The kick-off of our Spring program at the Marine Park Golf Course on May 6 commenced with a full complement of thirty-five youngsters ages 8 -14 recruited from local schools with the assistance of Councilmembers Farah Louis, Mercedes Narcisse, and the (Millennium Development) Bergen Beach Youth Organization. The program continued for six consecutive Tuesdays, marking the most successful effort since our inaugural program in 2018. The final Spring session on June 10 culminated in a rousing family recognition ceremony, where students received their PGA tee shirts and hats, completion certificates, and trophies, and were treated to a buffet spread of delicious food.

On July 8, we welcomed a second group of thirty-five new recruits for their six-week experience. Thanks to financial support from New York City Councilmembers Farah Louis and Mercedes Narcisse, as well as sponsorships by the PGA Junior League and Bical Auto Mall, we were able to offer both programs free of charge as well as supply a full complement of new,” kid-sized” youth golf clubs, as well as innovative game equipment. The summer program highlighted an introductory session for the parents and guardians, introducing them to the program and offering tips on how they could continue to motivate their youngsters to continue their pursuit of the game. With the cooperation of the Marine Park Golf Course management, we were also able to take our young golfers out on the first hole and practice hitting balls from the tee box, fairway, and greens – a real-time experience!

Instruction was led by our PGA carded pro, Sal Frasca, most aptly aided by our instructors, Tony Mancini, James McElhattan, Paul Kramer, Mike Leahy, Mike Mulally, James McCabe and assistants, Juliana Disponzio, Jayme Eady, Thomas Giordano, Shane O’Neill, Harry Rodus and Sabina Oralkhan. The program was ably supported by our administrative volunteers Tomas Hernandez and Bob Rozzi. Thanks to Millennium Development, we were staffed by photographer, Joshua Fletcher.

As in the Spring session, the youngsters were divided into groups for each two-hour session and rotated through each of the skills training modules. The progress of the participants was remarkable and the feedback from family members was most complementary. Training consisted of an introduction to the sport of golf including the goals of the game, on-course and practice area safety, equipment, gripping the clubs, club selection, the swing (putting, chipping, and pitching, full swing), golf course set-up, teamwork, and golf etiquette.

Recognition & Awards - Councilmember Narcisse & Staff

At our final Recognition ceremony, with additional support from sponsor Ponce Bank, all youngsters received a PGA Junior League “swag bag” with two personalized polo shirts, hat, Certificate of Completion, and golf medallion.

A festive food buffet, served by staff and volunteers, for over one hundred youngsters and their families, capped off the afternoon.

“We take tremendous pride in providing better access to the game of golf within our Brooklyn Community, especially for juniors who may not otherwise have the opportunity to play. The demand has been so strong that we created a mini-fall league and are now planning a winter league to support year-round participation”. -Sal Frasca, Director of Instruction & PGA Associate

New Initiatives – Youth Development Advancement Program

SAL’S TEAM: Thanks to the support of our BGA President Dr. Lucius Riccio, we have introduced a new effort to be know as “Sal’s Team”. At the conclusion of our summer session, our Director of Instruction, Sal Frasca, selected a group of five prior participants, who showed exceptional progress and motivation, for a Fall program of small group and one-on-one instruction. In eight after-school sessions, with the cooperation of the Marine Park Seaside Links management, Sal took the group “on-course” for instruction and competitive play. The results were outstanding with four of the five youngsters now having been selected for their high school golf teams.

YASMINA’S JOURNEY:

This summer, one of our new instructors, Sabina Oralkhan, introduced us to her 15-year-old sister, Yasmina, who at the age of nine had already been winning and placing in sanctioned tournaments. She is passionate about becoming a professional golfer, receiving instruction and practicing for many hours each day at local golf facilities, and has placed or won a number of regional and remote tournaments. For the second year in a row, she has been named the Met PGA Junior Player of the Year and has qualified for the 2026 USGA Women’s Fourball competition.

We met with Yasmina and her mother, and it was obvious that she is fully dedicated to reaching her goal. However, the resources required to support Yasmina’s Journey are formidable, including schooling, instruction and training, equipment, tournament, and travel expenses.

This Fall, Yasmina was accepted to the ICL Academy, the official academic partner of the American Junior Golf Association and Future Champions Golf. ICL is the only online school that tailors academics to golf, which will permit Yasmina to receive remote schooling thus allowing her to schedule flexible time for practice, travel, and tournament participation.

The Alliance (BGA) has entered into an agreement with Yasmina and her family to act as a sponsor, and she has named the Marine Park Seaside Links as her “home” course. We look forward to her continued development and success.

For more information, contact Sal Frasca of Mike Weiss at info@brooklyngolfalliance.org or (646) 739-5391. To make a donation to our programs, click the donate button on our website at www.brooklyngolfalliance.org.