School children to be given opportunity to realize their potential in golf and soar as champions through structured junior golf development programme
Leveraging on their continued support of the Malaysian Open, Maybank today reaffirmed its commitment to bolstering the nation's junior golf talent pool and producing future champions by embarking on a landmark initiative to bring golf to schools.
Under this initiative, Maybank will bring golf to schools and provide opportunities for students to be tested and trained, utilizing a detailed training methodology incorporating fundamental golf skills training and physical development through golf oriented exercises.
The top-ranked junior talents will then receive continuous support to realize their true potential through a sustainable training programme under some of the nation's top golf professionals and fitness instructors, enabling them to move up the nation's junior ranks and compete against the existing pool of young golfing talent.
"The Champions Academy is a novel brainchild of Maybank to cultivate the growth of golf in the nation from an early age and to bolster our existing bank of young Malaysian golfers. We understand that there are many obstacles to why golf does not have a wider appeal in the country and one of the best ways to tackle it is by introducing the game right down at the grassroots level in schools," said Maybank Chief Marketing Officer, Mohamed Adam Wee.
Adam further added, "It is our fervent hope that the Champions Academy will provide the impetus for a new generation of eager youths to take this opportunity to pick up the game and provide them with a sustainable route to develop themselves into potential young champions, who can proudly represent Malaysia on the international stage "
The Champions Academy is open to all Malaysian students - male and female - between
6 to 12 years of age from selected schools and will see a total of 100 participants shortlisted for each of the three preliminary selection trials to be held at Saujana Golf & Country Club (Central Region), Bukit Jambul Country Club (Northern Region) and Palm Villa Golf & Country Resort (Southern Region) from March 10 - 17.
During the two-day trials, attention will be given to equipping the juniors with the fundamental motor skills as well as essential skills of the game. Thirty participants (ten participants from each region) will be chosen through a stringent selection process and will advance to the first stage of an intensive training camp scheduled for May 28 to June 1at Saujana Golf & Country Club.
The best ten juniors handpicked will then go through a specially tailored coaching and training program, spanning over three further intensive camps throughout the course of the year, developed by former national coach and notable junior golf professional Tony Maloney of JNG Golf Academy. These camps will further encourage, develop and sustain the talent pool and prepare them.