Ross has been golfing since the age of 4 and winning tournaments from the age of 9.
While Fredericton's Calvin Ross prepares for the Canadian Junior Boys Golf Championship on Aug. 1, after winning his second title at the Atlantic level, he's also getting ready for a major move in September.
The 17-year-old will be attending Texas State University, near Austin, on a golf scholarship. "You just got to be confident in yourself and swing away." says Calvin Ross.
"Last year, after I won the CN Future Links Atlantic Championship, the coach from Texas contacted me," said Ross. "I went down in September of last year and visited the school. He offered me a scholarship to play and I accepted." Ross also received an academic scholarship from the university to help with tuition costs. .Success is no surprise
His success comes as no surprise to the man who has been coaching Ross for the past five years, Jamie Heffernan. "I happened to notice this kid out on the chipping green and he was probably out here for about an hour and a half, which is kind of the first part of what impresses me about a player," said Heffernan, who runs a golf academy at the Kingswood course near Fredericton.
"He was out there practicing on his own, no kids around, and he was practicing a part of the game which most people don't like to practice." 'Everyone gets nervous' Ross is out at the golf course almost every day to work on chipping, putting and driving. He says the thrill for him now is finishing a golf tournament in the final group and hearing the cheers.
Jamie Heffernam, who coaches Calvin Ross, says the young golfer has always been dedicated to improving his game. After so many years of competition, he says his nerves are pretty good, but the last few holes are always a challenge. "I think that everyone gets nervous, and I do too. Coming down the last few holes, you're almost shaking when you're on the tee because of nerves, but you just got to be confident in yourself and swing away."
CATHERINE HARROP, CBC NEWS
