For the third year in a row, First Tee – Premier départ Québec has partnered with FitSpirit to introduce more young girls to sport — and to golf, for the first time.
Between May 6 and May 27, First Tee coaches were on site at all five of FitSpirit’s Celebration events, which brought together thousands of girls aged 12 to 17 from secondary schools across Québec. The events — held at community parks in various regions — featured a mix of physical activities, social connection and leadership-building workshops in an inclusive, all-girls setting.
FitSpirit, a Québec-based non-profit, focuses on promoting physical activity and wellness among teenage girls. Its Celebration events aim to help girls build confidence, try new things and experience the joy of movement.
“We are thrilled to be collaborating with First Tee – Premier départ Québec to offer golf discovery at FitSpirit Celebrations,” said Élisabeth Lagacé, program advisor at FitSpirit. “A welcoming, non-judgemental introduction to golf shows teenage girls that they belong in this sport and that trying something new can be exciting, rather than intimidating.”
Each participant was given a card to collect hole punches by completing different activities. The First Tee stations — each led by one of four female coaches — offered a welcoming space where girls could learn golf fundamentals and develop life skills through sport. Activities included a chipping target practice and a distance control putting challenge, all rooted in First Tee’s emphasis on confidence, respect and perseverance.
The Celebration events were held at Parc Maisonneuve (Montréal), Parc de la Pointe-aux-Lièvres (Québec City), Parc de la Terre-des-Loisirs (Trois-Rivières), Parc Beauséjour (Rimouski), and Centre de plein air Hélène-Larochelle (Gatineau).
Across the five events, nearly 3,350 girls participated — many experiencing golf for the first time.
“Over 95 per cent of FitSpirit participants were discovering golf for the first time,” said Marie-Michèle Richer, program manager for First Tee – Premier départ Québec. “It was incredible to see them focus on their tee shots and celebrate hitting the target. The more they played, the more they connected — with the game and with each other. We’re grateful to FitSpirit for welcoming us and making it possible to share golf with so many girls.”
At the conclusion of this year’s FitSpirit Celebrations, participation at the First Tee – Premier départ Québec stations rose by 55 per cent compared to 2024.
First Tee – Premier départ Québec aims to continue working with FitSpirit each season, using golf to empower more girls across the province to be active, confident and brave with anything that comes their way.
Learn more at firstteequebec.ca/en/register or fitspirit.ca.