Outside the gymnasium of the James Curiale School, a harsh and wet snowfall on the last day of March is disregarded. Inside, a determined group of approximately 50 middle school students spends their precious afternoon hours practicing golf techniques on plastic turf mats. They chip and putt, take swings, and receive guidance from their coaches- which include an amateur golfer, a high school golf coach, and a team of passionate teachers. Jomaira Plaza, a 12-year-old 7th grader at Elias Howe School, confidently positions herself, adjusts her grip, and expertly chips the ball onto the "green" – a large mesh basket across the gym floor on this wintry day. Jomaira expresses her love for the game and her aspirations of playing in high school and obtaining a scholarship for college. She believes she has a good swing.
Jomaira is one of the 70 middle school students, boys and girls equally, participating in the Bridgeport schools’ golf-academic program. This program, which has been running for 3 years, combines learning the fundamentals of golf with academic enrichment. Twice each week and throughout the summer, students from five of the district’s public schools spend an hour improving their math and reading skills using golf-related material. They then focus on developing their golf skills at a local golf course, or in unfavorable weather conditions, at Curiale School on imaginary greens. The program has not only provided Jomaira with an understanding of the game and the necessary self-control and etiquette, but it has also taught her that golf is a sport for everyone.
Organizers of the program affirm that this message is spreading, as more young people are finding golf to be cool. As Alan Wallack, the program’s organizer and the director of athletics for Bridgeport’s public schools, explains, the initial reaction from kids when the program started was confusion as to why golf was being introduced. However, he emphasizes that the sport has evolved and become more inclusive, leading to a positive response from children. Wallack initiated the program to introduce golf to minority students and to provide meaningful after-school activities for students in his district. It also serves as a feeder program for Bridgeport’s high school golf teams, allowing them to compete against wealthier neighboring districts whose team members start developing their skills at an early age on country club courses.
The explosion of interest in golf can be attributed to various factors, including the success of Tiger Woods, a young professional golfer who is black, and the efforts made by the golf industry to appeal to young people by covering some of the significant costs associated with the sport. According to Dorothy Mastromonaco, the grants administrator for the USGA Foundation, the recent change in perception of golf being an old man’s game is largely due to Woods’ influence. She believes that fostering interest in golf within a school system is a commendable idea. Marcus Williams from the National Minority Golf Foundation also expresses his delight at the increasing interest in golf among youth from diverse backgrounds. He describes it as uplifting. schools across the country have expanded their athletic programs to accommodate the rising demand for golf. The National Federation of State High School Associations reports that, in the previous school year, 11,400 schools had golf programs, with 440 of them being newly established programs. This makes golf one of the fastest-growing school-sponsored sports. In Chicago alone, over 90 public schools have added golf to their sports rosters since November.
A Tiger’s Story
Roophy Roy, a 13-year-old student in the 8th grade at James Curiale School and a devoted member of Bridgeport’s golf program for three years, is filled with joy because of the chance he had to learn golf. "I absolutely love it, and my skills have been getting better every year," he expresses. Only time will reveal the full extent of the positive impact that picking up this sport has had on Roophy’s life.
According to his teachers, Roophy’s academic performance and behavior have shown remarkable improvement since he started playing golf. Moreover, some of the members at the Brooklawn Country Club in Fairfield, where Roophy worked as a caddy last summer, were so impressed by him that they decided to sponsor his education at the prestigious Fairfield Prep School. Roophy looks forward to joining the school’s golf team and shares, "Golf has inspired me to think about the future. I aspire to play at the collegiate level and, who knows, maybe even professionally."
Roophy’s unwavering passion for golf, as well as his admiration for his idol Tiger Woods, became evident to the rising golf star when they met at a youth clinic in June 1995, held at the Brooklawn Country Club. As a sign of encouragement, Mr. Woods gifted Roophy his own golf bag, which Roophy considers one of the best presents he has ever received. Roophy, along with other participants in the program, closely follows Mr. Woods’ victorious performances since turning professional at the age of 21. They will be cheering for their hero in this year’s Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia, which is scheduled to commence this week.
Success stories like Roophy’s are both remarkable and gratifying, according to Mr. Wallack, the director of the Bridgeport program. However, he believes that the everyday victories are just as important. "These are the children who may not have had the opportunity to participate in sports otherwise," Mr. Wallack explains. "By introducing them to golf, their self-confidence grows, their academic performance improves, and even if they don’t pursue golf competitively, they acquire lifelong skills," he adds. "Out of all the experiences I’ve had, this one is the most fulfilling," he concludes.
