NATIONAL SPORT ACADEMY GOLF

GOLF NEWS:

Archived Golf News

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ABOUT:

Welcome to the National Sport Academy!

Our Mission: "To inspire passion for the game of golf while developing character for the game of life!"

Golf athletes have the opportunity to attend the National Sport Academy at Central Memorial High School. The National Sport Academy began in 1995 with the sport of hockey and provides a unique and specialized learning environment, within the school setting, for student athletes in grades 10 through 12.

The National Sport Academy program is a periodized sport and lifestyle program offered throughout the school year, designed to support and work in harmony with the student athlete's competitive sport training schedule. Over the course of the school year, and for one period each day, student athletes participate in sport specific skill sessions, dryland training sessions and dynamic life skill sessions all based on the needs of the competitive athlete. Each segment of the National Sport Academy program is held at the optimum time of the year to balance with the specific demands of the student athlete's schedule.

Over the three years of high school, student athletes have the opportunity to receive 31 credits for successful participation in the various components of the National Sport Academy.

The National Sport Academy is a supportive learning environment for emerging competitive athletes; working together as an integral part of the community of professionals who inspire student athletes to achieve personal success in both academics and athletics.

For more information on this unique opportunity, please call (403)777-3646.

For more information on each sport program of the National Sport Academy please visit the following links:

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OUR SCHOOL:

HIGH SCHOOL

Central Memorial High School
5111 21 St. SW, Calgary, AB T3E 1R9
PH: (403)243-8880 FAX: (403)777-7409
Principal: Jeff Turner

The National Sport Academy Program at Central Memorial High School has male and female baseball, equestrian, golf, hockey, lacrosse, and soccer programs available to qualified student athletes in grades ten through twelve.

Student athletes receive high school credits for their successful participation in the National Sport Academy. Over the three year high school period, student athletes have the opportunity to receive 31 credits in Phys Ed 10, 20, 30; CALM 20; and Coaching and Leadership 15,25,35.

OUR COACHES:

Our coaches have a great passion for what they do! They are full time, professional coaches who work twelve months of the year training and inspiring young golfers and coaches at all levels. National Sport Academy coaches have many years of experience in developing young athletes and responsible citizens.

NATIONAL SPORT ACADEMY STAFF

Golf Operations

• James Fehr

NATIONAL SPORT ACADEMY COACH CREDENTIALS

• 15 years experience as of golf and teaching professional
• Last Position - Associate Professional at Sirocco Golf Club, Calgary
• 2002 Golden Bear Tour (Grey Goose Tour) - Tournament Professional (West Palm Beach Florida)
• 2000, 1999 Competitor at Canadian Tour Qualifying School (Royal Ashburn, Ont.)
• 1998 Junior Golf Coordinator, D'Arcy Ranch (Okotoks)
• 1998 Golf Columnist, Okotoks Western Wheel
• 1998 Instructor - Alberta Golf Association Junior Golf Camp- Glencoe Golf and Country Club
• 1997 Graduate of University of Calgary- BA., History
• 1995, 1994 Head Teaching Professional Allred's Golf School, Junior Golf Coordinator
• 1995 Completed CPGA Apprentice training program, passed Class "A"
• Examination, Medalist Class "A" playability test (72, 71-143 2 round total)
• 1993, 1992 Junior Golf Coordinator-Country Hills Golf Club

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OUR PHILOSOPHY:

ON LEARNING AND MISTAKES

John W. Gardner has noted the connection between learning and mistakes:

"One of the reasons mature people are apt to learn less than young people is that they are willing to risk less. Learning is a risky business, and they do not like failure. In infancy, when children are learning at a phenomenal rate - a rate at which they will never again achieve - they are also experiencing a great many failures. Watch them. See the innumerable times they try and fail. See how little the failures discourage them. With each year that passes they will be less blithe about failure. By adolescence the willingness of young people to risk failure has diminished greatly. And all too often parents rush them further along that road by instilling fear, by punishing failure or by making success seem too precious. By middle age most of us carry in our heads a tremendous catalogue of things we have no intention of trying again becuase we tried them once and failed - or tried them once and did less well than our self-esteem demanded."

POSITIVE COACHING

The single most prevalent goal of young athletes is to avoid looking dumb. Some try incredibly hard to keep out of situations where they are at risk of looking dumb.

