SASKATOON, Sask. — First Tee – Prairies and Truly Alive Youth and Family Foundation teamed up on July 20-21 to introduce youth from Black and other ethnic minority communities to golf through a two-day Try Golf event at Wildwood Golf Course.
As First Tee – Prairies’ longest-standing community partner, Truly Alive Youth and Family Foundation, a Black-led charity serving youth and families across Saskatchewan, continues to play an important role in creating welcoming opportunities where young people can build confidence, develop life skills and discover that golf is a game for everyone.
For many participants, it was their first time stepping onto a golf course. Throughout the two-day program, youth learned the fundamentals of chipping, putting and pitching alongside First Tee – Prairies staff Bella Veloso and Mya Hlady, as well as PGA of Canada professional Jason Schneider. They also tested their new skills through a game of “GIMME” Golf Bingo, completing golf and life-skill challenges that encouraged teamwork, perseverance and celebrating one another’s successes.
The event highlighted the impact of strong community partnerships in expanding access to the game. By combining Truly Alive’s trusted relationships within the community with First Tee’s positive youth development model, the program removed common barriers to participation, allowing every participant to fully engage in the experience.
“We’re thrilled to provide youth from Truly Alive Youth and Family Foundation with the opportunity to take the next step in their golf journeys through a dedicated on-course program,” said Bella Veloso, Program Manager, First Tee – Prairies. “It was important to us that participation barriers such as registration fees, transportation and equipment needs were eliminated, allowing participants to experience everything the program had to offer.”
As First Tee – Prairies continues to expand access to golf across the region, partnerships like this remain central to its mission of creating safe, inclusive spaces where young people can grow both on and off the golf course. Thanks to the continued collaboration with Truly Alive Youth and Family Foundation, another group of youth left Wildwood Golf Course with new skills, new connections and the confidence to continue their journey in the game.
