Golf Canada’s next ones grin and Bear it
It’s a long-distance move to an unfamiliar part of the country for Canada’s 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 Canada’s national development centre.
“I’m learning so much about how to be not only a better golfer, but a better person,” said Celeste Dao, a Grade 11 student from Notre-Dame-de-I’lle-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.
“It’s a big move, but one with something so much to offer us in our careers. It’s like a family,” said Ellie Szeryk of London, Ont., a Grade 10 student who is committed to Texas A&M.
“Until I learned it here, I didn’t realize how important something like sleep is to performance.”
The Golf Canada national development centre is part of what is evolving into an Olympic corridor in Langford, from the Rugby Canada national training centre in Westhills, to the Tennis Canada development centre and Cycling Canada national mountain-bike training centre that join Golf Canada on Bear Mountain.
Langford’s national centres are complemented by Triathlon Canada’s head office in Victoria and training centre in the region, Rowing Canada at Elk Lake, the Swimming Canada training centre at Saanich Commonwealth Place and the Athletics Canada national middle-distance training facility at the PISE track on the Camosun College Interurban campus.
“The concentration of resources for high-performance sport, and the general sports culture in Victoria, is unparalleled in Canada,” said Matt Wilson, women’s development team head coach and Next Generation performance director for Golf Canada.
The top-five Under-19 golfers in both women’s and men’s have uprooted their lives to be on the Island. Actually, nine have. Nolan Thoroughgood is from Victoria. Joining him in the men’s 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.
“Having access to receive ongoing coaching support from [national development men’s head coach Rob Ratcliffe] and the sport science team will help take my game to the next level,” said Thoroughgood, the Royal Colwood member, who made the national U-19 team by placing fourth in the 2017 Canadian junior championship.
The women’s 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’s a long way from Ontario to Bear Mountain but she is handling the move well.
“It is giving me what a taste of college will be like,” DiMarcantonio said.
She has the same dream as her four female national teammates centralized on the Bear: “NCAA, LPGA, and hopefully, represent Canada in the Olympics,” said DiMarcantonio, Dao and Szeryk, almost in unison.