Golf Canada Centre

 

A Professional Coaching and Training Program
for Aspiring Junior Golfers Ages 13 – 18

“Strive for Excellence” (SFE) … now in its 5th season at the Golf Canada Calgary Centre. SFE is designed to provide aspiring young junior golfers with a leading edge performance golf coaching programthat includes educational materials, resources and support; all ofwhich are necessary to truly develop competitive players. This program provides select aspiring junior high performance golfers witha comprehensive and systematic approach to training, competing, skill improvement, and personal development. Both young men and women are welcome to participate. SFE is led by Golf Canada Centre CPGA professionals Jason Haley and Jay Myren, committed and keenly focused on the development of SFE players and the success of this program.

Maturing into a champion both on and off the course is an exciting challenge for aspiring young players and their families. It takes  considerable commitment, support, feedback, and training. A professional coaching influence combined with effective training and practice is paramount in this process. “Strive for Excellence” is a holistic approach to developing and nurturing adolescents so that they will mature into the finest golfers and most outstanding people possible. This specialized program presents committed athletes with an opportunity to realize their goals in both sport and life.

SFE is player driven and parent supported in that the activities and the direction of the program are steered by the needs of the players and education is provided to their parents/guardians to help them be as supportive of the process as possible. The program is extremely successful. It will yield results. Participating athletes will experience tremendous growth as young adults and will be presented an opportunity to achieve many outstanding feats as competitive golfers.

The SFE program strives to prepare participants for life as student athletes. Although you have several years to prepare and participate in the SFE program, one of our goals is to have graduates successfully make the transition to university and become shining stars at high level post–secondary institutions in Canada and the United States.

Program Information

“Strive for Excellence”  is an innovative junior golf program designed for young players who are preparing to play more competitive golf.The program introduces concepts and strategies that are suited to competitive golfers and seeks to prepare young athletes for the joys and struggles inherent in competitive golf. Tremendous emphasis is put on coaching these young players to fully understand how to train effectively, both for competitive golf and for lasting improvement.

Topics Include:

• Ongoing analysis and explanation of swing fundamentals
• An introduction to the rules of golf
• Introduction to basic concepts in mental game strategies.
• Implementation of innovative practice drills and games.
• Introduction to golf-specific fitness and nutrition.
• To receive preparation and guidance for life as a collegiate
  student–athlete and beyond

 

Program Registration Prerequisites

SFE is designed to provide aspiring junior players with a professional
approach to their development as golfers and people. This program is
designed for young players aged 13 – 18 who have already shown
proficiency for the game of golf and are beginning to show an interest
in the competitive side of the game. Participants in this program have
typically shown an avid interest in sports in general, and they
approach their golf development with tremendous passion and energy.
This program is suitable for individuals who:
• Are between the ages of 13 – 18 years of age
• Are passionate and aspiring to become outstanding golfers
motivated to improve to collegiate level golf and beyond
• Are committed to being the best that they can be on and off the
course
• Take responsibility for their actions and are “coachable”
• Have positive attitudes
• Respect and honour the game
• Give scholastics top priority
• Play for the love of the game and the challenges that it presents
• Have the support of their parent/guardian(s)

CODE OF CONDUCT

The majority of the golfing experience happens on the golf course or
practice facility, involving athletes and coaches. Because of this, we
cannot ask parents to maintain a constant watch to ensure proper
behavior from their children. As an organization with abiding
responsibilities for the growth, development, safety and competitive
success of dozens of young athletes, The Golf Canada Centre has
a Code of Conduct. Our Code of Conduct applies to everyone
associated with the centre including golfers, coaches, parents, golf
clubs, and volunteers. The Golf Canada Centre strives to ensure a safe
environment for its members and endeavors to foster healthy
relationships among its golfers. For these reasons, the centre has
adopted a zero-tolerance policy.

