Sowing Seeds of Disc Golf: PDGA's Youth & Education Initiatives Flourish

The Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) is dedicated to cultivating a love for disc golf among young people worldwide. To achieve this goal, the PDGA has developed a comprehensive youth and education program that includes partnerships with notable organizations such as EDGE and Uplay.

For over two decades, EDGE has been pioneering the introduction of disc golf in schools and communities globally. Similarly, Uplay was founded in 2017 to promote the sport among young people. The PDGA has proudly supported both organizations for many years, recognizing their efforts to bring disc golf to the next generation.

In 2024, EDGE and Uplay combined forces to install over 20 permanent courses at or adjacent to schools worldwide. They also taught more than 2,000 students and over 100 teachers how to play disc golf. Furthermore, they donated an impressive 8,000 discs to young people who didn't own one.

The PDGA's support for EDGE and Uplay is just the beginning. In 2024, the organization launched its PDGA Scholastic Club Grant program. This initiative provides a $500 grant to active PDGA members in good standing who are involved with school-affiliated disc golf clubs. The funds can be used to purchase equipment, uniforms, baskets, travel, events, and other administrative support for the club.

The PDGA Youth and Education Committee carefully reviewed all grant submissions for 2024 and awarded a total of 29 grants to deserving members and their schools. Committee members continue to monitor the progress of these clubs, offering guidance to ensure their sustainability in the long term.

One notable example of the impact of the PDGA Scholastic Club Grant is Lorenzo de Zavala Middle School in Irving, Texas. With the help of the grant and donations from EDGE and friends like James Payne, the school was able to complete a 9-hole course. The club hosted a sanctioned tournament, which drew an impressive 51 players.

Clarisa Bingham, a teacher at Les Bois Jr. High in Boise, Idaho, has also seen significant growth in her school's disc golf club since receiving the grant. With community support and donations from parents, the school established a check-out system for discs, allowing students to borrow equipment.

The PDGA Scholastic Grant has not only helped schools develop their disc golf programs but also enabled them to take field trips to local courses, giving students hands-on experience with the sport.

In addition to its grants program, the PDGA has introduced a new designation within the Competition Endowment Program (CEP) for events that aim to raise funds for scholastic disc golf programs. This CEP - Scholastic Designation allows events to set aside up to 50% of gross entry fees as a donation to a school's disc golf team or program.

According to Andy Rothschild, PDGA Event Support & Training Manager, "The partnership between schools and disc golf is a new one, but we want to help these school disc golf teams run tournaments that can serve as fundraisers for their own programs."

This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/news/planting-seeds-pdga-youth-education-spotlight