It鈥檚 a long-distance move to an unfamiliar part of the country for sa国际传媒鈥檚 best young golfers. But those are the sacrifices they are willing to make as they pursue their dreams of the NCAA, Olympics and PGA and LPGA on Bear Mountain at Golf sa国际传媒鈥檚 national development centre.
鈥淚鈥檓 learning so much about how to be not only a better golfer, but a better person,鈥� said Celeste Dao, a Grade 11 student from Notre-Dame-de-I鈥檒le-Perrot, Quebec, who is committed to the Georgia Bulldogs of the NCAA.
They are surrounded by a support team of world-class experts in biomechanics, physiotherapy, mental performance and nutrition.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a big move, but one with something so much to offer us in our careers. It鈥檚 like a family,鈥� said Ellie Szeryk of London, Ont., a Grade 10 student who is committed to Texas A&M.
鈥淯ntil I learned it here, I didn鈥檛 realize how important something like sleep is to performance.鈥�
The Golf sa国际传媒 national development centre is part of what is evolving into an Olympic corridor in Langford, from the Rugby sa国际传媒 national training centre in Westhills, to the Tennis sa国际传媒 development centre and Cycling sa国际传媒 national mountain-bike training centre that join Golf sa国际传媒 on Bear Mountain.
Langford鈥檚 national centres are complemented by Triathlon sa国际传媒鈥檚 head office in Victoria and training centre in the region, Rowing sa国际传媒 at Elk Lake, the Swimming sa国际传媒 training centre at Saanich Commonwealth Place and the Athletics sa国际传媒 national middle-distance training facility at the PISE track on the Camosun College Interurban campus.
鈥淭he concentration of resources for high-performance sport, and the general sports culture in Victoria, is unparalleled in sa国际传媒,鈥� said Matt Wilson, women鈥檚 development team head coach and Next Generation performance director for Golf sa国际传媒.
The top-five Under-19 golfers in both women鈥檚 and men鈥檚 have uprooted their lives to be on the Island. Actually, nine have. Nolan Thoroughgood is from Victoria. Joining him in the men鈥檚 national development centre is Christopher Vandette of Beaconsfield, Que., Johnny Travale of Stoney Creek, Ont., Peyton Callens of Langton, Ont., and NCAA Arkansas Razorbacks-bound Canadian Thomas Critch of Cedar Park, Texas.
鈥淗aving access to receive ongoing coaching support from [national development men鈥檚 head coach Rob Ratcliffe] and the sport science team will help take my game to the next level,鈥� said Thoroughgood, the Royal Colwood member, who made the national U-19 team by placing fourth in the 2017 Canadian junior championship.
The women鈥檚 national U-19 team training on Bear Mountain includes Dao, Szeryk, Monet Chun of Richmond Hill, Ont., Alyssa DiMarcantonio of Maple, Ont., and Euna Han of Coquitlam.
The national development golfers attend Belmont Secondary during morning hours and train in the afternoons.
The youngest is DiMarcantonio, a prodigy is who is only 14 years old and in Grade 9. It鈥檚 a long way from Ontario to Bear Mountain but she is handling the move well.
鈥淚t is giving me what a taste of college will be like,鈥� DiMarcantonio said.
She has the same dream as her four female national teammates centralized on the Bear: 鈥淣CAA, LPGA, and hopefully, represent sa国际传媒 in the Olympics,鈥� said DiMarcantonio, Dao and Szeryk, almost in unison.
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