Flutie and friends raise awareness of autism

 
By Cori Enos
Special to the Old Colony Memorial
 
PLYMOUTH – Studies have shown that over the past 15 years the prevalence of ASD (autism spectrum disorder) in American children has increased from 1 in 1,000 children to 1 in 100. The awareness of autism and other pervasive developmental disorders (PDDs) has also skyrocketed. Many organizations and programs have been founded to raise awareness and help families who are living with a child diagnosed with ASD such as Autism Speaks and the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism.
Flutie and some of his famous friends were in town Tuesday at the Pine Hills Golf Club for the 11th annual Doug Flutie Jr. Golf Classic. The golf tournament raises money each year for the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism.
In 2000, Doug and Laurie Flutie began the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism to help their son, Doug Jr., who was diagnosed with ASD at the age of 3. The Foundation provides services such as tutoring, therapy, and recreational programs to autistic children. One of the purposes of the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation is to help the families of children with autism both financially and emotionally.
Doug Jr. recently turned 18 years old. Asked about living with his son’s autism, Doug Sr. said the only thing he would have done differently was to have Dougie diagnosed sooner. As for other parents whose children have ASD, Doug Sr. advised that they educate themselves on their child’s condition so that they can better help their child.
Autism has a wide range of symptoms that affect the way a child learns and communicates. By realizing what specific symptoms a child has, the parents can help their child achieve their full potential in life. Then parents should get the answers to any questions they have before they begin looking at foundations to help them where needed.
Doug Sr. says living with autism has, at times, been a struggle. But by keeping their goals realistic and taking life one day at a time, the Flutie family has been able to help Dougie live his life to the fullest and given him a legacy that will surely not be forgotten.

CLICK HERE to see a gallery of photos from the Pinehills Tournament.

Keeping golfers on course
Moore honored with national teaching pro award

by David Wolcott
dwolcott@cnc.com

PLYMOUTH – The only thing David Moore loves more than playing golf is teaching it to the next generation of hackers and duffers.
The head golf pro at Plymouth’s Squirrel Run and Village Links golf courses since 1995, Moore was one of 50 golf pros from across the country honored by U.S. Kids Golf for their work in teaching the game to youngsters.

It’s a true honor for me to be selected, but it’s more of an honor for the club owners, the Caranci family, and the entire staff at these two golf courses and all the work they do in bringing the game to the kids,” Moore said. “We all have a special place in our hearts for the junior golf programs. There’s a lot of good things being done this summer.”
Moore, a native of Baltimore who now makes his home in Sandwich, has been teaching golf since 1984. The 44-year-old runs lessons for all ages, but he especially enjoys helping the younger golfers improve their game.
“A junior golfer is generally more eager to learn about the game, and they have more of a clean slate to work with,” Moore said. “They come with no preconceptions. They pick up things quicker, and they really don’t have any bad golf habits to break at a young age.”
As with most things involving kids, the first rule of teaching them golf is keeping it fun.
“If they have fun, they will want to come back and learn some more,” Moore explained. “They journey of learning golf at any age comes down to a single word: persistence. We are all looking for that perfect golf swing, but the key is to always work at it and enjoy the journey you take to get to the perfect swing.
“The time you spend at the driving range or working on your technique should not be frustrating; it should be fun. I always tell my students that it’s impossible to hit a bad shot at the driving range when you are working on improving your technique.”
Moore said his goal now is to build from what the Squirrel Run and Village Links already offer junior golf and make the programs even better in the future. One program he is especially proud of is the recent Bottles and Cans for Kids tournament that raised money for the Boys and Girls Club of Plymouth, the Troubled Youth Group, the Bev Pierce Youth Scholarship Program and the New England PGA Jr. Golf Program.
“The bottle and can drive allowed us to turn the recyclable material into cash, which we used to purchase golf equipment for kids that maybe were not able to purchase it otherwise,” Moore said. “That program’s opened up golf to a lot of kids through the Boys and Girls Club.”