Samantha Diamond has spoken of her delight after being selected to Chair Team GB Golf for the 20th Maccabiah Games in Israel in 2017.
Diamond is an influential figure on the Jewish sporting landscape – particularly Junior sport – having been involved for nearly 15 years at many levels. Her affiliation with football began when she managed teams for Maccabi London Lions and Brady Maccabi before becoming Club Secretary for the latter.
Her passion for football at youth level transferred to golf as Diamond is currently in her sixth year as the Junior Organiser at Hartsbourne Country Club, with her main focus has been on Junior development.
Under her stewardship she recruited and developed a number of players and led them to many tournament wins including the Junior Bowl (also known as the Juniors Glancy). The side has won their pool for two years running in the Hertfordshire Lexus League and played in the Southern Region England Golf Final, where they only just missed out on representing England in the finals in Spain.
Such is her commitment and influence in the sport Samantha is currently on the Committee for the Junior Hertfordshire Golf League. Coming from a golfing family -her father is a past Captain at Hartsbourne Country Club and her son a past Junior Captain - she is a keen golfer herself and has supported many Glancy events.
Diamond said: "It is a great honour and privilege to chair Team GB’s Golf for the Maccabiah Games. Having previously managed a Maccabi GB side before [at the European Maccabi Games 2011 in Vienna] I know what an International sporting event means to the world’s Jewish Community and what a lift it can give Jewish people in Great Britain.
The Maccabiah Games will be Samantha’s second taste of a Jewish International sports tournament as she chaired and managed the Team GB Junior Badminton Team at the European Maccabi Games (EMG) 2011 in Vienna. That occasion was the first time Great Britain had taken a Junior Badminton side to an EMG and they did so with aplomb – returning home with a number of medals including a Gold, two Silvers and a bronze.
She added: "I am so excited to oversee the sport leading to Israel and I hope to attract some new and returning talent to our squad."
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