UXBRIDGE — Six players are returning to Team Ontario (U19) in 2018 and will be joined by eight new faces as Golf Ontario is pleased to announce the newest installment of the squad. The 2018 team will see an even split of seven boys and seven girls.
Leading the returning players for 2018 is Markham’s Victoria Zheng who captured the 2017 Ontario Juvenile Girls’ title at Sawmill Creek Golf Resort in Camlachie. Zheng will be joined by fellow returnees: Toronto’s Sarah Beqaj, who represented Ontario at the Canada Summer Games, Mississauga’s Matthew Anderson, Mississauga’s Robbie Latter, Markham’s Hailey McLaughlin, and Tillbury’s Hailey Katona.
The new members of the squad bring some impressive credentials from this past season. Sudbury’s Tristan Renaud won the Ontario Junior Boys’ Championship, Fonthill’s Freddy D’Angelo was the Ontario Juvenile Boys’ Champion, Aurora’s Vanessa Chychrun captured the Ontario Junior Girls’ Match Play title, and Caledon’s Raesa Sheikh was the Ontario Bantam Girls’ Champion. Also new to the team are: Waterloo’s Dylan Henderson, Windsor’s Shawn Sehra, Waterloo’s Bennett Ruby, and Windsor’s Jasmine Ly.
Entering his fifth season as the Head Provincial Coach is Milton resident Reggie Millage. Millage is joined by Strength and Conditioning Coach Nick Martichenko and Mental Skills Coach Charles Fitzsimmons. Delaney Howson will act as the Team Coordinator.
“The start of a new season is always exciting but this year even more so,” said Millage. “This group is filled with talented, young athletes that are striving to be better and willing to do the work necessary to achieve their goals. I expect one of the hardest working teams this year and I have no doubt that they will show their off-season work next spring.”
The team will train throughout the winter at Peak Performance Golf in Vaughan. They will have a pair of local camps, followed by three winter warm weather camps including the Can/Am Matches, during March Break with the South Carolina Junior Golf Association at the Wachesaw Plantation Club in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina.
2018 Team Ontario
| Name | Age (2018) | Hometown | Club | Coach | Graduation Year |
| Dylan Henderson | 17 | Waterloo | Whistle Bear GC | Dave Smallwood | 2019 |
| Shawn Sehra | 15 | Windsor | Roseland Golf & Curling Club | Randy McQueen/Joye McAvoy-Sinn | 2020 |
| Matthew Anderson | 18 | Mississauga | Credit Valley G&CC | Alf Callowhil | 2018 |
| Bennett Ruby | 17 | Waterloo | Westmount G & CC | Dave Smallwood | 2019 |
| Robbie Latter | 17 | Mississauga | Credit Valley G&CC | Nick Starchuck | 2019 |
| Tristan Renaud | 17 | Sudbury | Idylwylde G&CC | Reggie Millage | 2019 |
| Freddy D’Angelo | 17 | Fonthill | Lookout Point CC | Scott Cowx | 2019 |
| Jasmine Ly | 17 | Windsor | Kingsville G&CC | Joye McAvoy-Sinn | 2019 |
| Victoria Zheng | 14 | Markham | Station Creek GC | Dong Hee Lee | 2021 |
| Hailey McLaughlin | 16 | Markham | Cedar Brae G&CC | Reggie Millage | 2019 |
| Vanessa Chychrun | 16 | Aurora | Beacon Hall GC | Reggie Millage | 2020 |
| Raesa Sheikh | 15 | Caledon | Cedar Brae GC | Gord Burns & Reggie Millage | 2021 |
| Hailey Katona | 16 | Tilbury | Tilbury Golf Club | Dave Vanloozen | 2020 |
| Sarah Beqaj | 16 | Toronto | Toronto Golf Club | Ann Carroll | 2020 |
About Team Ontario
Golf Ontario’s Team Ontario program is a high performance training program for the top junior aged golfers in Ontario. Athletes are selected in the fall each year and the program runs during the winter into the Ontario golf season. Team Ontario athletes receive the very best in coaching services, training/competitive opportunities, and sport science support. Being selected to Team Ontario is a tremendous accomplishment and offers unparalleled support and guidance to the participating athletes and their families. New for 2018, Team Ontario will be piloting a number strategic initiatives with Golf Canada and its National Team program focused on ensuring identified Next Generation players are getting opportunities and programming to best prepare them for high performance golf.
