Ernie Els #Game ON Programme comes to Castlegregory Golf Club
ERNIE ELS first established his #Game On AutismTM Golf Programme in Jupiter, Florida in 2013. The golf Programme is aimed at developing life skills, encouraging social interaction & promoting healthy living through golf, for people on the autism spectrum. Each session is designed to help build self-esteem and confidence in a fun, welcoming and supportive environment, encouraging participants to learn golf skills while practising specific autism learning concepts.
#Game On came to Kerry in 2015, when Liam Duggan (R.I.P.) brought the idea of delivering it in Ireland to the UNESCO Chair in ITT; in consultation with the Els for Autism Foundation, the UNESCO Chair/ITT undertook to complete an evaluation of the programme and MSc researcher Jerrome Selvaraj has completed same, under the guidance of Edel Randles and Dr. Jackie Gallagher.
The participants on the programme continue to enjoy playing golf on Wednesday evenings, receiving coaching from Adrian Whitehead (PGA), who is assisted by club members, UNESCO/ITT staff and students
Catherine Carty UNESCO Chair Manager made a presentation recently to Castlegregory Golf Club, in thanks for enabling the programme to locate in the Club and in acknowledgement of the club members’ very generous support for the programme.
Whilst a very significant community based sport education programme has commenced, the occasion however was also marked with sadness, given the untimely passing of Liam Duggan, who had the foresight to bring this programme to Kerry.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.