GNS and The Golf Performance Project Partner for New Gryphons Golf Prep Program

The business world has long recognized the powerful parallels between competitive sports and executive leadership. At GNS, we believe that a transformative education extends well beyond the classroom. And so, in partnership with The Golf Performance Project, we are very proud to introduce the Gryphons Golf Prep Program, combining world-class athletic training with the inquiry-based learning of an International Baccalaureate (IB) World Continuum School offering varied pathways to graduation.

Mr. Cole Carlson, Deputy Head of School, calls it a program that offers competitive young golfers the opportunity to have the same high-calibre experience in an academic setting as on the green. “The academic experience supports the sporting experience, and vice versa. Students in the Gryphons Golf Prep Program are assigned a staff sponsor who doesn’t just travel with them to and from practices and tournaments; they offer academic coaching, support and guidance to ensure that the evolution of a student’s golf game is on par with their academic achievement.” By handling every logistical detail—including coordinated transportation to and from the golf course—the program removes the practical frictions that often accompany participation in high-level sports. Families can expect a seamless experience where their child’s schedule, academic tracking, athletic commitments, and daily logistics are managed.

Mr. Jason Giesbrecht is the owner and General Manager of The Golf Performance Project and a parent of three. He understands the importance of drawing out a young athlete’s potential. “We’re excited to create the opportunity for student-athletes to use golf as a vehicle to have life experience, travel and most importantly, post-secondary education.” He notes that the program intentionally builds the daily habits required for long-term success. “Most colleges expect their athletes to be competition-ready. They need to be developed to get there. They need to be self-starters, self-learners. We are the ones that help them figure out what those skills are, what ‘good’ looks like, and then support them along the way.” 

The GNS commitment to nurturing the whole student is at the heart of this initiative. The IB curriculum fosters critical thinking, a deeply inquisitive mindset, and sophisticated self-management skills, including strong executive functioning and organizational skills. Through the addition of the Gryphons Golf Prep Program, a student’s passion for the game won’t just complement their education, it will elevate it. By integrating flexible academic pathways—the IB Diploma, individual IB course certificates, or the BC Dogwood—with dedicated athletic mentorship, every student feels seen and supported. Here, it’s the sum of the experience that matters. We provide the tailored guidance that empowers students to graduate not just as premier NCAA or U SPORTS recruits, but as confident, compassionate individuals.

Tailored for university-focused golfers in Grades 9 through 12, this program provides a highly structured developmental environment with small cohorts to ensure personalized, focused attention from elite coaches.

Student-athletes receive a professional-grade athletic training experience that rivals collegiate programs. The regimen includes regular instruction from CPGA professionals and year-round data analysis utilizing high-tech simulators, dedicated putting labs, and advanced launch monitors. Mr. Carlson says this precise technical work is strongly supported in the school environment with dedicated strength, speed and flexibility training ensuring athletes develop safely and effectively during crucial high school growth stages. “Athletes will also have access to vital social and emotional counselling that GNS offers, as well as on-site physiotherapy and nursing services.” Athletes receive full junior memberships to the Cordova Bay Golf Course with unrestricted tee-time access, ensuring they are ready for events, including select American AJGA and USGA tournaments.

Beyond perfecting a swing or mastering complex IB coursework, the program instills character traits highly sought after by prestigious university admissions boards, and corporate recruiters. As Mr. Giesbrecht points out, high-performance sport requires an extraordinary will to win. “What you’re trying to do isn’t ordinary. This is extraordinary. If you want to be in a leadership position in business, in industry, that’s going to be extraordinary,” he explains. “Sport gives you exposure to what a will to win looks like. It gives you the occasional bop on the nose to say that just because you work hard doesn’t mean you deserve it. You’re going to have to have some perseverance. And it gives you a community that’s going to support you when you do skin your knee. In sport, like in life, it’s sometimes fairly relentless. It’s not always kind, and it’s also not always fair. Golf is probably one of the most equitable and least fair sports that we can play. I think it’s super powerful for a young person to come to terms with that, when a lot of adults don’t.”

Coach Christof Appel says this level of character development requires a proven framework. “A lot of kids have played, and they’ve become fairly good, but they’ve never followed a process or a structure that the best players in the world, the best college athletes and the best college programs follow,” he explains. “With this program, we’ve taken what the best colleges in the world do, and we’ve placed that in a high school environment. Them being ready to play at that next highest competitive level means that they need to already be accustomed to the structure, the environment and the expectations.”

He says teamwork is a big part of every golfer’s success, especially at the college level. “Your ability to get the most out of the other players on the team is not just the coaches’ job, it’s also the player’s job,” Mr. Appel adds. When multiple scores count toward a team victory, athletes quickly learn that their resilience and attitude directly impacts their peers. “Being able to work with a team and get the most out of people translates really well to the professional business world.” 

For Mr. Carlson, a former collegiate athlete and a father of three who also came up through sports, this partnership is a hole-in-one. “I see how sports supported my kids growing up and how I benefitted from sports in my own career path, and just as a human—the ability to navigate change, work with teammates, learn how to take feedback from others, overcome challenges, and to be inspired and passionate about striving for something. These are the wonderful experiences that you get from being a student-athlete. At GNS, we have so many ways that kids can get involved and be passionate about different programs. So to support the school environment with one more great opportunity, I’m just thrilled about that.”

For families seeking an environment where athletic ambition meets world-class academic development, the Gryphons Golf Prep Program offers a winning pathway to post-secondary success and professional leadership.

We invite you to join us to learn more about the program at an Open House on May 21, 2026 at 7 p.m. in person, at the Golf Performance Project facilities. 

FAQ

1. Who is eligible to join the Gryphons Golf Prep Program?
   The program is specifically tailored for university-focused golfers in Grades 9 through 12 who are looking to balance high-performance athletic training with academic excellence.
2. Is the program open to beginner golfers?
   The program is designed for high-performance and competitive young golfers who have the ambition to play at the collegiate level. Though suitability will be assessed on an individual basis and will vary by age and experience, generally, this program is not tailored to athletes who are brand new to golf.
3. What kind of technical training do students receive?
   Athletes receive professional-grade instruction from CPGA professionals, including year-round data analysis using high-tech simulators, dedicated putting labs, and advanced launch monitors.
4. How much time will students spend training each week?
   Student golfers will be expected to train 3 to 5 times per week and participate in regular competitions (usually on Sundays) and tournaments.