Ninth grader Wyatt Frei helped revive Milestone School’s golf team after an eight-year hiatus.
14-year-old Frei represented Milestone at the Saskatchewan High School Sports Association (SHSAA) Provincial Golf Championships. He inspired teacher Travis Whelan, who returned to Milestone School’s faculty after two years, to oversee the school’s golf program.
Whelan described knowing Frei and his family before teaching him at Milestone School. “I knew that he was a fantastic golfer, and he was eligible to golf this year. So, I wanted to make sure he had programming that he could succeed with,” he said.
“I knew that he (Wyatt) was into golf but I knew other kids could have the opportunities,” Whelan added. “I thought its just an opportunity for kids to do a sport that you can do ‘til you’re 90 years old. You can’t play football outside of high school, you’re not going to play volleyball in your old age. But everybody can golf pretty late, so I kind of like that lifelong moving.”
Regarding the return of the school’s golf team, Milestone School principal Ferrah Graham showed her support for the team, stating the following:
“Golf has not been offered in this school or this community for several years, and so its been really great as we wind up extracurricular activities again to be able to offer something new to our students, and we had several students who were really interested this year, and we’re looking forward to an even better season next year.”
A reason the golf team has not been active for years is that Milestone does not have a golf course. The current team practices at Long Creek Golf & Country Club outside the nearby town of Avonlea. The golf club hosts an 18-hole course.
Frei noted that golf is not a major sport in his school and community. “Our school mainly focuses on football,” he added.
Frei is looking to shake things up.
In his first golfing season, he saw success. Representing Milestone School, Frei finished in 14th place out of 52 competitors in the males category at the SHSAA Provincial Golf Championships. The tournament lasted from September 23-24 at Jackfish Lodge, around a 20-minute drive from North Battleford.
Sitting in the principal’s office at the school he represents, a reflective Frier recalls his experience competing in the provincial tournament. “I don’t do a lot of competitive tournaments for golf, and that was one of my first ones.”
Before competing at provincials, Frei attended a district tournament in Whitewood, Sask. The tournament consists of schools in the Prairie Valley School Division. The top four competitors of the tournament advanced to provincials. Frei placed second.
When asked how he took up the sport, he said his interest in the sport came from his father, who is also an avid golfer.
Frei looks up to golfers who play for the PGA tour, a series of professional golf tournaments.
Specifically, Frei cites Canadian Corey Connors as an inspiration. At the time of publication, Connors ranks 30th in the PGA Tour.
With three seasons ahead of him, Frei plans on continuing to play for Milestone School’s golf team during his time as a student. But he doesn’t plan on stopping there. Frei aspires to be like the players he looks up to.
“I golf quite a bit, so I’m hoping to get a scholarship,” Frei stated.
He added that other Sask. golfers had earned university scholarships. “There have been a few golfers around here that got golf scholarships to colleges in the States. There was a guy from Avonlea (Brayden Nestman) who got a full scholarship to a college in Michigan (Davenport University).”
Professional PGA golfers like Graham DeLaet and Arden Knoll are also Sask. raised.
Frei’s coach, Whelan, believes he has a future in golf. “I think that that would be a future for him (Wyatt) and a future for this program in Milestone as there are a lot of young golfers coming up who look really good, and they have options for scholarships someday too. I think its kind of a driving force for kids, something to strive for,” the teacher said on Frei’s goal to win a golf scholarship.
Pictured: Wyatt Frei, who finished 14th place at the SHSAA Provincials in the Males category. He represents Milestone School and is standing outside the school’s sign.
Cat Zens can be reached on Twitter at twitter.com/catherinezens.