Howard University to add golf teams after receiving generous donation from Steph Curry
Thanks to the Golden State point guard, students at the HBCU will get a shot at playing Division 1 golf -- its first ever athletic program at that level
Thanks to the Golden State point guard, students at the HBCU will get a shot at playing Division 1 golf -- its first ever athletic program at that level
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Three-time NBA champion Stephen Curry is making a seven-figure donation to Howard University so that a pair of Division 1 golf programs can be added to its athletics lineup.
“I was blessed at a young age that we could afford to play,” Curry told The Washington Post. “I just think about how many kids, especially from underserved communities, have the talent to play but just don’t have the funds or the resources.”
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According to the paper, Curry’s donation is reportedly set to be paid out over six years so that Washington D. C. HBCU, can have time to hire coaches, recruit players and find a place to play and practice. Howard hasn’t had a golf team since the 1970s and has never had an NCAA D-1 program in its 152-year history, Golfchannel.com reports.
In exchange, players will be expected to volunteer at Curry’s foundation, Eat. Learn. Play., which encourages healthy development in children.
The 31-year-old Golden State point guard, who is also an avid golfer and two time NBA MVP, says he decided to get involved after being contacted by Otis Ferguson, a senior at Howard who helped form a golf club at the university. Ferguson reportedly sent Curry several emails about how he talked to the Howard’s president about adding an official team.
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“Golf is a sport that has changed my life in ways that are less tangible, but just as impactful,” Curry said in a release. “It’s a discipline that challenges your mental wherewithal from patience to focus, and is impossible to truly master, so when you hear about these passionate student athletes who have the talent but don’t have a fair shot at the game, it’s tough. I feel really honored to play a small role in the rich history of Howard University, and look forward to building their first men’s and women’s golf teams with them.”
