The Golf Foundation welcomes a new Regional Development Officer (RDO) to the West Midlands in Jason Sorrell. Jason has joined a team of seven RDOs who deliver ‘HSBC Golf Roots’. This initiative promotes golf in schools, helps youngsters into clubs and uses the sport to promote life skills such as honesty and respect. HSBC Golf Roots aims to reach one million youngsters per year by 2013 and is supported by among others The R&A and The European Tour, and individual Ambassadors include Lee Westwood, Alison Nicholas and Denise Lewis.
Jason, aged 26, already has strong experience at the junior grass roots level, as he was formerly Birmingham’s local authority Golf Development Officer. He has operated alongside the Foundation on HSBC Golf Roots projects and worked closely with the man he is replacing as RDO, Gareth Jenkins, helping to introduce thousands of children and young people to golf in the region.
Brendon Pyle, National Development Manager for the Golf Foundation, said: “I am sure Jason will do an excellent job in maintaining the momentum for grass roots golf that we have created throughout the region. It will help Jason that he already has a sound understanding of golf development from both a schools and club perspective. He was also instrumental in developing and leading the latest HSBC Golf Roots competition formats across most of the schools inBirmingham, which led the city programme to win a major Golf Foundation award this year.”
The new addition to the RDO team began his career as a PGA assistant professional, and is a member of Cocks Moors Woods Golf Course in Kings Heath,Birmingham.
Jason Sorrell said: “I am very much looking forward to this exciting challenge. Golf has been my passion for years and I’ve gained a great deal of satisfaction in helping youngsters in the Birmingham area to enjoy golf and learn the ‘Skills for Life’ that the sport can offer. I also relish the opportunity to work within the highly committed team of Golf Foundation Regional Development Officers as we help in the sporting and social development of young people.”
Jason will replace Gareth Jenkins, who has been one of the Foundation’s longest serving members of staff, having been in the post for eight years. He leaves to begin doctoral research with the School of Sport Pedagogy, University of Birmingham.
Mike Round, Chief Executive of the Golf Foundation, said: “All the Golf Foundation staff wish Gareth well in this new phase of his career. He will be missed by the whole Foundation team but also by a great many teachers, club junior organisers, PGA professionals and school sport managers in theWest Midlands. This is because he has made an outstanding contribution in an area that has become a real hotbed for developing young golfers, and much of this
progress is down to his energy, love of the game and great skill in enthusing others.”
Jason Sorrell can be contacted on 07765 258440, Jason@golf-foundation.org, and you can follow his work on Twitter at ‘@GolfRootsWM’.
HSBC Golf Roots and the Golf Foundation www.golf-foundation.org