BRANDON, Man. — For Ryan McKean, coaching young people at Glen Lea Golf Course has quickly become one of the most rewarding parts of his career.
McKean, a First Tee – Prairies coach who was also working toward his PGA of Canada professional status, joined the program last year wanting to get involved with junior golf instruction.
“The timing was great,” he said, adding he wanted to pair his professional development with a chance to get involved in growing the game locally.
McKean said what stands out most about First Tee is its reach.
“Just how organized and widespread it is across the entire country,” he said, pointing to the level of involvement in junior golf across Canada.
For the young participants who take part, McKean said the takeaways go well beyond the fairways.
“Not only golf skills, but also important life skills as well, like respect, humility, getting to know others within the lesson group,” he said, adding that participants often leave sessions excited to keep learning the game.
That growth is what he finds most rewarding as a coach.
“Seeing the improvement, the excitement in the young athletes, how much they learn in such a short period of time,” McKean said. “It’s very exciting to be able to see, as well, that they can see that they’re improving.”
McKean said programs like First Tee play an important role in developing the next generation of golfers.
“We’re all trying, as coaches, as teachers, to grow the game of golf, and ultimately reach the youth,” he said. “This is the next generation of golfers that are coming up, so to have these programs available to them — that’s a really important way to continue to grow the game.”
Accessibility, he added, is central to that mission.
“We want to make it as accessible as possible to everyone, so that everyone has a chance to be involved,” McKean said.
When asked to describe First Tee in one word, McKean chose “innovative.”
“There are lots of junior golf programs that exist,” he said. “But as far as the outreach throughout all of Canada, and even the U.S., it’s kind of the most well-known junior golf program that’s out there. They’re taking it a step further, involving those life skills that are crucial for juniors, for young athletes, to learn.”
Heading into his second season at Glen Lea, McKean said he’s looking forward to continuing that work.
“I’m very excited to be going into Year 2 here at Glen Lea Golf Course, continuing to coach and teach the next generation of golfers,” he said.
Through his work with First Tee – Prairies, McKean is helping youth in Brandon build their golf skills while developing the life skills that come with the game.
Become a First Tee coach today at firstteecanada.ca/get-involved/coach-or-volunteer/.
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