Young female athletes are invited to tee off and dream big as the Women Fore Women scholarship program is set to announce this year’s scholarship recipients in a celebration of talent, dedication, and ambition on the rolling hills of the Hillcrest Golf Club this month.
Hosted by the Ladies’ Golf League at the Hillcrest Golf Club, the Women Fore Women scholarship presentation is set to take place on Tuesday, June 25, starting at 1 p.m.
“We have 10 (confirmed) applicants so far… (and) we’re excited about it,” announced Deb Negraiff, the scholarship chair of the Women Fore Women program.
This year’s presentation will award five scholarships of $3,000 each to the top five finalists after a careful consideration by three of the club’s staff. Funding for the program is made possible through the annual Women Fore Women golf tournament, which is set to take place Saturday, Aug. 10 this year.
The program is open to high performance athletes, which means these young ladies have competed at the provincial, national, or international level as part of an organized sports team. Negraiff said the program isn’t considering an applicant’s academic performance and is all about providing opportunities.
“I find it exciting,” she said, “because scholarships for young women are not available – they just aren’t. And if you look… internationally at what’s happening with women in sport… it’s not (a demonstration of) equality by any means.”
Negraiff said she’s trying to give these young women an opportunity to have something and to be recognized for their dedication, both to sport and to the practice of leadership on and off the field.
Women Fore Women was founded in 2019 when a couple of girls, one of their fathers, and Cheryl Templeton came up with the idea to raise awareness through a yearly golf tournament.
“They wanted to do something for girls in sports, and so they organized this tournament…,” she said. “And it has grown every year.”
Negraiff said the community has shown a massive amount of support for the program since then.
“The support from our community is incredible,” she said. “The fact that these young women… and (their) parents are aware that this scholarship is available has become really important to them, because it has been stressed to us – (the necessary funding is) not there.”
She explained that women’s sporting organizations in Moose Jaw haven’t received the support – financial and otherwise – that they truly deserve, including the lack of proper changing rooms and financial backing.
“So, with all these factors, it just adds up that the girls need the attention, and our community is (now) listening.”
Even if you haven’t applied before this year’s deadline of June 9, you’re still invited to attend the scholarship presentation in a show of support.
To learn more about Women Fore Women and the Hillcrest Ladies’ Golf League, contact the Hillcrest Golf Club at 306-693-1921 or visit HillcrestGolf.ca.
The Hillcrest Golf Course is located at 1599 Main Street North.
