The National Golf School, traditionally located in Madrid, has a new headquarters in León, officially opened by Ana Muñoz, Director General of Sports of the Higher Sports Council; Alfonso Lahuerta, Director General of Sports of the Junta de Castilla y León; and Gonzaga Escauriaza, President of the Royal Spanish Golf Federation.

The inauguration ceremony, attended by numerous authorities from the Leonese area, as well as representatives of different Autonomous Federations that are part of the project, was attended by the seven golfers who make up the first promotion of this new headquarters, all of them with an outstanding sporting career despite their youth (16 and 17 years old).

Cecilia Díez Moliner from Valladolid, Manuel Hernández and Rebeca Maruri from Galicia, Jaime Alzaga from León, Iñigo Beñarán and Martín Larrea from Gipuzkoa, and Francisco Rosete from Asturias make up the first working group of an initiative in which the RFEG, the various Autonomous Federations and the Higher Sports Council participate jointly.

This National Golf School of León, which was created with the aim of becoming a breeding ground for young players as the National Golf School of Madrid has been in recent decades, represents a magnificent opportunity for all of them, since its members follow exactly the same program as their classmates in the capital of Spain.

All its members have the opportunity to continue their academic training at the Colegio Leonés – a center with more than 100 years of history that has traditionally been a breeding ground for great athletes – while the sports aspect will be developed in the facilities of the Specialized High Performance Sports Center of León and in the León Golf Club, two references in the area.

The newly created High Performance Center will allow physical sessions and indoor work to be carried out on days of adverse weather, while the León Golf Club has a renowned course with a driving range and a large putting green.

The technical aspects are handled by professional Jorge García, assisted in physical preparation by Juan Carlos Redondo and in psychological preparation by Óscar del Río, with coordination by Alberto Díaz.

The approach of this new headquarters of the National Golf School is unidirectional: to train good people and athletes thanks to a plan of activities developed in state-of-the-art facilities that allow the practice of golf at the highest level.

These scholarships are exclusively aimed at young players who, according to the technical criteria of the RFEG and the Autonomous Federations, have a relevant sporting potential, bearing in mind that for the renewal of the aforementioned scholarships it is essential that the student passes the academic year.

AROUND THE INAUGURATION

Ana Muñoz, Director General of Sports of the Higher Sports Council; Alfonso Lahuerta, Director General of Sports of the Junta de Castilla y León; and Gonzaga Escauriaza, President of the Royal Spanish Golf Federation, representing all the organizations involved in the National Golf School in León, were in charge of carrying out the official inauguration.

Gonzaga Escauriaza focused his presentation on explaining the project's background, "which involves the integration and collaboration of five institutions, a convergence of wills achieved in record time, demonstrating its viability. The ingredients are superb, with a renowned school and golf course, and high-performance facilities that are at the forefront in Spain and Europe. Sincere thanks to all parties involved, and I hope the selected players make the most of this opportunity. The goal is for them to be excellent athletes, but even more importantly, well-rounded individuals.".

For his part, Alfonso Lahuerta, Director General of Sports for the Regional Government of Castile and León, elaborated that “all the parties involved form a true powerhouse focused on high performance. This involves developing a program that is already in place in Castile and León at other centers in Valladolid, Palencia, Soria, and León. These initiatives provide motivation for athletes, which they then extend to the wider community thanks to the collaborative work of all the institutions.”.

Finally, Ana Muñoz, Director General of Sports at the Spanish National Sports Council, emphasized that “the combined will and commitment make these kinds of exciting projects possible. The universal and inclusive approach of the Royal Spanish Golf Federation (RFEG) allows these initiatives to be carried out because they are perfectly viable and sustainable. The involvement of all parties is essential to achieving the goal of providing athletic and academic training to those who have the potential to achieve great things. If the institutions fulfill their obligations and the golfers who benefit repay that trust with their hard work and dedication, then the objective will have been met.”.

NATIONAL GOLF SCHOOL IN LEÓN (class of 2014/15)

Jaime Alzaga (León CG, 03-04-1997)

Achievements: Castilla y León – Extremadura Children's Zonal Qualifying Tournament 2010 and 2011; Castilla y León – Extremadura Cadet Zonal Qualifying Tournament 2013; second in the 2013 National Cadet Qualifying Tournament

Iñigo Beñarán (RCG San Sebastián, 01-10-1998)

Winners: Basque Country Children's Zonal Scorer 2012

Manuel Hernández (Rio Cabe, 09-02-1997)

Achievements: Spanish Champion (Under 10) 2007; Zonal Qualifying Tournament (Children) Galicia – Asturias 2011; Zonal Qualifying Tournament (Cadet) Galicia – Asturias 2012; National Qualifying Tournament (Pitch & Putt) Río Cabe 2012; Second in the 2nd National Qualifying Tournament (Pitch & Putt) 2013

Martín Larrea (RCG San Sebastián, 29-04-1997)

Achievements: Spanish Junior Champion 2011; Basque Country-La Rioja Zonal Junior Qualifying Tournament 2009; Basque Country Zonal Junior Qualifying Tournament 2011; Junior Interclub Championship 2011, Men's Interclub Championship 2011; Evian Masters Junior Cup 2011; Spanish Doubles Runner-up 2012 and 2014; Second in Junior Interclub Championship 2009; Second in Under 25 Interterritorial Championship 2012, 2013 and 2014;

Francisco Rosete (RCG Castiello, 10-11-1998)

Achievements: Zonal Qualifying Tournament for Children in Galicia – Asturias 2012; Interterritorial Male Cadet Tournament 2012; Zonal Qualifying Tournament for Cadets in Galicia – Asturias 2013 and 2014; Runner-up in the Spanish Cadet Championship 2012; second in the Interterritorial Children's Championship 2011 and 2012;

Cecilia Díez Moliner (La Galera, 25-10-1997)

Achievements: Spain – Sweden Match 2014; Mixed Doubles Champion Castilla y León 2013; Junior Champion Castilla y León 2014; Zonal Qualifying Tournament Castilla y León – Extremadura 2011; Zonal Qualifying Tournament Castilla y León – Extremadura 2012 and 2013; Runner-up in the Spanish Cadet Handball Championship 2013

Rebeca Maruri (Royal Aeroclub of Vigo, 29-05-1997)

Achievements: Zonal Qualifying Tournament for Children Galicia – Asturias 2012

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