HSBC kicks off third edition of Future Lions Grassroots program

From left: Olu Water Group Communications Manager Cathrina Chang, SLG Junior Sub Committee Chairman Niloo Jayatilake, MAS Innovation Director Dhanushka Fernando, HSBC Sri Lanka and Maldives CEO Mark Surgenor, Sri Lanka Golf President Ranil Pieris, Royal Colombo Golf Club Vice captain Gehan Siribaddana and SLG Junior Golf Sub Committee, Committee Member Chandana Weerasinghe at the launch of HSBC Future Lions Golf Grassroot Program in Colombo – Pic by Ruwan Walpola 

By Shamseer Jaleel

HSBC together with Sri Lanka Golf launched the 3rd edition of HSBC Future Lions Golf grassroots program for 2024.

This is designed to introduce the game of Golf to children aged between 9 and 12 years, across Sri Lanka and provide them with the opportunity to develop their skills and pursue their passion for the sport.

This program has been instrumental in reaching over 1200 children and more significantly through advanced training, over 50 children have been infused into national and regional level junior Golf competitions. Several of them went on to be part of the national junior squad with Adithya Weerasinghe who hails from Anuradhapura had the privilege to compete in several local and international tournaments as a national junior golfer.

The 3rd edition of the program will build on the success by expanding the reach of the program and offer even more opportunities for children to get involved, with the involvement of five leading Golf clubs such as Nuwara-Eliya Golf Club (NEGC), Victoria Golf Resort (VGR), Eagles Heritage Golf Club – Anuradhapura, Catalina Golf Club in Koggala and Royal Colombo Golf Club (RCGC).

These events, regional academy which will include coaching clinics with hands-on instruction from experienced Golf professionals for young golfers of all skill. Once again, the special feature introduced last year, the “Girls on Par” program which is an initiative to increase the participation and representation of young girls in the sport will continue. 

The respective schools especially around the outstation Golf clubs will be notified on dates of the program by Sri Lanka Golf (SLG) scheduled to be held between May - July in 2024.

Sri Lanka Golf invites girls and boys between in this age group to attend the grassroots program for a fun day and try Golf and learn more about this exciting sport from coaches and instructors attached to the respective locations.

Junior Golf Development Sub-Committee Chairperson Niloo Jayathilake said, “Over the last two editions, HSBC Future Lions Golf grassroots program was instrumental in introducing Golf to over 1200 children across many centres in the country from 2017-2023. Since then, we have had an addition of over 50 new junior players who took part at national level Golf events. Three junior golfers from Anuradhpaura went on to be a part of the Junior development squad and one actually becoming the first to make it as a member of the Sri Lanka national Junior Golf team. This program has certainly been instrumental in scaling up Golf as a sport in Sri Lanka. We look forward to once again extending the HSBC Future Lions grassroots program to boys and girls across five locations and through it help them become champions golfers. I would like to thank the entire team that was involved in getting the program together and look forward to the support from HSBC, our partners and participating clubs and parents to move forward with the program.”

HSBC Sri Lanka in partnership with Beverage partner Olu Water and Sportswear Partner MAS will conduct these events.