Hazel Dell — Joseph Van Boxtel was part of a team of four 8- to 12-year-olds that won $25,000 in the 2011 World Nerf Dart Tag Championship on Aug. 19. The competition took place at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Fla. Sixty-four competitors in each age group were recruited from across the nation. To be considered, Van Boxtel submitted an essay explaining why he embodied the brand’s motto “It’s Nerf or Nothin,” why he had what it takes to be a dart tag champion, by answering answer questions regarding his athleticism, favorite Nerf Blasters, playing style and strategies. The first thing he told his mom after the contest was, “Someone had to win.”
