Former Kelowna Secondary Golf Coach will take over the UBC Okanagan Heat Golf Program.
Mike Darnbrough is looking to tee up another strong season for the Heat golf team.
Darnbrough is taking over the coaching duties of the UBC Okanagan Heat golf team and with the three-time defending provincial champions and the PACWEST male golfer of the year returning to the fold it could be another hot year for the Heat.
“The Heat is well positioned to continue their success. The women’s team is primed for another run at a national title, and with the relative youthfulness and skill of the men’s squad, they too could become a very strong team on the national level” says Darnbrough.
“I think that with the way UBC’s Okanagan campus is a rapidly developing, expanding and evolving institution it is an exciting time to be involved in this process, and I look forward to elevating the golf program to new heights.”
As a UBC alum and former varsity athlete at the university level (playing for the Thunderbirds hockey club) Darnbrough knows what it takes to be a student athlete at an high level and knows what it takes to get a program to an elite level in Canadian Interuniversity Sport. He will use his experience and his extensive knowledge of the Kelowna youth golf scene to continue to build the Heat program.
Darnbrough is well-known in the Kelowna area, having been a teacher and working for School District 23 since 1976. He has been a member of the Kelowna Golf and Country Club since 1973 and will utilize his extensive knowledge of the local talent to grow the roster.
“The Okanagan has produced many highly competitive male and female professional and amateur golfers. UBC’s Okanagan campus will provide an excellent pathway for the continuation of this tradition,” he says.
Coaching the Kelowna Secondary Golf team for 14 years (1988-2002), Darnbrough saw the Owls medal five times in nine years. Darnbrough also had the privilege of being the coach of the Owls when many quality players played on the team, the most notable of which is probably Samantha Richdale – currently on the LPGA tour.
On top of his impressive coaching credentials is the long list of golf development and administration positions Darnbrough has been involved with over the past 20 years. These include Junior Director at the Kelowna Golf and Country Club and the Okanagan Valley Zone Chairman.
“Developing a program which will attract strong students who are highly skilled and motivated players to the UBC Okanagan golf team is a priority,” explains Darnbrough. “We know these students will receive a world-class education. Providing a high-quality golf environment in which to compete will compliment the UBC Okanagan experience.”
The Heat golf team will continue to play in the PACWEST with the season running September through October. The 2012 PING CCAA (Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association) Golf National Championship will be held Oct. 15-19, 2012 at the Oshawa Golf Club and hosted by Durham College.
Student athletes interested in competing for the Heat for the coming season must attend the qualifying tournament Aug. 19-20 at the Okanagan Golf Club. [Link]
For more information about playing for the Heat men’s or women’s varsity golf team, contact Coach Darnbrough at mdarnbro@telus.net, or visit www.goheat.ca/golf
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