Finding The Training Ground.Age-old organizations are stepping up to field young athlete's dreams Looking back, Chuck and Joan Dandridge can say their "experiment" some 13 years ago seems to have been one of their better moves. They decided to sign up their eight-year-old son, Eric, in his first golf tournament. The youngster, at the time, was concerned he'd make a fool of himself--until, of course, he started winning. "For two, three years, he never came back with anything worse than a second- or third-place trophy," says Joan Dandridge. By now, friends of the Dandridges were imploring im·plore v. im·plored, im·plor·ing, im·plores v.tr. 1. To appeal to in supplication; beseech: implored the tribunal to have mercy. 2. them to send Eric somewhere where he'd get the proper training to hone his skills. "People were telling us we had to get him in a program so he could get better," Joan Dandridge continues, "so when he was about 15, we signed him up in the American Junior Golf Association The American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) is a "501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the overall growth and development of young men and women who aspire to earn college golf scholarships through competitive junior golf. for high schoolers." And it was there that the journey began. "We used to travel with him all over, quite extensively for a while," says Joan Dandridge, who lives in Sparta, Illinois, about 70 miles southeast of St. Louis. The Dandridges will tell you that traveling with your budding budding, type of grafting in which a plant bud is inserted under the bark of the stock (usually not more than a year old). It is best done when the bark will peel easily and the buds are mature, as in spring, late summer, or early autumn. superstar is only half the battle. The costs incurred can run anywhere from $25 to $30 an hour, or some $400 to $500 per training session for a two-or three-day stint. When we traveled with him on the road, it got to be very expensive, especially when you factor in hotel, costs to enter tournaments, travel. It can get pretty costly," she says. Eric, now a 21-year-old anthropology major at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville--who expects to graduate next May--is grateful to his folks for helping him get this far. He's even set his sights on participating in some mini tournaments soon, taking much the same path as his friend and former roommate, Lewis Chitengwa (whom we profiled in last year's "Golf & Tennis" supplement). But Eric's story may have taken a different path had it not been for a chance meeting with Bill Dickey William Malcolm Dickey (June 5, 1907 – November 12, 1993) was a professional baseball player and manager. One of the most famous catchers in Major League history, he played his entire career with the New York Yankees, with whom he appeared in eight World Series and won seven , past president of the Desert Mashie Golf Club in Phoenix--one of the few African American-owned organizations that provide premier training facilities for African Americans African American Multiculture A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa. See Race. --at a Cleveland golf Cleveland Golf is an American golf company based in Huntington Beach, California. Cleveland is a premier golf brand. Cleveland is also one of the most popular brands on the PGA tour. tournament. Dickey pointed the Dandridges in the right direction, informing them about tournaments and facilities close to their home. But for most families in search of training facilities and scholarships for their youngsters, it often takes more than a chance meeting. As the Dandridges found out, sending your kid off on a two- or three-day learning spree can hurt your wallet. And, worse yet, particularly with golf and tennis, facilities are often inaccessible inaccessible Surgery adjective Unreachable; referring to a lesion that unmanageable by standard surgical techniques–eg, lesions deep in the brain or adjacent to vital structures–ie, not accessible. See Accessible. . "If you're talking about being introduced to the game as a youngster seven to 10 years old, that's one thing," says Dickey. "I'm not familiar with many programs for advanced kids. When you start talking about a higher level, where they can possibly qualify for scholarships to Division I colleges, that's where we're lacking." GIVING YOUR YOUNGSTER A NUDGE nudge 1 tr.v. nudged, nudg·ing, nudg·es 1. To push against gently, especially in order to gain attention or give a signal. 2. And that's where our kids get left behind. Once they are of college age, they're supposed to already have the nuances of the game down to a tee. If you're an aspiring as·pire intr.v. as·pired, as·pir·ing, as·pires 1. To have a great ambition or ultimate goal; desire strongly: aspired to stardom. 2. athlete with hopes of securing an athletic scholarship An athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university awarded to an individual based predominantly on their ability to play in a sport. They are common in the United States, but in many countries they are rare or non-existent. , knowing where and how to get training may be the key to a professional career or a remission Extinguishment or release of a debt. A remission is conventional when it comes about through an express grant to the debtor by a creditor. It is tacit when the creditor makes a voluntary surrender of the original title to the debtor under private signature constituting the of tuition. Some organizations are coming of out of the shadows to offer African American athletes, professionals and up-and-coming alike, training in first-class surroundings. The American Tennis Association The American Tennis Association (ATA) is based in Culver City, California, and is the oldest African-American sports organization in the United States.