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Kootenays golf team cheer each other on
by Daya Karunita Wimalasuriya
For most teenagers who play in BC’s Summer Games, it’s not unusual for their siblings to be among the spectators cheering them on. For Kimberley’s Dereniwsky sisters, Julia and Kira, from the Kootenays (Zone 1), their cheering sibling is much closer than for most other athletes. She’s probably waiting at the next hole.
Under the coaching of Tom Vold, both Julia and Kira have improved their game to qualify for the BC Summer Games (the golf is being played at Surrey’s Hazelmere Golf & Country Club) by qualifying in the Cranbrook BC Junior Open and the Junior Qualifier in Cranbrook, respectively. Their regular visits to the driving range, sometimes three-to-four times a week, have paid dividends by propelling them to the BC Summer Games.
Julia aims to shoot her best and help Zone 1 come up in the game.
“I hope to shoot in the low 80s or high 70s,” she said. “That would make us finish in a good position in girls division.”
Taking up challenging assignments is not new to Julia as she was the only female in her school golf team (with four males), a team which recently won the gold medal at the Golf East Kootenay Tournament. Outside Golf, Julia managed to become the overall top academic in Grade 9 in her school, showing her talent is not limited to the golf course.
Following the footsteps of her sister, Kira believes involvement in golf and in other athletics has a positive impact on her.
“Sports makes me keep fit and I just like have fun while playing golf,” she said.
As a junior player who undoubtedly might wish to emulate her sister, Kira hopes she could do her best in the BC Summer Games this time.
With years of golfing and academics ahead of them, this might not be the last time we hear about the Dereniwsky sisters.
BC Summer Games
