Seychelles Golf Federation’s junior programme |18 November 2022

New grassroots programme to encourage interest in golf  

In September this year, with the support of the Ministry of Education, the Seychelles Golf Federation launched its junior programme.

The objective of the programme is to change the mind-set of people in Seychelles towards the game, essentially opening it up to the community.

It also aims to keep children off the streets, giving them a new hobby and most importantly targeting new juniors for the club while discovering and developing new talent for the future of golf in Seychelles.

With two schools – lnternational School of Seychelles (ISS) and Anse Aux Pins primary school – currently signed up, the junior programme clinics take place on Tuesday afternoons between 2pm and 4pm.

The coaches for the programme are pro golfer William Weidner and Yves Emond, with the assistance of Jerry Jean-Baptiste.

Transportation is provided by the federation to collect the students from their respective schools to the golf course and back after.

While currently the programme gathers both girls and boys, there are more girls which is a bonus as the programme also wanted to get more girls and women involved in this sport which is already predominantly male centric.

According to coach Weidner, presently there are 14 students from the ISS and a maxed out 34 from the Anse Aux Pins primary school, based on the limited training facilities in place.

“But frankly l cannot turn down the kids so we try our best to make it work so that they gain as much as possible each Tuesday,” said coach Weidner.

“We are currently in the process of getting more equipment which will help a lot, but the practice facilities, unfortunately, cannot be expanded currently at the Seychelles golf course as there is not enough land, so we have to work with what we have,” further noted coach Weidner who also added that one possible alternative is branching the programme out into the schools themselves.

He added that they will be looking into the possibility of expanding into the schools themselves.

“For example during physical education sessions, we could bring specific golfing equipment that can be used and set up on football fields or courts, the clubs of course would be made of plastic rather than steel and tennis balls instead of golf balls,” further noted coach Weidner who explained that even if it is not exactly the same, it will still give the children an insight into what golf is all about and if they wish to take it further they can contact the coaches at the clubs for proper sessions.

Coach Weidner further noted that should there be an opportunity in future, he would definitely like to take this programme to Praslin as well, perhaps through a partnership with Lemuria for the use of its golf course.

“There is certainly the prospect of Lemuria to do the same, but as they are a resort course, priority use is for their clients, but hopefully in the new year they will be able to start something under the guidance of Gary Pouponneau and the Seychelles Golf Federation,” he concluded.

Contributed