When I was a kid, we would spend hours with my friends debating the GOATs (Greatest of All Time) of football. And then, when we were bored, we would rank the best sport besides the one with the foot and the ball. Basketball and tennis came easily to us, but golf was like a less strange cousin of chess. None of them were considered sports by my past self, the sports guru.

There was a golf course near the house where I grew up in Tegucigalpa. My school bus drove by it every day. It was always open, and I often wondered who wasted their time there.

That small, closed mind is long gone. I’m even a baseball fan now. I must thank Mauricio Dubón—the Houston Astros Honduran superstar—and my good friend, Blair Quinius—the All-Honduran superstar.

That's why, when Cole Robinson said he wanted to give an introductory golf class to the children of Camp K'anir, I was open to seeing what golf could give me.

Cole Robinson—one of our longest-serving donors who saw us grow from the beginning—and six other wonderful people were part of our January Visitors Group at UrbanPromise Latin America. We organize a trip at the beginning of each year to invite more people to see first-hand the fruits of our work—These are life-changing experiences for both the group and us; please consider joining us on our next trip!

Honestly, I had no frame in which I could put what could possibly happen between Cole and the kids, plus the youth at our Campus. I had never picked up a golf club in my life. I truly had no idea what to expect, And the children in the La Pintada community were still getting used to Camp K’anir without the golf lessons.

Cole gave us a quick rundown on how to play golf, but we were too fascinated by the big black bag filled with golf clubs to pay much attention. So, we decided to split the kids into smaller groups, giving them multiple turns to practice their swings on the improvised tee spot.

In our first group, we had three girls and a youth leader. The three girls came forward one by one. Cole was teaching them how to position themselves and put their hands on this new metal stick that was perfect for popping a piñata. I served as translator; I had a front-row seat to the magic show. The three girls hit the ball, which was a lot harder than I thought. Let me tell you something: with more honesty than humility, I consider myself very capable at many things. I'm curious, a natural daredevil, a classic Yes Man. I had to swing five times before hitting that mischievous little booger., and it ended up being an embarrassing lob ball. However, I was left hungry for more. I am so competitive that I couldn’t leave my record at -5. However, the victory for me was that all the girls were eager to try something new, and they actually hit the ball in a lot fewer turns than I did.

Then came Suyapa…

Regular-priced cleats for golf are $169.95. A couple of Nike Jordan Tour Golf Gloves are $34.99. Maybe it’s sunny, and any hat would do, I assume. Proper attire is not just about appearance; it can boost your performance, so checkered shirts and silky-smooth pants are recommended. Suyapa had none of that. She looked so pretty in her creamy-white strappy rubber sandals, red skirt, and a matching light greenish shirt. She had an advantage on the Golf clubs, balls, and tees; Cole is a professional, and these items were top tier.

Suyapa is a youth leader at Camp K'anir, one of the chosen few who help the kids reach their full potential. So, in this golfing activity, she did not necessarily have to participate; she was looking out for the three girls, as a great leader always does. But we still asked her to give it a shot at the tee spot...

Of course, you know what happened! This is UPH, where young people thrive. Suyapa heard the instructions once, looked at the horizon, looked at the ball, and then it was gone! Like literally gone, that thing is still sunbathing at the far end of our Campus.

My mouth opened with cries of astonishment; I couldn't believe it. I yelled at Bruce Main—founder of UrbanPromise Camden—who was with another group eavesdropping on our constant cheering.

Suyapa, like the star she is, was reacting to us rather than to the feat she accomplished. Another day in the office, she joined her kids in basic coloring or perfectly sent golf balls into the blue sky at Copán Ruinas.

After the dust settled, I came to Cole and asked him to reassure me that we witnessed greatness because my amateur eyes can be easily surprised: “Oh, no. She's a natural,” the master said. As I re-tell these details, I remember hearing screams of excitement like mine from the other tee spot stations. Kids ran to the far end of the campus to retrieve the golf balls they had sent far away.

I am a privileged man who grew up with a thousand opportunities at my fingertips. Had I told my dad to take me to that golf course, I would have at least been able to hit the ball the first time, and here, Suyapa humbles me.

Imagine this: you're a shy teenager, and a foreign man comes to your town; he doesn't know how to speak your language and shows you a giant bag with many sticks and a tiny ball. Then, he tells you that a sport was invented in Scotland in the 1400s, and he is here to teach it to you. They put you in the spotlight, where all your peers’ eyes are on you. If you can shine in that spontaneous setting, you deserve all the opportunities in life.

Look, when we say we're raising the next generation of leaders, it is because we are witnessing their natural greatness. What surprises me is the open-ended list of areas where our youth and children can be the No.1—PGA TOUR champions you better look out for.

I'm not even close to overreacting. Come and see for yourself. Bring us your sport, show these children your skills, that new art to learn. I'll wait patiently. I'm confident because evidence shows these little people don’t disappoint anyone.

They show, by example, that all they need is an opportunity. A book on their lap, a meal on their table, a golf club, or any new tool they can get their hands on.

I reaffirm what I said: Golf is not a sport. It's so much more than that. Suyapa opened my mind. Golf is a platform where they would get around the world if we let them fly off. Golf gave me hope and a new thing I want to try.

2024 is beginning, and with it, new horizons are being shown to Copán Ruinas and Latin America through the collective efforts of our staff, donors, and visitors. My heart and eyes cry with joy. Thank you for reading and following along as we watch the next golf champion grow up before our eyes.