Nikko’s Drive Junior Disc Golf Tour stops in Paris today!

By Casandra Turnbull

A one-day Disc Golf tournament is bringing kids of all ages to Paris today to participate in Nikko’s Drive at the Dwayne Bereziuk Memorial Course at Green Lane. As part of the Nikko’s Drive Provincial Junior Tour, which includes a slew of tournaments across the province, this Paris stop is an open event attracting junior players up to the age of 15. All participants will have the chance to play the Paris course, which Tournament Director Karl Forbes describes as a beautiful, wellbalanced course

“The course designer Dwayne Bereziuk was a disc golf tournament friend of mine. His passing was tough on the disc golf community and to bring a junior event to his course means the world to me,” said Forbes. The Paris course was modified slightly to make it more ‘junior friendly’ for today’s guest players. “We shortened some of the holes and we only play 15 holes,” said Forbes. “Seeing as this is some players’first events, we want them to have a good experience and leave them wanting more as opposed to having the event be too long and deter them from this type of play”

This is the second year Nikko’s Drive has hosted a tournament at the Paris course In 2022 Forbes reached out to the Brant Disc Golf Club, which operates its home base in Paris and at Mohawk Park in Brantford, to see if they’d be interested in organizing a Paris event. Brant Disc Golf founding member Jennifer Snow was instrumental in getting things going, said Forbes. It was a win-win situation for not only the tournament itself, but for the tournament’s namesake as well.

Forbes’ son, Nikko, works with Snow and regards her as a strong female role model, said Forbes. Nikko is the reason this entire tournament exists and the backstory on this young player from Peterborough is astonishing.

Continued on page 17 credit Stewart Stick

You can say 9year-old Nikko Forbes is a Disc Golf phenomenon. The young player finished 2nd in the World last year in the U8 division.

Nikko and his father Karl are bringing the Nikko’s Drive Junior Tour to Paris today.

Three years ago, at only 6 years old, Nikko was practicing his throw and Karl caught it on video and decided to upload it to social media. When Forbes woke up the following morning, the video had 15,000 views and hundreds of comments. It was going viral

“By the end of the week two of the largest sponsors in the sport had reached out to sponsor him,” said Forbes Nikko is sponsored by Innova, the largest disc golf company in the world and GRIPeq, manufactures of the most robust disc golf bags on the market. GRIPeq was the very first to share Nikko’s viral video

Nikko spent his first year travelling and playing in adult tournaments as there was only one junior event in the province at the time

“When he was seven, we decided to do an eight-stop junior tour from Kemptville in the east to Thunder Bay in the west and paired up with local clubs and tournament directors,” Forbes explained of how Nikko’s Drive was born. The youngster was so involved in the sport, not only did he participate, but he studied and passed an online exam to become a Primary Tournament Director, the youngest person

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to achieve that accomplishment. Unfortunately, a new rule passed by the Professional Disc Golf Association, stated you had to be 18 years old to be a tournament director so now Nikko is an assistant TD. Nikko’s fierce determination is another reason why the tournament is called “Nikko’s Drive ” Last summer’s schedule of tournaments also served to prepare Nikko for the Junior World Championships in Peoria Illinois where he placed second in the world in the under 8 division. Nikko will be participating in today’s junior event in Paris. The event starts at 8:30 am and runs all day until 3 pm It will include a morning singles competition and afternoon adult/junior best shot doubles. Forbes encourages anyone interested in the sport – or witnessing some spectacular young athletes, to come and check it out.

“The cherry on top is all you can eat Chapman’s Ice Cream and Frozen Lollies after the rounds (for the athletes of course),” said Forbes.

If you can’t catch Nikko in action, follow him on Instagram nikkojesse64397 where you will find many of his videos including some of his six hole in ones!