Fear of making a mistake is a paralyzing force that robs athletes of spontaneity, love of the game, and a willingness to try new things. It is the no-buts approach to mistakes that gives this sense of psychological and emotional freedom that can unlock the learning process and occasionally release truly inspired athletic performance.

Perhaps the most important reason why coaches should make the most of mistakes is because every kid knows that adults can be two-faced. All adults tell kids to "do as I say, not as I do." Every kid has seen adults espouse values in the abstract and then violate them in the specific when it was in their interest to do so.

"You get good judgement by exercising bad judgement."

Practice sessions are where the players discover whether the coach knows what he or she is doing and whether or he or she has a commitment to helping the athlete become as good as they can be.

Organizing productive practice sessions for a group of young athletes is an underestimated challenge - it is an art and requires a commitment to make it happen.

The only way to acquire a skill is to over-learn it. Repetition is the key to over-learning, which can lead to outstanding athletic performances.

The key to being able to allow your players some autonomy during practice is having the confidence that you can get and hold their attention when you need or want it. Once a coach learns that he can regain control of the reins, he can loosen up and cultivate a gentle hand.

A coach who expects loyalty from his players needs to demonstrate the same loyalty back, rather than telling the world about their failings.

We fail to put ourselves completely in the shoes of our children. When they are our age, most of them also will be able to hit a fifth-grader's pitching. The better comparison for us might be, "Could I hit Nolan Ryan's pitching?" After all, Nolan Ryan is older than most Little League parents.

Five characteristics of outstanding competitors:

1. is internally rather than externally motivated.
2. seeks and is energized by challenges.
3. sees his/her development as a process under his/her control rather than a fixed capability.
4. is independent and willing to risk violating conventional wisdom.
5. can accept both success and failures as part of the game.

A coach can help players learn to become better decision makers but not if he is breeding dependent order takers.

There is a difference between 'tradition,' which is the living ideas of the dead, and 'traditionalism,' which is the dead ideas of the living.

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CURRICULUM:

GOLF:

 

LIFE SKILLS: Coaching Character!

Life Skills are the foundation of the National Sport Academy program. Every activity the National Sport Academy athletes participate in becomes the perfect place to coach Life Skills. Whether it is learning how to effectively communicate with teachers, coaches and parents or developing work ethic in the gym, there is always an opportunity to teach Life Skills to young athletes during National Sport Academy sessions. Student athletes also participate in regularly scheduled National Sport Academy Life Skills classes taught by National Sport Academy coaches and guest speakers covering a wide variety of topics including:

• Achieving an NCAA scholarship
• Substance abuse
• Mental toughness
• Resumes
• Player Marketing and Portfolio
• Nutrition
• Ethics
• Time Management
• Preparing for the S.A.T's
• Dating and Relationships
• Self-Discipline
• Self Esteem
• Leadership
• Choices in golf
• Controlling your destiny
• Team building
• Heroes
• Motivational sessions
• Making positive choices
• Standing alone, standing tall
• Goal setting
• Public speaking
• One on one meetings

The following is a list of character traits the NSA strives to develop in our young athletes in all areas of the NSA curriculum (both on and off the course). Through support of our players in a variety of day-to-day situations, the NSA coaches have many opportunities to build and reinforce the following positive character traits:

1. Mental Toughness - NSA athletes are taught that a tough spot is often an opportunity to develop mental toughness. Athletes learn that winning is not the only criterion for success; it is by trying new and challenging things that one gets mentally tougher. A young athlete's performance often improves as he/she readjusts focus from fear of failing to a willingness to try to develop mental toughness and forget the past failures.
2. Having Fun - The ability to enjoy challenges and take pleasure in both struggles and successes. Win or lose, NSA athletes are encouraged to enjoy the journey.
3. Winning and Losing with Class - NSA athletes enjoy the battles of competition - they love to compete. But win or lose, NSA athletes are taught how to do both with class and respect for their opponent: fear no opponent, but respect every opponent.
4. Courage - NSA athletes are often put in stressful everyday situations witha team coach, player, or playing in an intense game.where fear becomes the primary focus. Often NSA athletes are placed in situations outside the NSA environment where it is very difficult to do what is right or necessary and they are often afraid. The NSA environment and coaching staff act as the stabalizing force for their fears; the NSA provides the one place where athletes feel safe to make mistakes, take risks and tackle their fears. Athletes learn how to engage in conflict resolution where the issues are clearly defined and they learn to communicate with confidence.
5. Setting and Commitment to Goals - All NSA athletes are guided through goal setting exercises at various times throughout the year. Goals are revisited, analyzed and readjusted as progress is made.
6. Leadership - NSA athletes are placed in many situations, through their academics and sport involvement, where leadership skills are required. It has been our experience that, as athletes learn leadership skills at the NSA they become confident, articulate leaders who exhibit honesty, integrity, justice and personal ethics. NSA athletes are often chosen for leadership roles on their teams.