Expectations / Responsibilities of Athletes

• Respect the efforts of coaches, facility staff, other group members and competitors
• Respect all public and private property, including practice facilities, clubhouse, and golf course
• Give 100% effort at all times throughout coaching sessions
• Be honest and upfront with all coaching staff
• Honour the integrity of the game
• Be a long term learner through the discovery processHave fun and always keep an open mind
• Attend and be on time for all practices and competitions
• If asked, help setup or take down any training equipment(picking up golf balls etc.)
• Unless otherwise specified, leave the golf course at the end of the coaching session

Ensure that all SFE communication is delivered to parents

Prohibitions

• No use of alcoholic beverages.
• No use of drugs other than those prescribed by your physician.
• No use of smoking or chewing tobacco.
• Disrespectful, indiscreet or destructive behavior will not be Tolerated.
• It is the responsibility of each golfer to make every effort to avoid guilt by association with such activities at any time during the year.
• No bullying any team members or competitors.

Discipline

While some behaviour is much more unacceptable than others, any breach of a rule may result in some form of disciplinary action up to and including a temporary suspension from the centre. Occasionally a coach must discipline an athlete. Depending on the nature of the problem, the coach may speak privately to the individual or to the parents. At the discretion of the Head Coach any one or all of the following actions will be applied:

1.Golfer may be sent home immediately from a coaching session or tournament at his / her own expense and if there is extra expense it will be golfer’s responsibility.

2.The golfer may be suspended from the team until the golfer and parents have had a conference with the Head Coach and appropriate disciplinary actions have been implemented. If an issue, is not resolved by the coach to the satisfaction of all individuals involved, the issue may be referred to the next level of authority.

PARENTS SECTION

Parents play an important role in the development of the junior golf
athlete. To have a successful program there must be understanding
and cooperation among parents, golfers, and coaches. The progress
your youngster makes depends to a great extent on this triangular
relationship. It is with this in mind that we ask you to consider this
section as you join the SFE program at the Golf Canada Centre.
You have done a great deal to raise your child. You create the
environment in which they are growing up. Your child is a product of
your values, the structure you have provided, and the model you have
been. Human nature, however, is such that a parent loses some of
his/her ability to remain detached and objective in matters concerning
his/hers children’s athletics. The following guidelines will help you keep
your child’s development in the proper perspective and help your child
reach his/her full potential as an athlete.

Coach, Parent, Player Interaction

The Coach is the Coach: We want your junior golfer to relate to his or
her coach as soon as possible concerning golfing matters. This
relationship between coach and golfer produces best results. When
parents interfere with opinions as to how the golfer should golf or
train, it causes considerable, and often times insurmountable,
confusion as to whom the golfer should listen to. If you have a
problem, concern, or complaint, please contact the coach.

Best Kind of Parent

The coach’s job is to motivate and constructively criticize the golfer’s
performance. It is the parent’s job to supply the love, recognition, and
encouragement necessary to make the child work harder in practice,
which in turn gives him/her the confidence to perform well in
competition.
Parents Responsibilities…. It is essential for the specific roles of the
parent to be clearly defined in order for success.

• Provide child with unconditional support regardless of their golf
  performance
• Do not try to help or teach your child with their golf skills – allow
  the coaches to do their job
• Listen and take advice from coaching staff
• Communicate openly and honestly with coaching staff
• Please make every effort to have your golfers to their coaching
  session on time
• Stay away from athletes and coaches during coaching sessions
• Be sure that your own expectations are in line with your child’s –
  but understand the difference between you and them
• Become educated about the game of golf – learn to appreciate
  the difficulty and the allure of the game
• Understand how one progresses through the sport of golf – skill
  acquisition is a long-term process, often with many bumps along
  the road
• Compliment a young athletes growth with basic understanding of
  nutrition and recovery and encourage good athletic behaviors
  (proper sleep, hydration, etc.)
• Be a role model i.e. Active parents tend to produce active
  children – the reverse is also true

“The Ten Commandments
For Parents of Athletic Children”

I – Make sure your child knows that – win or lose, scared or heroic
you love him/her, appreciate their efforts, and are not disappointed
in them. This will allow them to do their best without a fear of
failure. Be the person in their life they can look to for constant
positive reinforcement.

