Special Olympics Club getting into the swing of things

New sport offering for Tuam-Headford Club

TUAM Headford Special Olympics Club will enter the world of golf next week as they host the first of four Come and Try sessions at Tuam Golf Club next week.

The club provides athletes with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to train and compete in sport. It already offers swimming and gymnastics to it members, with golf set to be something a bit different.

The first taster session takes place next Thursday August 27 between 6:30pm and 7:30pm at Tuam Golf Club, followed by a celebration to mark the occasion in the clubhouse from 7pm to 8pm.

“Golf is something we have been targeting to bring in for some time. Paddy Coyne introduced a Golf for All Programme at Tuam Golf Club, but he felt that it needed a permanent home. That’s where we come in,” Ornagh Nyland, Tuam Headford Special Olympics Club Chairperson told The Tuam Herald.

“We felt it was time to introduce a sport that would be less stressful on a person’s body. Swimming is not something everyone is able to do, while there is a lot of flexibility involved in gymnastics. After putting much preparation into these Come and Try sessions, hopefully they will be a success.”

Ornagh has already signed up ten people for next week’s first session, with a target of getting 20 people. Not all will end up competing for the club, but everyone will get a chance to hit a ball and enjoy the sport regardless of their ability.

The Come and Try sessions will run for four weeks on Thursday evenings and are open to anyone with intellectual disabilities over the age of seven. The club do not work off any geographical boundaries, meaning they are happy to facilitate anyone interested in giving golf a try. Ornagh is also hoping to get more volunteers on board to help with the programme ahead of the first session.

“We would love more people to come forward and help with our latest sport, even if you can only come and do one hour every so often, this all helps,” added Ornagh.

“We are currently searching for a golf coordinator. That person would ideally have plenty of experience playing the sport so that they would be confident in advising newcomers of the rules and how best to play golf.

“Not everyone needs to be an expert. You could be the person handing out golf balls to our members or helping us keep on top of messaging parents ahead of every training session or event. We are a very welcoming group. I would encourage anyone thinking about volunteering to think of us.”

Golf may not be the end of their expansion into new sports. Ornagh has been involved in football for many years and is hopeful of getting enough support from members to introduce a football team in the future.

“Some members of the club would love to have a sport that is a bit pacier than what we provide at present. Football can cater to these people. I would be hoping we can expand into this sport sometime in the next 12 months,” she concluded.