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ONYX DIRECTORY |
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ORLANDO MINORITY YOUTH GOLF ASSOCIATION (OMYGA):
Trying to Do Some Good in the Neighborhood
by Lisa Moten
When Onyx Magazine met up with Orlando dentist and golf mentor
Dr. Tommy Dorsey, there were nine or ten children on hand
at Orlando’s Callahan Center, perfecting their swings.
Dr. Dorsey had his eye on each one. “All the way,
turn your hip out of the way and let it go,” he calls
out to one of his young proteges whose focus of the day
was chipping skills. “Pull to the left, like a putt.”
For those of us unfamiliar with the game, the longtime Orlando
resident attempts to offer Onyx Magazine
readers the basic 411 of the sport. “You have to know
how to putt, chip, pitch, come out of the bunker,”
he begins, all the while intently watching his students.
“You have to know how to hit the ball from a ‘teed-up’
position, unteed-up position...”
He abruptly trailed off to offer encouragement. “Good
shot! Choke down on that lower part of the club, Danielle!
Don’t flip the wrist. Keep the right wrist bent, and
the left wrist straight. Push the hands forward to the left
leg, and turn your body toward the target.” He intently
watched her follow-through. “Good shot!”
Designed in cooperation with the City of Orlando Recreation
Department, OMYGA, a 501(c)3, was established in 1991 to
acquaint inner city and urban minority youth to the sport
of golf. Through Dorsey’s program, minority and economically
disadvantaged youth learn the rules, etiquette and history
of golf. The program helps students improve their academic
performance, encourage social development, and build self-esteem,
character and confidence. Since its inception, OMYGA has
enriched the lives of hundreds of children throughout Central
Florida and reinforced strong value systems.
His pupils range in age from 5 to 18; but Dorsey notes that
lately, more parents are finding themselves out on the course
with their children, playing for the first time.
Students practice twice weekly at Callahan Center. The veteran
students of Dorsey’s program play the Dubsdread Golf
Course every Sunday. Says one parent, “They schedule
every fourth Sunday off, but the die-hards come out anyway.”
Dorsey
has produced more than his share of champions (see
Robbie Biggers) who’ve had record-breaking
and highly-decorated high school and college careers. And
he plans to keep it that way. Says he about his commitment,
“Golf can alter the gang mentality, the criminal mindset,
and the rampant use of drugs for pleasure. Golf can bring
discipline to the undisciplined.” He credits “TigerMania”
for creating a healty surge of interest in the sport among
young minority students.
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However
it happened, as long as they keep coming, he’ll be right
there to teach them.
To learn
more about the program, visit www.omyga.org.
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