Golf Canada recently announced its Junior Golf National Facility Awards, and a First Tee – Premier départ Québec golf location has been proudly named First Tee – Premier départ Canada’s Program Location of the Year.
The criteria for the award included a program location that demonstrated high participation enrollment in First Tee programming, engaged coaching staff, and made a significant effort to grow junior golf in their community.
The winning facility, Club de Golf Municipal Dallaire (Rouyn-Noranda, Québec) hosted 66 youth participants for First Tee sessions during the inaugural season of First Tee – Premier départ Québec in 2022.
The dedicated staff, Claude Murray, Eric Villeneuve, Maeva Therrien and Emeric Janhevich, were the difference makers for this program location.
“We are so happy to be the recipients of this award. I wasn’t expecting a club from a small town like us to win,” said Coach Emeric Janhevich. “Our coaching staff puts a lot of time and energy into the children. Seeing them develop skills and have fun is rewarding enough, so to be nationally recognized for our commitment to growing the game, it’s amazing.”
Dallaire offered First Tee – Premier départ Québec sessions to children aged five to 13 up to four days a week for four weeks last season. Clearly, it was well received. Dallaire also facilitated two field trips for nearby schools that were operating First Tee in their physical education classes.
“Before First Tee, we had junior camps and programs, but First Tee has brought our junior programming to another level,” said Janhevich. “We attended the First Tee coach training and learned so many new activities, ways to engage with the children, and how to integrate life skill development into our sessions. We ensured our focus for junior programming was to have fun and spread positivity.”
Golf Canada partnered with First Tee in 2020 to launch First Tee – Premier départ Canada and provide youth with affordable and inclusive access to golf along with life-enhancing experiences through the game. First Tee – Premier départ Québec fosters the continued development of life skills such as confidence, integrity, and perseverance through golf at golf courses, schools, and community centres across the province.
Thanks to RBC Community Junior Golf, a funding initiative accelerating the launch of First Tee – Premier départ Canada in equity-deserving communities across the country, children were able to participate in First Tee programming and on-course fun day events at no cost.
“It’s important to us to involve the next generation of golfers and motivate them to see every aspect of what golf can be,” said Janhevich. “We look forward to offering First Tee and meeting new children again this season.”
Dallaire will offer First Tee – Premier départ Québec again this year, with spring registration open and programming spots almost filled up. To find First Tee – Premier départ Québec programming near you, click here.
If you are a golf facility, school, or community centre interested in becoming a program location, email [email protected] for more information on how to get started.