DFA Honours Betty Hislop

The Darts Federation of Australia payed homage to Betty Hislop by awarding her with DFA Life Membership at the 2004 Annual General Meeting in Canberra. Her nomination came from the WADC who recognised her contribution at all levels over a long period of time.

 over the years including Secretary, Treasurer, Secretary/Treasurer and President.

She has filled the position of President for 31 years and due to her great service to this Association, they honoured her with Life Membership.

In 1971, Betty was a member of the Committee that negotiated with the Men’s Affiliated body that eventually came to an agreement to form the Ladies and Men’s Associations into one body in Western Australia, the Western Australian Darts Association. This body became the Western Australian Darts Council Inc (WADC) in August 1974 and Betty has served continually on the WADC since then. Over the years, she has held the positions of Senior Vice President, Secretary/Treasurer, Games and Event Controller, Director of Coaching, Director of Junior Development and in charge of the Darts in Schools Program. Betty was the instigator in forming junior darts in Western Australian and has served in the junior program for 22 years. The Darts in Schools Program has been very successful and over the past five years, she has really developed the program to the achievement it is today. The WADC has also presented her with Life Membership, as has the WA Ladies Inter Association where she has been President since 1978.

At DFA level she has also been heavily involved. Over the past five years, Betty has continuously represented Western Australia as Delegate at Darts Federation of Australia Meetings. She has also filled this position numerously in the past when required. As mentioned above, Betty has been a supporter and heavily involved in coaching. Along with other members of the DFA, she was a great assistant to Barry Thomas during the period, which say the composure of the DFA Coaching Manuals. Her involvement in coaching has seen registered as a Level 2 Coach. She is currently caretaker DFA Coaching Director and DFA Chairman of Selectors.

I think nearly everyone who has attended an Australian Darts Championships knows whom Betty Hislop is. Her record for Teams over the years is second to none. She has had the honour of captaining the WA Ladies Team for 30 consecutive years at Australian Senior Darts Championships and attended 22

Australian Junior Darts Championships in her role of WA Junior Official.

Pictured right – Betty and her State Team at the ADC in Canberra 2004) At Australian Senior Darts Championships her Teams and Players have captured 17 Australian Teams titles, 3 Australian Ladies Singles titles, 14 Australian Ladies Doubles titles, 10 Australian Mixed Doubles titles, 3 Australian Peter Mac Cup titles.

At Australian Junior Darts Championships, her record is just as impressive being involved in 3 Boys Teams titles, 4 Boys Singles titles, 6 Boys Doubles titles, 5 Boys Youth Masters titles, 10 Junior Mixed Doubles titles and have had 5 junior players win the Boy’s Encouragement Award and 1 Boy’s Rookie Award. She has only missed the first Australian Junior Championships.

Betty has Captained Australia in three test matches against New Zealand, the first being in 1980. Last year in 2003, she was Australia’s Ladies and Junior Official at the World Cup in France bringing home success with our juniors. (Pictured left – Betty and World Champion Juniors Kyle Anderson & Kathleen Logue)
 

Back in 2002, Points & Tips was dead and berried. Betty Hislop was the first one to be optimistic enough to think Points & Tips could continue to be our National Magazine. She has put in many hours and plenty of effort to keep the magazine going over the last eighteen months. As Betty said at the time, “Barry Thomas has put too much time and effort into this magazine for us to let it go” Since then Betty and Audrey Mullen have done the majority of the work and has seen the magazine survive to this day.

To fill in her spare time, she is again involved in the organising of the second World Cup being played in Perth. We can remember how well her gang of volunteers worked at the World Cup in 1997. We are looking forward to success again in 2005 and we are sure with Betty involved it will be a great achievement again.

Congratulations Betty Pamela Hislop on gaining Life Membership from the Darts Federation of Australia and the Western Australian Darts Council - Well deserved.

(Article & Photos courtesy of the DFA)