KAHNAWAKE, Que. — Over the course of one week, 27 Indigenous youth came together to learn the game of golf, build new skills and forge meaningful connections. What unfolded went well beyond the fundamentals of the sport.
In collaboration with Club 24 Athletics Foundation, a non-profit organization serving Indigenous athletes, First Tee – Premier départ Québec hosted a week-long day camp. Held in Kahnawake, and at no cost to participants, the camp, led by First Tee coach Thunder Lahache, welcomed youth ages 9 to 18. Supported by First Tee – Canada’s apparel partner adidas, each participant was outfitted in a First Tee branded adidas T-shirt.
The week-long event also marked an important step in expanding First Tee programming in Quebec. Thunder is the chapter’s only coach to have completed First Tee Level 3 coach training, making Club 24 the first program location in Quebec to offer First Tee programming for youth ages 14 to 18.
Throughout the week, participants worked through progressive drills, skill-building activities and mini-competitions designed to develop different areas of their game. The camp concluded with a Vegas-style tournament at Patton’s Glen Golf Club, a par-3 course in Kahnawake, giving participants an opportunity to put their skills into practice.
A three-hole putting competition challenged teams of three to work together while applying lessons from earlier sessions, including precision, tempo and reading the green. Participants learned how to walk their putting line, identify slopes and set up their ball before working together to post the lowest score possible.
On the range, targets stretching from 20 to 200 yards encouraged participants to try different clubs and shots, working their way from wedges and irons to drivers. Coaches tailored their instruction to each participant, helping golfers of different experience levels build confidence and challenge themselves.
Even heavy rain could not slow them down. Participants remained on the range, continuing to work on their skills and put their newfound confidence into practice.
For Thunder, seeing young athletes recognize their own potential is one of the most rewarding parts of coaching with First Tee.
“A lot of the kids don’t see the potential they have,” said Thunder. “Some of them never realize that they actually can swing a golf club, and it turns into a passion maybe later on in life. What we’re trying to do is make it happen now.”
That focus on confidence extended beyond the golf course. Throughout the camp, participants and coaches built relationships through a mix of friendly competition, playful teasing and a shared desire to help one another improve.
The camp is also a reminder of what can happen when organizations come together around a shared goal. Through the support of adidas and community partners like Club 24, First Tee – Premier départ Québec is helping Indigenous youth discover golf and the opportunities for growth, confidence and connection that come with it.
By offering programming at no cost and expanding opportunities for older youth, First Tee – Premier départ Québec and its partners are helping more young athletes discover that golf can be a sport where they belong.