Monday is the opening round of the three-day Dubai Creek Open and it is a milestone occasion for the tour as it is the 50th tournament they have staged since 2011. Here is the lowdown:
Grown
After a break of two months, the Mena Golf Tour returns with the first day of the Dubai Creek Open at the Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club. The event is the 50th in the history of the tour since it began in 2011. It has grown from being four events that year to 20 this year, with tournaments in Morocco, Spain and South Africa among the schedule.
Spotlight
“The staging of the 50th tournament shows we have moved the needle a little bit forward which gives us a tremendous sense of satisfaction,” Mohammed Juma Buamaim (pictured above), chairman of the Mena Golf Tour, said yesterday. “If our players have enjoyed some moments in the spotlight, it’s all down to the support that we have received.”
Making waves
Adel Zarouni, the vice chairman of the Emirates Golf Federation, believes the tour’s gradual expansion will have positive results locally in the years ahead. “With the Mena Golf Tour creating a competitive atmosphere, I think it’s a matter of time before we have home-grown players making waves on the circuit,” he said.
Potential
Zane Scotland is the tour’s most successful player with 11 wins to his name in tournaments on the tour, and the Englishman is proud of his successful past. “I have been playing on the tour since winning the inaugural event in 2011 and can tell from experience that it has a tremendous potential to grow and prosper.”
Unique
“The tour is just awesome,” said Ahmed Al Musharrekh, the only UAE professional playing on the tour at present. “The experience that you gain from playing alongside an international field is something unique for the region’s players, especially the amateurs. I would like to see the region grow. The more it grows, it will give the young guys greater opportunities”
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School counsellors on mental well-being
Schools counsellors in Abu Dhabi have put a number of provisions in place to help support pupils returning to the classroom next week.
Many children will resume in-person lessons for the first time in 10 months and parents previously raised concerns about the long-term effects of distance learning.
Schools leaders and counsellors said extra support will be offered to anyone that needs it. Additionally, heads of years will be on hand to offer advice or coping mechanisms to ease any concerns.
“Anxiety this time round has really spiralled, more so than from the first lockdown at the beginning of the pandemic,” said Priya Mitchell, counsellor at The British School Al Khubairat in Abu Dhabi.
“Some have got used to being at home don’t want to go back, while others are desperate to get back.
“We have seen an increase in depressive symptoms, especially with older pupils, and self-harm is starting younger.
“It is worrying and has taught us how important it is that we prioritise mental well-being.”
Ms Mitchell said she was liaising more with heads of year so they can support and offer advice to pupils if the demand is there.
The school will also carry out mental well-being checks so they can pick up on any behavioural patterns and put interventions in place to help pupils.
At Raha International School, the well-being team has provided parents with assessment surveys to see how they can support students at home to transition back to school.
“They have created a Well-being Resource Bank that parents have access to on information on various domains of mental health for students and families,” a team member said.
“Our pastoral team have been working with students to help ease the transition and reduce anxiety that [pupils] may experience after some have been nearly a year off campus.
"Special secondary tutorial classes have also focused on preparing students for their return; going over new guidelines, expectations and daily schedules.”
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