8 THE VOICE, THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2016 EDITOR TESSA VIKANDER SS poris Golf Canada's youngest recruit tees off Competing since the age of six, Tiffany Kong is a role model for younger golf players ‘ ~~ ROBERTO TEIXEIRA photos Tiffany Kong practises her swing at Langara Golf Course.~ By ROBERTO TEIXEIRA ailing from South Vancouver, 15 year-old Tiffany Kong is Golf Canada’s youngest member, and hopes for a career as a pro- fessional. Kong’s recent re- cruitment to the development team for Team Canada is both remarkable and inspirational, according to Derek Thornley, director of instruction at The Golf Institute at Fraserview, Kone’s h tub TIFFANY KONG pre s fome clu. South Vancouver A player like competitive golfer Tiffany helps to mo- tivate other young golfers who are working hard at their games and coming up through Vancou- ver’s public courses,” he said. It was family inspiration that got her addicted to the game at age five. “My dad started playing golf and then he started bringing me along. He bought clubs for me and then I really like playing,” Kong said. After a few months of playing just for fun, her family realized she had a special talent for the game and started investing in her future as a competitive golfer. “We went on to having a coach and then I started to playing in tourna- ments,” Kong said. Her first tournament win came when she was six years old at the 2007 Junior Linkster Tour. Since then, Kong has taken part in many tournaments with higher-level players, including a Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour win in 2014 plus a top-5 finish at the 2015 CN Future Links Pacific Championship and Brit- ish Columbia Golf Provincial Junior Girls’ Championship. Hoping to play professionally, Kong said she hopes to go to a U.S. school on a sports scholarship. “T definitely plan on doing better in Canadian tournaments and start going out to the United States to get myself out there in the U.S. for a university scholarship,” she said. To get there, Kong has an intensive training routine. Depending on the season, Kong hits the course four to six times per week, spending two to four hours each time. CAREER highlights ME 3rd — 2016 Cana- dian Junior Golf Association (CJGA) Western Canadian Junior Champion- ship (U19) HM 13-2016 CUGA Junior at Cordova Bay (U17) HM 13-2015 Canadian Pacific Women's Open qualifier ME 16-2015 Canadian Junior Girls Championship M 4th-2015 Bc. junior girls' championship Source: Golf Canada Sweat lodge heals players’ past Members of Musqueam men’s basketball team use ceremony to improve game and overcome addictions By ANNA TILLEY riors Basketball team is scoring big and has found sobriety through the help of sweat lodge ceremonies. The ceremonies, often called ‘sweats,’ have helped team captain Demitri Harris improve his game and kick addictions thanks to the spiritual teachings. “We did a lot of praying and sharing and that made me feel a little more comfortable with myself. I haven’t re- ally known much about my history,” he said. Harris has upped his game on the court and credits the success to his participation in sweat lodge ceremo- nies. He recalls after his first sweat he scored about 50 points in a men’s league game, and after another he set a record 72 points in a league game. “T think it was just a testament to the T: captain of the Musqueam War- power of spirituali- ty and ceremony. Now I crave sweat lodge all the time,” Harris said. Held in a dome- like structure, par- ticipants in the ceremonies sweat substantially when water is poured over the 4 ROBERT HOLLER central pit of hot Basketball team lava rocks. Sweats manager include prayers that help people heal and connect 66 with their ances- tors. ’ Now almost a You're no month sober, Har- longer sub- ris said he is grate- ee ful to the team’s scribing to manager, Robert poisonous Holler, for encour- ee aging him to at- Sp irtts, tend the ceremo- which nies. Holler has been alcohol or encouraging ev- drugs is eryone on the team to attend, and owes his own sobriety to his commitment as the fire keeper — the one who heats the rocks by fire be- fore the ceremony. “Youre no longer subscribing to poi- sonous spirits, which alcohol or drugs is. Those are your blockages to cre- ator,” said Holler. “It’s saving my life.” So far, five team members have at- tended and Holler hopes the number will rise because of how successful those who attend have been. “We've been through things and in- stead of dealing with them through drinking and drugs, lodge and ceremo- ny seems to save it. You’re listening to your ancestors and asking for sup- port,” Holler said. John Sparrow, Musqueam Warriors Basketball team coordinator, said he doesn’t attend sweat lodge and instead connects with his spiritual side with drumming. However, Sparrow said he believes any ceremony involvement is benefi- cial. “It’s your spiritual recharge. It’s to help let your ancestors guide you and give you healing,” Sparrow said. Sparrow said he hopes Harris’ sobri- ety rubs off on other players. Foret, aD The Musqueam Warriors Basketball team practises on the Musqueam reserve. SUBMITTED photo Curler rocks the Hall Marpole Curling Club member was in- ducted into the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame in Ottawa, Ontario By ASHLEY SINGH hen Paralympic gold medallist We: Neighbour received a phone call during practice he hesitated before answering, not know- ing it was the call of a lifetime. Last month the Marpole Curling Club member was inducted into the Canadian Curling Hall of Fame thanks in part to having won the Canadian Wheelchair Curling Championship three times. “T usually don’t answer my phone while I’m practicing but I took a look at it and I didn’t recognize the number. When I answered, it turned out to be the (Canadian) Curling Hall of Fame. I just about fell out of my chair,” Neigh- bour said. During a construction accident in 2000, Neighbour fell off of a roof and broke his back. Since then he has been paralyzed from the waist down. As a form of physical therapy he started playing wheelchair tennis for two years and then went on to curling. “(As) soon as I threw my first rock, I was hooked,” Neighbour said. Al Cameron, the director of commu- nications and media relations for Curl- ing Canada described Neighbour as the perfect candidate. “(Neighbour) fits the criteria well, he had won his third Canadian Wheelchair Curling Championship, making him an auto- matic nominee,” Cameron said. Neighbour also won the gold medal when he competed in the Vancouver 2010 Winter Paralympic Games. “Some days you pinch yourself and wonder was it real? Then again you also think about where do you go from here,” he said. Neighbour said he plans to compete again in the Ca- nadian Wheelchair Curling ! ae Championship, but didn’t Giasm specify what year. acts Neighbour encourages ae other individuals who have qiea disabilities to persevere. “Keep trying, try every- thing and go out there, be- cause you never know what (will give your life meaning again,” he said. DARRYL NEIGHBOUR Paralympic gold medallist 66 Some days you pinch yourself and won- der was it real?... You also think about where do you go from here & SCORE 1234 ASHLEY SINGH photo Darryl Neighbour practic- ing at Richmond Curling Club.