Weyburn, SK. – Golf Canada is pleased to announce that Canadian PGA TOUR star Graham DeLaet has adopted 37 Saskatchewan schools into the Golf in Schools program through funds raised by the 2013 Graham DeLaet Charity Golf Classic in support of junior golf—an event conducted in conjunction with Golf Saskatchewan.
“My wife Ruby and I created our Foundation with the goal of supporting golf at the junior grassroots level and giving back to the community from which I came. So we are very proud to help grow the game in my home province by bringing it to so many students,” said DeLaet, a graduate of Team Canada’s National Squad. “We are excited to help teach the values of golf to youth in Saskatchewan and look forward to seeing some future stars born through the program.”
DeLaet became an ambassador of the Golf in Schools program earlier this year in June. The funds raised from the 2013 event have gone toward covering the cost of 20 secondary, two intermediate and 15 elementary schools, including four in DeLaet’s hometown of Weyburn, SK.
“Growing our junior golf programs and providing more opportunities for youth to get involved with the sport is a major priority,” said Brian Lee, Executive Director of Golf Saskatchewan. “As an association we have been proactive in adopting and developing new junior programs for schools and golf clubs to endorse throughout the province and we are grateful for Graham and Ruby’s continued support.”
With the additional adoptions from the support of the Graham and Ruby DeLaet Foundation, the Golf in Schools program is now in over 70% of schools in Saskatchewan, which Golf Canada’s Chief Sport Officer Jeff Thompson recognizes as significant growth for junior golf and the future of the sport.
“Along with our national and provincial partners, we are very pleased to see the continued growth of junior golf through the Golf in Schools program across Canada,” said Thompson. “We also recognize that there are still a number of schools without the program, which we intend to reach through the help of our great supporters, including Graham and Ruby.”
Currently offered in more than 2,400 elementary and close to 300 high schools across Canada, Golf in Schools provides children with a basic introduction to golf through the Canadian school physical education curriculum. The program features three curriculum levels: grades 1– 5 and high school level along with the newly launched intermediate level for students in grades 6–8.
Launched in 2009, the Golf in Schools program—which is endorsed by Physical Health and Education Canada (PHE Canada)—is conducted by Golf Canada in partnership with the PGA of Canada and the provincial golf associations. The Golf in Schools program consists of safety-approved golf equipment, along with a relevant teaching resource for teachers to deliver lesson plans to students.
New in 2015, Golf Canada partnered with the University of Ottawa to include a Life Skills component throughout all three levels of the program. The Life Skills element incorporates fundamental skills and values such as respect, perseverance, and honesty—all of which are fully integrated into the teacher-friendly learning resources.
The DeLaet’s support of the Golf in Schools program dates to back to September 2014, when along with his wife Ruby, donated $1 per twitter follower (@Fore_Kids) to Golf in Schools upon launching the Graham and Ruby DeLaet Foundation.
The Graham and Ruby DeLaet Foundation is focused on improving the health and wellness of children and supporting the development of junior golfers at all stages. More information on Graham and the Graham and Ruby DeLaet Foundation is available at www.grahamdelaet.com
More information about the Golf in Schools program including the school adoption program is available at www.golfinschools.ca