Published:Wednesday | May 18, 2022 | 12:06 AM

The British Caribbean Insurance Company (BCIC) hopes to help the sport of golf in Jamaica move forward, with an injection of much-needed investment and resources. The Jamaica Golf Association (JGA) hosted a fundraising tournament on May 15, geared towards the participation of the island’s junior golfers in the Caribbean Amateur Junior Golf Championships at Palmas del Mar in Puerto Rico from June 25-July 1.

Jamaica will be sending a team of 13 junior golfers to compete against the best young golfers the region has to offer. However, before the team can take to the green, there is still the matter of the approximately $3 million in costs that must be settled. Sunday’s tournament was in aid of helping to handle the costs associated with the trip.

As one of the sponsors, BCIC not only hoped to give the youngsters an opportunity to compete at the highest level, but hopes by investing in the development of the sport at the youth level, that it will experience growth and become a priority for national development.

“If we take a look at a sport like track and field, the reason athletes from the junior level transition, and perform so well at the senior level internationally, is because of the opportunities for development. It has always been our position that investment in the youth is an investment in building a strong foundation, be it education or sport. So, being a part of this effort to give these juniors the opportunity to work on their craft, but also the well-needed exposure to the highest level of competition in the region, we believe is pivotal to golf’s development in Jamaica,” says General Manager for Marketing at BCIC Lori-Ann Glasgow.

Junior Golf Chairperson Alison Reid notes the social benefits of engaging with golf at a young age proves to have a positive influence on the long-term development of the youngsters both within the sport and the broader society.

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She says, “Events like the Caribbean Amateur Junior Golf Championships help our junior golfers with playing under pressure, experiencing new golf courses with different challenges, playing against strangers, building confidence, learning and executing rules. Furthermore, golf teaches the children commitment, perseverance, integrity, sportsmanship, and patience, which is of great benefit off the golf course as well.”

CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP

Reid encourages corporate sponsorship because it goes a long way in helping to facilitate the growth of the sport nationally, and thinks investment in this way produces direct benefit for the children involved.

“Sponsorship from companies such as BCIC help the development of golf, by allowing us to have monthly tournaments so the children can hone their skills, lets us to travel to golf courses across the island, and makes it possible to include children that have less means. The children thrive on competition, and the more the children play competitions, the more they continue in the sport. The sponsorship helps us to continue having tournaments, thus encouraging the growth of the game,” says the chair.