SPORTS FLASHBACK 1992: Child Amps ambassador works to master links

Far from being at a disadvantage, War Amps Child Amputee (CHAMP) David Morin of Monominto appears to have a leg up on the competition. Undaunted by a lawn mower accident, which cost him part of his right leg seven years ago, the 10-year-old makes up in determination and enthusiasm for anything he may lack in physical prowess.

He will be moving on to grade five at Ste Anne School this fall, and like many other youngsters, enjoys sports more than the classroom. But when pressed, David admits he is “pretty good at maths.”

Morin says he’s also pretty good at soccer and enjoys hitting a baseball more than fielding one. Now with the help of the Manitoba Professional Golfers Association, which has set him up with custom-made clubs and a tutor to teach him how to use them, Morin has taken up golf.

This summer, when he is not stacking wood for his grandmother at Ross or cleaning his room, drying dishes or taking out the garbage as his share of household duties at home, David plans to spend a lot of his time golfing.

The junior golf clinics at Steinbach have been fun, a trip to Larters at St Andrews to watch the pros give tips on golf was enjoyable too, and private lessons are bound to improve his skills. But young Morin is impatient to get out onto the golf course to “whack the ball.”

He will listen patiently while Steinbach golf professional Larry Robinson adjusts his stance, checks his grip on the back swing and offers advice on the proper follow through. And then comes the inevitable question, “Now can I whack it, Larry?”

The very first time he came out as part of the MPGA program, the 10-year-old managed to hit himself on the head with a golf ball. Instead of taking off down the fairway, as Morin had planned, the ball hit a golf club lying on the ground, flew up in the air and landed on his head.

Far from being discouraged, Morin thought it was fun and was all set to try it again, when someone moved the club.

Morin’s enthusiasm is contagious and it is not hard to get a little carried away when in his company. Just ask the Steinbach golf pro.

During a recent clinic, Robinson warned a teenaged staff member to be careful while transporting young golfers on the front nine. It was a sheepish club professional who returned later to hear David retelling the story of how Larry zoomed around the corner with his golf cart and sent Morin rolling down a hill on the tenth fairway.

But there is a serious side to the youngster, who is a “safety ambassador” with the War Amps Child Amputee (CHAMPS) program. He shares his experience with his Ste Anne classmates, shows all the artificial legs he has had to wear over the years, and helps to spread the safety message at events like the Red River Exhibition.

David says he gets two legs a year, and has a special one for swimming. He says he can still wear the first one he ever got. Laughing, he gives classmates a demonstration of how lopsidedly he walks when wearing the tiny leg he got when he was three. Morin just finds it impossible to stay serious for very long.

The 10-year-old shows signs of becoming a good golfer someday, but Robinson hesitates to provide a free pass for the Steinbach course. The golf pro first attempts to convince David he is too young to go out on the course by himself. When that message doesn’t seem to be getting through, Robinson finally falls back on a familiar line.

“Maybe you should ask your parents, David.”