DSW Student Natasha Stasiuk to Represent Team Canada for the Special Olympics in Berlin, Germany in June 2023
Tags: February 2023, Vol. 3, Issue 2
Natasha Stasiuk is a student in the Developmental Services Worker (DSW) program. She has been playing golf since she was 8 years old. Natasha has an intellectual “difference”, as she refers to her disability because “I just learn different”. It means that in-group environments, words get lost. Natasha also has autism. When she was eight, neither had been diagnosed. At the time, little attention was paid to the incidence of autism in girls and her learning difference was not yet known. Natasha did not feel like she belonged but most people assumed that was due to her shyness. Luckily for Natasha, when she was only eight, golf pro Nick Starchuk came to her school to teach golf in gym class. Nick saw something and spoke to her parents, who soon signed her up for lessons at Glen Abbey Junior Academy. The group-learning environment was far from ideal: losing words meant she did not always understand. Her visual learning skill more than made up for that. She quickly grasped golf techniques and began to show talent. Interestingly, she did not like the feel of a golf glove and plays without one. Only recently has Natasha learned that this is a sensory issue related to autism.
Natasha never believed that she could do it, but she did. She went on to win different trophies at events. Most recently, Natasha won the Clublink Heron Point Women’s Championship (2019 and 2020), Golf Ontario Disability Women’s Championship (2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022) and the inaugural Canadian All Abilities Women’s Championship in 2021 and 2022. When Natasha heard of the USGA having their Inaugural Adaptive Open at Pinehurst No.6 this year, she put her name in immediately. There are very few golfing opportunities for those with a disability where they can feel comfortable and not judged. Stasiuk was selected as one of seven Canadians (and the only female) to take part in the event from July 18-20, 2022. The 3-day event was not cut and included 96 golfers from ages 15-80. There were 11 countries represented and 8 impairment categories (arm, leg, multiple limbs, intellectual, neurological, seated, short stature and vision). Stasiuk finished 5th of 18 female players and 2nd in the intellectual impairment category (2 strokes behind the winner). Based on her placement, Stasiuk has an exemption to play again this year!
Natasha will also be representing Team Canada for the Special Olympics in Berlin, Germany in June 2023. She will be on the Golf Team and she will be the only Ontario Player on the Men’s and Women’s Sides. Natasha also hopes that she can encourage someone who is just like her to try the game and see if it will bring them the same happiness as it has brought her. No doubt, she will use her own life experience to make wonderful contributions to the lives of others!
Natasha was also featured in an article in the Oakville News as she was the recipient of the very prestigious ‘2023 Courage Award’. This award was presented to Natasha because they described her as someone who “personifies the five pillars of the Courage Award: Dream Big & Never Stop Dreaming; Work With Mentors & Mentor Others; Learn From Failure; Give 100% At All Times; and Never Quits”. You can read more about Natasha’s success in golf and her award here.
The DSW Program faculty and students, and the Humber College community are so proud of Natasha, her hard work, dedication and all of the successes she has achieved in the DSW Program and in golf! All the best to you this summer of 2023 when you travel to Berlin, Germany!
