By BOBBIE GREEN
The Progress
The Virgin Valley Junior Golf Association (VVJGA) held its Final Nite season wrap-up event on Tuesday evening, July 27 at the Mesquite Recreation Center outdoor pool. There was fun swimming time for the kids and their families. Hamburgers and hot dogs were grilled up by the Mesquite Firefighters Association.
The VVJGA has been holding golf clinics and tournaments for kids ages 5-18, every summer for approximately 20 years. The only exception was the summer of 2020 due to COVID regulations.
Although the Association was able to resume the program this year it was slightly changed. The season was a bit shorter than usual. There were no clinics. And only five tournaments were held. In addition, the final Awards Dinner, normally held indoors at one of the local golf course restaurants was changed to this outdoor family pool party. These changes were mostly due to the uncertainty of changing COVID regulations and with the organization being a bit short staffed this year.
The kids were having so much fun swimming and picnicking with their parents, that they hardly seemed to miss the more formal awards dinner setting.
“We might want to start a new tradition with the pool party instead,” said VVJGA Volunteer Administrator Marsha Sherwood.
Forty-eight kids participated in the program this year. This number was down from pre-COVID years.
A trophy award and a ring was given out to the first place winners within each age group, one for male and one for female. Winners in the ages 5-7 group were Alyssa Meierhoff and Beckett Davis. Ages 8-10 division winner was Zander Thompson. Ages 11-12 winners were Palynn Zandt and Charlie Davis. Ages 13-14 winners were Mayo Cordero and Vikto Cu. Ages 15-18 winners were Brooklin Montoya and Mark Parrish
Everyone received a participation certificate and there were drawings to win buckets of goodies.
The VVJGA has a three-member Board of Directors: City Councilman Brian Wursten, Director of Leisure and Recreation Nicolas Montoya, and Ann Sumstrum of Las Vegas. The staff and coaches in the program are all volunteers.
The goal of the program is to teach the kids the rules, safety procedures and etiquette in the game of golf, explained Montoya.
“But the primary aim of the junior golf program, and our most important all-encompassing goal, is constant improvement and having fun!” Montoya added.
There are a number of golf goals that the youth participants can shoot for. Each of the goals are skill-specific to help individual kids become inspired and engaged.
Junior Golfer Charlie Davis took first place in his 11-12 age group.
“I have been golfing since I was 5-years old, and I will keep on golfing,” Davis said. “I will be back next year, too.”
Another Junior Golfer Samantha King said that the VVJGA summer program was wonderful. “I started in my freshman year and I am a senior now,” King said. “It is really a cool program and not at all expensive.”
The sign-up fee for the summer is only $50.00.
Jim & Grace Roath are volunteers with VVJGA. Jim served as a coach in the program and Grace was a self-proclaimed ‘go-fer.’ This was their first year volunteering in the program and they said they were looking forward to doing it again next year.
“It was a rewarding experience,” Jim said. “Just very enjoyable.”
“We are always in need of volunteers,” said Sherwood. “I want to thank all of my volunteer coaches, my assistant Laura Peterson, and Lenora Hutchins.”
“We do fundraisers throughout the year and hope to soon be able to offer small student scholarships to the students,” Sherwood added.
More information about VVJGA is available by contacting Sherwood at 702-523-4728 or calling Casablanca Golf course at 702-346-6764.
