Chris Bertram, Aaron Pauls Named to Team Canada

By Cascades Media. The list of honours just keeps growing for the UFV Cascades golf teams, who, besides being the CCAA men’s and women’s golf champions and grabbing the top overall men’s ranking in the country, have now been asked to contribute two of their number to Team Canada for the 2014 World University Golf Championships.

Cascades coach Chris Bertram will lead the Canadian women’s team alongside University of Waterloo coach Carla Munch. Joining Bertram will be fifth-year Cascade and CCAA tournament all-star Aaron Pauls, who will be one of 11 varsity athletes (five women and six men) representing Canada at the championships.

The tournament will be held on June 23-27 in Crans-Montana, Switzerland. It is the 15th annual world university championship, and will be played out on the Golf Course Crans-sur-Sierre in the Swiss Alps.

Bertram is an obvious choice for the national team considering the success the Cascades have had during his nine years as a UFV coach. Under Bertram the Cascades have never missed a PACWEST podium spot, are five-time PACWEST champions, two-time CCAA champions, and have won 13 of the last 16 events they have competed in. Bertram is also the 2013 CCAA Coach of the Year, and three-time PACWEST Coach of the Year.

“I couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity,” said Bertram. “When I took over the UFV golf team almost ten years ago, I have to say I didn’t see this day coming. I’m going to embrace every second of it.”

Aaron Pauls finished the 2013 season with the third-best cumulative score in the PACWEST, before finishing second overall at CCAA nationals. He is the first Cascade in UFV history to be appointed to the national team, an honour that hints at greater things to come as he begins his final varsity season.

“Any time you’re chosen to represent your country, it’s special,” said Bertram on Pauls’ appointment. “When you’re one of only six men chosen from more than 70 programs in Canada, well, that’s just incredible. Aaron has earned this through his exceptional play and I know he will represent Canada and UFV very well.”

The original release from the Golf Coaches Association of Canada (GCAC) can be found here, while this is the official website of the 2014 World University Golf Championships.