[1] The core of the ATA's modern mission continues to be promoting tennis as a sport for black people and developing intends to establish a permanent training ground for aspiring players. The African American library in Fort Lauderdale, Florida Fort Lauderdale, known as the "Venice of America" due to its expansive and intricate canal system, is a city in Broward County, Florida, United States. The city's population is described as metropolitan, where diverse culture is commonplace. According to 2006 U.S. , scheduled for completion in the fall of 2000, will give the ATA (1) (AT Attachment) The specification for IDE drives. See IDE. (2) See analog telephone adapter. ATA - Advanced Technology Attachment office space for its new headquarters. The ATA is also working on a $200,000-plus fund toward a separate facility. "This will be a real training ground for our kids," says ATA president Bernard Chavis. "And with the USTA's thrust on growing the game, it all fits in." Chavis says the ATA is currently working on a database for all the top black coaches (and their players) in the country. The U.S. Professional Tennis Registry is also putting a list together, all in an effort to give youngsters 10 to 16 years of age the boost, in the form of funding or training, they sorely sore·ly adv. 1. Painfully; grievously. 2. Extremely; greatly: Their skills were sorely needed. need. Barbara Douglas, vice president of the National Minority Golf Foundation, says she can produce a list of "probably 100 kids" with single-digit golf handicaps A golf handicap is a numerical measure of an amateur golfer's playing ability. It can be used to calculate a net score from the number of strokes actually played, thus allowing players of different proficiency to play against each other on somewhat equal terms. . So what does she do with such a list? "A couple of times a year I take the top juniors and seniors and send their names for consideration to the golf coaches at colleges and universities that have golf teams," Douglas says. This allows the kids an opportunity for ultimate visibility. By putting the names in one place, it brings the talent to the fore. The junior tour, for example, operated around the country by the American Junior Golf Association between April and October, is a hotbed hotbed, low, glass-covered frame structure for starting tender plants. It differs from a cold frame only in that the soil is heated—either artificially as by underground electric wiring or steampipes, or naturally with partially fermented stable manure, which of top college recruitment. In addition, playing in these events could get kids listed in GolfWeek magazine among the top juniors. "We have an agreement with organizations to get some playing opportunities for our kids," Douglas adds. Finding a site is challenging enough but costs can often be just as daunting daunt tr.v. daunt·ed, daunt·ing, daunts To abate the courage of; discourage. See Synonyms at dismay. [Middle English daunten, from Old French danter, from Latin . There are Nike camps, [Golf] Digest Camps, but they cost, says Dickey. "It could cost you $1,500, $2,000 to send your kid to a camp for 10 days. We just find that African Americans either don't have the money to do it, or just won't [spend it] for that purpose." For the parents can afford to spend the dough, it's money well spent. "We don't regret it one single bit," says Joan Dandridge. "It was a lot of money, but you can see where it's gone to a good cause." The Cream of the Crop Here are some of the best training facilities for junior golfers, as recommended by Bill Dickey of the National Minority Junior Golf Scholarship Association Browns Mill Junior Golf Program 480 Cleveland Ave. Atlanta, GA 30354 Contact: King Simmons, director 404-366-3573 Chi Chi Rodriguez Youth Foundation Inc. 3030 McMullen Booth Road North Clearwater, FL 33761 Contact: Vincent Reid, director 727-726-8829 Hattiesburg Golf Association 804 Whitney St. Hattiesburg, MS 39401 Contact: Leon McGee, director 601-544-3165 Hollywood Golf Institute 10800 Puritan St. Detroit, MI 48238 Contact: Selina Johnson, president 313-863-6872 Hook a Kid on Golf 40 Southern Golf Court (River's Edge) Fayetteville, GA 30214 Contact: William Lewis, director 770-460-1098 Renaissance Junior Golf Inc. P.O. Box 200144 Riverfront Plaza Station Newark, NJ 07102-0303 Contact: Water K. Frye, chairman 973-623-1700 Toledo Minority Golf Assoc. 1943 Oakwood Ave. Toledo, OH 43607 Contact: Charles Cohen, president 419-531-6535 Winston Lakes Junior Golf Association 3535 Winston Lake Road Winston Salem, NC 27105 Contact: Earnest L. Morris, head professor 336-727-2703 Western States Junior Golf Academy Southern California Junior Golf Program 1921 West 98th St. Los Angeles, CA 90047 Contact: Marjorie Carpenter, director 323-755-6290 Young Golfers of America Association 4701 Keniston Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90043 Contact: D'Andre White, vice president 323-292-7030 |
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