July 25th, 2016 | NEWS
For the first time in the Foundation’s history Sport Changes Life will be placing two Golf Victory Scholars at our founding partner Ulster University, Jordanstown.
Sport Changes Life has worked with the Rory Foundation and Ulster University to bring the sport of golf into the Victory Scholar programme for the class of 2016-2017. Rory Mc Ilroy is Northern Ireland’s biggest sporting ambassador and a huge inspiration to all young sports people across the world. Working in partnership with Ulster University’s award winning Sports Outreach Unit, Sport Changes Life will bring the sport of golf to young people in local communities here in Northern Ireland, with a particular focus on hard to reach youth.
Sport Changes Life, which was founded in partnership with Ulster University, seeks to raise the aspirations of young people through sporting excellence, vocational and academic achievement and personal development. Through its Victory Scholar programme, Sport Changes Life provides scholarships to accomplished student-athletes who will act as sport mentors to help build self-confidence and inspire, improve life skills and empower youth to use sport as the catalyst to drive change in their lives.
Gareth Maguire, CEO and Co-Founder of Sport Changes Life, said;
“With our recent partnering with the Rory Foundation, and having the encouragement of a globally admired role model like Rory, together we are delighted to announce this partnership with Ulster University for two golf Victory Scholars to help continue the ambitious work being done by Sport Changes Life. Adding the sport of Golf to our portfolio of Victory Scholars will undoubtedly increase the awareness, understanding and recognition of the sport and help reach young people who would never have the opportunity to engage with the sport. Rory is an incredible role model with special parents who have sacrificed so much to allow Rory to achieve. It is our mission to help and support young people who just don’t have that support and help them achieve at whatever level. We are particularly pleased that Ulster University has committed to providing support for the Golf Victory Scholar program as it will become yet another vital tool to aid the success of our work. This support will offer postgraduate education to fortunate scholars who will be selected to our 2016/17 class of Victory. The group of Victory Scholars helps us support the young lives we aim to change. With the support of the Rory Foundation, we hope to expand our reach, attract more investment, and continue our core mission of fostering hope, purpose and optimism in the children in our society who need it most.”
Deirdre Brennan, Professor of Physical Education and Sport at Ulster University and co-founder of Sport Changes Life said: “The Victory Scholar programme gives international student athletes a unique opportunity to study at a world-leading university while also delivering community sport outreach initiatives that aim to inspire young people across Northern Ireland.
“For the first time ever we are accepting applications to the programme from golfers and as part of this students will get access to Ulster University’s state-of-the-art golf biomechanics lab and specialist sports performance expertise. Combined with mentoring and internships from local businesses, the scholars will no doubt thrive both on and off the golf course.”
Support for this announcement has been wide spread as we at Sport Changes Life and the Rory Foundation believe that golf has the ability to change the lives and raise aspirations of young people that we work with in our local communities.
“I am delighted Sport Changes Life have introduced the golf scholarship through their Victory Scholar Program. Rory is a sports star with worldwide reach and many young people emulate him so for Sport Changes Life to be able to enhance their Victory Scholar Program with these two scholarships is magnificent. The Rory Foundation is thrilled to be able to support children and young adults make a difference through our partnership with Sport Changes Life,” said Barry Funston, Chief Executive of the Rory Foundation.”
