Taking a look at junior sports

I REMEMBER the first time I hit a golf ball.

It was with my mum and dad after school one day, I was 12 years old, the sky was brilliant blue and the grass emerald green.

I smacked a five iron up the old number five on Sarina’s golf course and it went high and long.

I tried to hide my excitement and exhilaration behind a confident air.

After all I had been nagging them for what seemed an eternity to have a go rather than just watch them play all the time. I wanted them to think it wasn’t a one-off. They let me hit a ball a couple more times — three perfect shots, all the same.

Nothing much has changed over the past few decades, except for that feeling that I still get when I hit a great shot, albeit a little less often these days.

It’s pretty obvious how valuable I think sport is to a person and, in particular, young people.

It teaches goal setting and while it may not be politically correct with all parents, I believe sport should be a lesson in winning and losing well.

Life isn’t always fair or nice and as a result humans have to build resilience.

Clubs also help a young person develop maturity through communication and networking.

The Cairns Post has a proud reputation for supporting sports people and their pursuits, including our young stars.

Every Tuesday Rowan Sparkes takes a closer look around the traps at junior sports and what they’re up to. It’s real grassroots journalism.

But don’t wait for us to find your club or your child.

Reach out and tell us what and who is out there, so we can all celebrate and say “well done”. Jennifer Spilsbury Editor