HIGH PERFORMANCE TRAINING:

DRYLAND TRAINING - the one critical element most often misunderstood and overlooked in the success of a high performance athlete!

Included in the National Sport Academy program is a complete Sport Specific High Performance Training program. There is no need to enroll your athlete in any other training programs, at any time during the year, as the National Sport Academy training program is designed to specifically address the needs of athletes both in-season and in the off season months. The National Sport Academy coaches know the specific needs of your athlete and understand how to effectively train a high performance athlete. During the school year, training takes place in the athletes scheduled sports period and for the athletes in grades 9-12, the training program is continued into July with an optional user pay segment in August. Training facilities include the many options available at all three National Sport Academy schools along with the University of Calgary and Mount Royal College High Performance training facilities.

STUDENT SELECTION CRITERIA

Applicants must attend a selection camp where on course performance will be evaluated. Athletes will also be interviewed to ensure their commitment, dedication and understanding of the National Sport Academy Program.

An athlete's initial performance will be assessed in the following:

• Individual skills
• Individual tactics
• Physical endurance and strength improvements - fitness testing
• Leadership, attitude and respect

The athlete's ongoing performance will be assessed based on development and improvement in the previously described areas.

Student athletes must have demonstrated a commitment to academic excellence.

Performance and commitment to the program will be reviewed on an annual basis by National Sport Academy coaching staff and communicated to parents and players in a coach / parent / player meeting. This review will be taken into consideration when the athletes National Sport Academy re-application is submitted for the next year.

Special consideration for selection to the National Sport Academy may be given due to injury of other relevant circumstances.

An athletes' ongoing commitment to the program will be partially determined by their attendance at National Sport Academy sessions.

Athletes will be expected to take part in fitness testing set out by the National Sport Academy.

Character references and golf references provided by the athlete will be taken into consideration.

Other possible exceptions may be taken into consideration.

APPLICATION PROCESS

1. Obtain a National Sport Academy application package. Application forms may be picked up in person, emailed, faxed or mailed to you. Please be sure to specify which school and sport you would like an application for.

   National Sport Academy
   #1729 12th Street SW
   Calgary, AB
   T2T 3N1
   Phone: 777-3646 Fax: 777-4550
   Email: info@nationalsportacademy.com




2. Attend one of the following National Sport Academy Information Meetings:

   • All Information Meetings for the 2008-2009 school year have now been completed. For more information on the National Sport Academy, please call the National Sport Academy office at (403)777-3646 or email info@nationalsportacademy.com.


3. Submit your completed application, application checklist and required fees to the National Sport Academy.
   **Please note the targeted application deadline is March 14, 2008. In order to meet school and sport evaluation deadlines and enrollment estimations, it would be helpful for us to receive your application as soon as possible. Late applications will be considered.
   
4. Following a response from the National Sport Academy, attend a Sport Specific evaluation session.

TUITION FEES (2008-2009)

SPORT	AMOUNT
Golf	$5425 + GST

There is a non-refundable registration fee of $100 when your application is submitted.

There is a tuition deposit cheque due when your application is submitted. This fee is fully refundable if the student athlete is not selected to attend the National Sport Academy. If the student athlete is selected to attend the National Sport Academy, the tuition deposit cheque is credited to the total balance of the tuition fees.

Once an athlete has registered and has been accepted into the National Sport Academy, fees are non-refundable.

GOLF LESSONS:

The National Sport Academy Golf Coach, James Fehr, is available for both individual and group instruction. For more information or to book a lesson, email info@nationalsportacademy.com or call the National Sport Academy office at (403)777-3646.