AJGA, GCAA align to provide joint membership to college coaches
BRASELTON, Ga. / NORMAN, Okla. – The American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) and Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) announced a new initiative to provide joint memberships for college golf coaches in 2018.
“We are thrilled to enhance our partnership with the AJGA with the announcement of joint memberships with the GCAA,” said GCAA President Andrew Sapp. “It is a wonderful benefit, not only financially for our coaches, but also a recruiting benefit for the AJGA to provide Coaches Corner memberships to our GCAA members. This is a great win-win relationship.”
As part of the new joint membership program available on August 14, GCAA member coaches can access the AJGA’s Coaches Corner, which houses important recruitment information such as contact information, swing video and player resumes. GCAA members will also receive results from all AJGA events, credentials and promotion on tournament scoreboards including on-site displays of TaylorMade-adidas Golf Live Scoring.
“We believe this partnership enhances our stated mission and purpose,” said AJGA Executive Director Stephen Hamblin. “To provide greater access to opportunities at the next level will continue to increase our members’ ability to earn a college golf scholarship and fulfil their dreams.”
Over the past 10 years, more than 7,000 alumni have reported signing a National Letter of Intent to play college golf. The AJGA has implemented several strategies to continue to grow this number, including offering Senior Showcase events in December, coinciding with the college golf coaches’ conventions in Las Vegas, and February to give seniors who have not yet made a college golf decision the opportunity to showcase their interest. A combined 80 percent of the past 30 years of Division I individual national champions have been AJGA alumni.
About the AJGA
The American Junior Golf Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the overall growth and development of young men and women who aspire to earn college golf scholarships through competitive junior golf. The AJGA provides valuable exposure for college golf scholarships, and has an annual junior membership (boys and girls, ages 12-19) of more than 6,600 members from 50 states and 55 foreign countries. Through initiatives like the Achieving Competitive Excellence (ACE) Grant, a financial assistance program, and Leadership Links, a service-oriented platform that teaches juniors charitable-giving skills, the AJGA fosters the growth of golf’s next generation.
TaylorMade-adidas Golf became the AJGA’s National Sponsor in 2016 after more than 25 years of support. Rolex, which is in its fourth decade of AJGA sponsorship, became the inaugural AJGA Premier Partner in 2004. In 2017, adidas joined the AJGA as a Premier Partner, serving as the Official Apparel and Footwear of the AJGA.
AJGA alumni have risen to the top of amateur, collegiate and professional golf. Former AJGA juniors have compiled more than 830 victories on the PGA and LPGA Tours. AJGA alumni include Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler, Bubba Watson, Webb Simpson, Sergio Garcia, Hunter Mahan, Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, Zach Johnson, Justin Thomas, Stacy Lewis, Ariya Jutanugarn, Alison Lee, Lexi Thompson, Inbee Park, Paula Creamer, Brittany Lincicome, Cristie Kerr and Morgan Pressel.
About the GCAA
Established in 1958, the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) is the professional organization of golf coaches. The GCAA's mission is to support its member coaches by creating educational opportunities, providing resources, and promoting its members with the purpose of enhancing their overall performance as coaches, mentors, and teachers. The GCAA also recognizes the excellence and achievements of its members and their student-athletes in academic, athletic and civic endeavors.