College golf course suits Yass to a tee!
YASS OAKLEY is just 16, yet he is already achieving great success on the golf course.
The teenager, from Walsall, West Midlands, is studying for a Level 3 Diploma in Sports Studies at Birmingham Metropolitan College (BMet). In addition to his college work, Yass has been named Walsall Junior Club champion for a third consecutive year and Oxley Park Junior Club champion.
He has represented Staffordshire County in the Midland Golf Union under-16s and under-18s and also qualified for the Association of College’s (AoC) National Championships.
Yass, who has been playing the sport since he was eight, says: ‘I enjoy being competitive. My ambition is to turn professional and that means having high expectations of myself.’
Yass’s diploma course — delivered in partnership with the Midlands College of Golf — is a combination of training sessions at local golf clubs and college classes. It provides students with an understanding of physiology, strength and conditioning, nutrition, fitness testing and psychology.
STUDENTS also receive regular coaching, access to specialist clinics and facilities as well as advice and guidance from industry experts.
Yass says: ‘I really am learning things every day. My swing has improved and with the help of my coaches, I’m also working on my putting and my short game.
‘Plus, there are various skills tests that we go through regularly. The great thing about the course is that the environment I am in is always a sociable one, whether it’s the golf course or college.
‘It’s very relaxed, we have fun, so the learning comes naturally. And we don’t just focus on golf. There are students on my course who are footballers, rugby players and those who compete in other sports, so we cover things linked to their specific development as well. This wider perspective is useful.’
Yass’s course includes regular assignments, which he fits around his training schedule, competitions and other studies.
He says: ‘I’m an organised person. I have to be like this if I’m going to keep improving. I set myself daily goals and use these as motivation.’
After achieving his diploma at college, Yass hopes to gain a scholarship and train at a golf academy in the U.S.
He adds: ‘The other thing that’s impacted on my performance is that week in, week out I’m competing against some of the best people from around the country — men and women.
‘Up until a few months ago, I was only in competitions at weekends. Now it’s the biggest part of my life. A typical fortnight could involve me travelling from Doncaster to Northampton to Gloucester.
‘It’s a really great feeling, not only being able to compete for myself, but for the college, too.’ FOR more information about BMet courses, see bmet.ac.uk