MONCTON, NB– The Boys & Girls Club of Moncton in partnership with the Royal Oaks Golf Club is organizing free golf lessons and providing free equipment for youth ages 6 to 15. Courses will be held from Monday, May 31, 2021, to Monday, September 6, 2021, at the Royal Oaks Golf Club of Moncton. Full golf lessons, equipment, transportation, and food for youth at no cost is a ground-breaking initiative in the Maritimes and probably in Canada, and one that the Boys & Girls Club of Moncton and Royal Oaks Golf Club are proud of as they work together to deconstruct the “traditional views” of golf as an elitist sport and provide access to it for youth.
The costs associated with lessons, equipment, transportation, and food can make it challenging for many to be able to experience the sport. That is why the Boys & Girls Club of Moncton and the Royal Oaks Golf Club have partnered to offer golf lessons, transportation for the youth, all necessary golf equipment (clothing, shoes, bags, etc.), access to the facilities, and food at no cost to the participants. Providing access to golf for all youth in the community is the desire of Chris Medford, General Manager of Royal Oaks Golf Club, to make the sport inclusive: “What a great opportunity for us to outreach the community and be that first person to break the barrier. We are an inclusive place, we want everyone from all walks of life, different backgrounds, and ethnicities to come and play golf, especially if they were unable to play it because it is an elitist and privilege sport. Let’s blow those barriers.”
For three months, the youngsters will be interested, initiated, taught the basics of golf with pros and inspiring adults to transmit the flame of golf. The program includes bi-weekly classes of two hours combining theory and practice, and youth tournaments; all in a safe environment and respectful of social distancing related to the current pandemic context. By introducing young people to a sport they haven’t had access to before, they are given the opportunity to consider it, explore it and possibly go further to make a career out of it since there are Canadian universities that offer scholarships for those who want to golf professionally, especially for girls. The goal is to allow young people to have dreams that were previously unattainable. “We believe wholeheartedly that ‘Opportunity changes everything’”, says Moncef Lakouas, Executive Director of Boys & Girls Club of Moncton. We want to introduce young people to new opportunities that otherwise would not be available or accessible. The future is made brighter by the opportunities a person is exposed to. We will continue to be a voice for inclusion, opportunities and equality for all youth in our community. We want to open up a world of abundance and countless possibilities for young people in our community.”
The invitation is extended to the community. All youth are invited to participate. Limited space. Registration will be on a first-come, first-served basis.
For more information, please contact.
Moncef Lakouas, Executive Director Boys & Girls Club of Moncton
506 858 0949 ext. 105