Four international students training at the Brent Morrison Golf Academy (BMGA) at Pheasant Glen Golf Resort are a long way from home.
While I am from Japan, Santiago Bouyra, 14, Alfonso Anaya, 14, and Paulina Larios, 16, have come from Mexico to hone their skills.
We and other Canadian students, both in and out of province, are part of the Collegiate Golf Preparatory Program.
“The only one of its kind in Canada,” says the founder, Brent Morrison.
Since the BMGA began in 2002, international students have come from other countries including China, Korea, France, Germany, India, Taiwan, Thailand and the United States.
All are hoping to play collegiate golf on scholarship and pursue professional careers.
A program co-ordinator has set up homestays with local families.
Anaya and Bouyra, who have been here for seven months said, “Living away from home has made us more mature.”
Larios adds, “Here I have to make my own decisions and be more independent.”
Being an only child from urban Kyoto, I am so lucky to have three sporty host bothers and a space outdoors in which to run.
While Anaya attends Oceanside Middle School, three of us go to Kwalikum Secondary School. English is our second language, and we greatly appreciate the support we get from our classmates, teachers and host families. We are learning golf, English and different ways of doing things. Our perspectives are changing.
Larios said, “My family wants me to learn golf and English.”
We all realize English is the international language. Luckily for us there are many international students in our schools. This is very different than schools in our home countries.
The Mexican students were able to find out about BMGA on the Internet. In my case, my Canadian mother wanted me to join a summer program in Canada for a second opinion on my potential as a golfer, and contacted the Canadian Golf Federation. It was wonderful that they recommended the BMGA in Qualicum Beach, where my grandmother, Isabel Zenuk, lives.
We couldn’t have a better place to train. After school four days a week, we are picked up by a shuttle bus that takes us to Pheasant Glen Golf Resort where we train with an instructional team of five Canadian PGA members. The 20 acre training centre, Morrison said was specifically designed for the BMGA and features “a generous grass tee deck (150 yards wide), a spacious circular short game design with a 9,000 square foot pitching green, 6,000 square foot chipping green, 6,500 square foot putting green, fairway and green side bunkers.”
He adds, “There is even a short-game area which features strategically placed bunkers, grass swells and mounds of various depths and degrees of difficulty.”
After golf training, the students do personalized conditioning and strength training programs including power yoga. In addition, there is nutrition education from a registered dietitian; consult with sports psychologists; and there are online golf resumes and plans for our tournaments with the coaches.
International students planning to complete high school rely on the individual post secondary planning assistance that BMGA offers. In our home countries, few athletes hoping to be professionals take the opportunity to go to college.
Larios said, “Being here is making me a better golfer. We all love the game. We see ourselves practicing and improving. I love that about golf in general; whether it’s chipping, putting, or driving, you always have something to work on.”
What I like about Qualicum Beach, is that there are people of all ages who practice and play golf together.
While we miss our families and friends, Qualicum Beach is home to us now.
— Sarah Nishide is a student at Kwalikum Secondary School.