Paris girl represents Canada at PDGA Junior World Championships

By Casandra Turnbull

A weeklong trip of disc golf competition and forging new friendships turned out to be a world class experience for 12-year-old Brooklyn O’Krafka.

The young Paris athlete travelled to Peoria, Illinois recently to represent Canada at the Professional Disc Golf Association’s Junior World Championships held June 27 to July 1 More than 800 competitors from over 15 countries competed in a variety of age categories. In the FJ12 division, the typical four round Major title, spanning over several courses in Peoria, was cut down to three rounds as the participants battled elements of a pierce Mother Nature. One round was cut short, and one round cancelled because of poor air quality, while another round was delayed as widespread thunderstorms produced the threat of a derecho.

Brooklyn competed against 14 girls in the FJ12 division, and after three rounds she finished in an impressive sixth position. The top four competitors went on to the finals.

After the initial round on opening day, Brooklyn’s claim to fame is that she sat on top of the leader board at the World level, even if it was only after four rounds of play! That, she says, was very exciting.

“I think I played well. There were some shots I was really happy with, like my very first shot on my very first hole, I got a birdie,” said Brooklyn.

Reflecting on her overall performance, Brooklyn says her approach shots, also known as upshots, and putting were on target. She did struggle a bit with keeping her drives low, which proved a little problematic after the first round.

“I want to work on a flex shot, which will really help my game,” said Brooklyn of what she learned from the experience.

She was also impressed with the level of sportsmanship on the world stage. “All of the girls in my division were supportive of each other and we liked playing together. I learned how fun it is to play with a group like that. Usually there are not many girls playing in my division, so it was great to play with a larger group and get to meet them all,” she shared.

And even though only four competitors made it to the final round, in a true testament of how close the girls became in a few short days, everyone cheered on the FJ12 finalists throughout the final round.

“We are so proud of Brooklyn, and so excited that she was able to be a part of such an exciting opportunity,” said both her parents, Trevor and Jaimie. Trevor travelled to Peoria with Brooklyn, where he served as a very resourceful caddy, while Jaimie and Brooklyn’s brother, Parker, cheered on from home in Paris, Ontario.

Competing in such a high calibre tournament comes with a lot of pressure and Jaimie and Trevor were equally impressed with how well their daughter handled it all, while maintaining her fierce determination and skill.

“It was a lot of pressure, and she did a fantastic job. Mostly though, we were so proud of the amazing sportsmanship that she exhibited.”

Brooklyn also brought home some hardware from the event, showing how hard her persistence and practice is paying off. In the field events held before the opening rounds, Brooklyn placed second in the longest drive throwing the disc an amazing 286 feet.

“We love seeing her push herself and work towards her goals, but we want the main focus to be having fun and enjoying the sport,” said her parents.

As you can expect, Brooklyn has a full summer of disc golf ahead of her. She will continue to practice and work to improve her game ahead of the Canadian Nationals in Thunder Bay in August, where she will compete in the higher up FJ15 division. If registration numbers don’t improve, Brooklyn might really test her talents if she is forced to move up and compete in the FA2 (adult female) division

She also has plans to compete in the Junior Provincials in London in September and in the Ontario Provincials in Brantford and Paris this October, as well as several local tournaments. It’s her goal to return to the World Championships in 2024.

However, like any other 12-year-old, Brooklyn plans to spend a good chunk of this summer with her friends, family, on the river, hanging at the beach and getting prepared for Grade 7.

“I’m also looking forward to spending time at a cottage with my friends and family and going down the river on our tubes!”

Congratulations Brooklyn on your extraordinary experience as a Junior Canadian Ambassador!