple of elite dart players but to consider them heroes would affect my mental game on the oche if ever we where to play. I have to keep the playing
field even, right (wink)? But, I must say John Part is right up there on my list,
Mr. Consistency – Ronnie Baxter, and of course Phil Taylor for bringing the game to the standard we have today.”
Hobbies: Fishing, hunting, practicing
Food: Steak “Rare, bloody rare steak, just slap it’s ass and put in on my
plate!”
Movie: Grease
Actors: Jeff Goldblum, Christian Slater, Tom Cruise, Angelina Jolie (yum)
Sport: Oother than darts – Hockey of course
Sporting Heroes: The Great One, Wayne Gretzky... Tiger Woods
Pets: Orange cat, the almighty Spike
Relaxation: “Just me, my dart board, and some good old country music.”
Other Sports Played: Pick-up hockey, pick-up soccer
Nemesis: “Well my worst nemesis would have to be myself. I usually let
myself down.”
Goals: “To achieve greatness in any and everything I do! If it’s worth doing,
do it right!”
Achievements:
- 2003 NDFC Athlete of the Year Award
- 2003, World Cup – Placed 32nd, to Raymond (Barney) Barneveld of
the Netherlands and current reigning WDF world champion
- 2002, 2003, Winmau World Masters
- 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998 qualified for The Canadian National Championships
- 2002, 2003, Northern Ontario Provincial Champion Singles Title
- 2003 Mid Canada Classic doubles title
- 2002 Mid Canada Classic singles champion
- 2001 Quebec Open doubles title
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