II – Try your best to be completely honest about your child’s
athletic ability, his/hers competitive attitude, their sportsmanship,
and their actual skill level.

III – Be helpful, but don’t coach him/her on the way to the golf
course or on the way back, or at breakfast, and so on. It’s tough
not to, but it’s a lot tougher for the child to be inundated with
advice, pep talks and often critical instruction.

IV – Teach them to enjoy the thrill of competition, to be “out there
trying,” to be working to improve his/her golf skills and attitudes.
Help him/her to develop the feel for competing, for trying hard, for
having fun.

V – Try not to re-live your athletic life through your child in a way
that creates pressure; you lost as well as won. You were frightened,
you backed off at times, you were not always heroic. Don’t pressure
your child because of your pride. Athletic children need their
parents so you must not withdraw. Just remember there is
thinking, feeling, and a sensitive free spirit out there in that
uniform who needs a lot of understanding, especially when his
world turns bad. If he/she is comfortable with you – win or lose –
he/she is on their way to maximum achievement and enjoyment.

VI – Don’t compete with the coach. If the coach becomes an
authority figure, it will run from enchantment to disenchantment,
etc., with your athlete.

VII – Don’t compare the skill, courage, or attitudes of your child
with other members of the program, at least within his/her hearing.

VII – Get to know the coach so that you can be assured that
his/her philosophy, attitudes, ethics, and knowledge are such that
you are happy to have your child under his/her leadership.

IX – Always consider that children tend to exaggerate, both when
praised and when criticized. Temper your reaction and investigate
before over-reacting.

X – Make a point of understanding courage, and the fact that it is
relative. Some of us can climb mountains, and are afraid to fight.
Some of us will fight, but turn to jelly if a bee approaches.
Everyone is frightened in certain areas. Explain that courage is not
the absence of fear, but a means of doing something in spite of fear
of discomfort.

EQUIPMENT

Equipment that must be brought to a coaching session
It is the responsibility of the athlete to come prepared for
all coaching sessions. Players should have the following items
with them at a coaching session:

• Golf Bag with all golf clubs
• Golf bag should include tees, golf balls, ball marker, divot repair tool
• Umbrella & Rain Jacket
• Proper golf attire – this includes proper golf shoes
• Bottle of water (hydration) and snacks (nutrition)

Importance of properly fitted golf clubs:
Properly fitted golf clubs is a very important variable for the success of
a competitive junior golfer. Imagine how difficult running a marathon
would be with an improper shoes size! We often see this example
happen in golf when we decide to buy golf clubs “off the rack”.
Throughout a junior golfers physical development they will often go
through gross changes to their body type. Increases in height, weight,
and muscle mass greatly alter the type of golf clubs that should be
used. Therefore, we recommend that juniors have their equipment
checked on a regular basis. More specifically, we often see putter
length as one of the biggest issues that need to be addressed in junior
golfers.
Custom fitting variables that need to be monitored should include:

• Lie angle
• Shaft length, type (steel vs. graphite), and flex
• Wedges groove depth
• Grip size

Parents must understand that equipment may likely be
changed or altered on a frequent basis. Equipment changes
will be most frequent between the ages of 11 – 15 when a
young athlete’s growth rate is typically accelerated. During
this time period it is recommended that you find a custom
club maker in your area to help you with this process. The
Golf Canada Centre has the luxury of a very highly
recommended club-fitter on site. Most retail golf stores do
not carry an extensive enough inventory of club options for
junior golfers.

Complete Program Satisfaction is Unconditionally GUARANTEED

 

Registration Information

All athletes and parents must first meet personally with Jay Myren and Jason Haley to discuss the possibility of enrolling in SFE. Jay and Jason can be reached by telephone 403.640.1661 or via email at jmyren@golfcanada.ca.  Space is limited and there will be a simple skill evaluation and physical test requirements.
 
Click Here to obtain a printable PDF of the SFE information package.