Requiem of a Season Lost

What. A. Week.

And unfortunately, amid the coronavirus concerns facing our world right now, the worst may not yet be here.

As for the events that took place last week, it was something that I never imagined in a million years I would be faced to deal with as the head coach of a college golf team.

When word started going round that more and more schools and athletic departments were considering suspending their spring seasons, my initial thoughts were the same as probably many of yours… what an overreaction. I’m not here today to debate whether or not it was a good idea for the actions that have taken place to occur. What I am here for is to lay out on this page the thoughts and emotions that went through my head when it became clear that our golf season would be over.

I became the head coach of Transylvania University Women’s Golf exactly 4 years ago (like literally almost to the day). When I walked into the program there were 4 players on our roster. The previous coach had done a great job putting together a recruiting class for the next season, and my first task was to make sure they were still on board despite the coaching change.

Luckily for me they were. Fast forward one more year and a pair of transfers enter the program as sophomores and our program was off and running. Two consecutive conference championships and two top 15 NCAA finishes would follow suit, led in part by the class of 2020.

Fall 2019, their senior season, wasn’t quite as good. Finishing 2nd in the conference tournament (that inexplicably is held 7 months before the NCAA tournament and awards our conference’s automatic qualifier… ughhh… different story for a different day), there was no doubt that there was some disappointment that the team would not be going to their 3rd straight NCAA Championship.

This is where things can get dicey for an NCAA DIII school. Nearly all of these student-athletes will be moving on from golf (competitively) and pursing their academic careers in grad school. When you know that reaching the NCAA tournament is out of grasp, what is your incentive to continue playing? After all… preparing for med school (so I’m told), can be quite stressful. The time you free up to prepare by not playing or practicing golf can be very valuable.

I fully expected most if not all of my team, especially the seniors, to simply not want any part of their spring season. To my surprise, they put those doubts to bed very early. I witnessed a renewed sense of purpose. Despite winter weather, they continually made individual efforts to stay sharp over the break, setting themselves up for a solid spring.

Our first tournament occurred over spring break in Savannah, GA. Not only did the seniors show up to play, they recorded some of their best rounds of the year! It is rare for the first tournament of any spring season to be the best, but they certainly showed that the hard work and effort they put in (on their own mind you) over the winter was primed to pay off.

Instead… COVID-19 happened. Before they would even get back to campus, they were notified that their season was effectively over. Tournament after tournament on our schedule cancelled. And then the big one… the cancellation of the NCAA championship for golf, hit us like a ton of bricks.

Were we going to play in the NCAAs this season? Highly unlikely. But just the thought that if they played well they could perhaps, if not just individually, get a look at a potential at-large bid, was enough to keep them going.

The devastation of cancelling an entire season is gut wrenching. It’s something that I never once considered a possibility could ever happen during my time as a coach. But it did happen. And now we have an entire senior class that will not experience their final moments on the golf course representing their university that they have done well for the last 3-4 years.

Obviously this isn’t just a problem in golf. Every NCAA sport was just faced with the same devastating news. The NCAA is doing what it can to do right for the student-athletes by granting another season of eligibility. This is great news, however it will in no way impact our program. After all for example… delaying med school for a year just so you can have that one semester of eligibility back is simply not in the cards for any sane individual.

I don’t know what will happen the rest of the season. I know that all competitions and practices have been halted until the beginning of April. That may leave us a small window to hopefully create one last event, but those odds aren’t looking very good as we still are faced with so much uncertainty with this virus.

All I know is that it has been an honor working with and leading the class of 2020, and even though their season, and careers on the course may be over, I look forward to what their future holds. I also know and hope that when this is all over, everyone looks back and says that we did right by taking these dramatic measures. I hope that more than anything.

FREE SEMINAR: How I Use K-Vest and Sam Putt Lab for Winter Training

When: Tuesday November 1, 2016 from 6pm till 7:30pm

Where: High Performance Golf Academy (5600 Harrodsburg Rd. Nicholasville, KY 40356)

Cost: FREE

What: Join me as I demonstrate how I use K-Vest and Sam Putt Lab during winter months to train my students. We will also spend time discussing winter training programs and why they are a benefit for any golfer wishing to improve their game.

Who is this for? 

This seminar is designed for any golfer, male or female, that is unfamiliar with K-Vest and/or Sam Putt Lab and wants to take their game to the next level by continuing to learn and train in the winter months. Players that have benefited from winter programs the most tend to be middle school, high school, and college players as well as adults that still love to compete or simply want to lower their handicap next spring.

Please RSVP by texting your name and "sign me up" to 859-274-6558. You can also email me at tyrus@hpgolfacademy.com

NEWS: York Selected to Lead Women's Golf at Transylvania

The weekly End of the Week Tip will return next week!

From www.transysports.com. Click here for the original release.

Lexington, KY. – PGA professional Tyrus York has been hired as the new women's golf head coach at Transylvania University, Vice President of Athletics Holly Sheilley announced Thursday.

York, a Harlan, Ky. native, brings a unique combination of professional golfing experience along with a rich teaching pedigree to the position. York entered the PGA Professional Golf Management Program and became a Class A PGA Professional in 2010.

Additionally, York currently instructs as a PGA Teaching Professional and Co-Owner of the High Performance Golf Academy in Nicholasville, Ky., an academy he co-founded.

"I am excited for us and our team to have Tyrus York as our new coach," commented Vice President of Athletics Dr. Holly Sheilley on the hiring. "Tyrus is very well respected by his peers for his knowledge of the game and the character he displays. His enthusiasm and passion for the game make him the perfect fit. I have no doubt that he will take the next steps in leading our program to winning conference and NCAA Championships."

"It is an incredible honor to be selected as the next coach for the Transylvania Women's Golf team," said York. "To have the opportunity to further the development of current and future student-athletes is very exciting. Transylvania is a place where student-athletes can come in, receive a world-class education, and compete to win championships. I'm ready to ensure the women's golf team gets to that level."

York takes over for outgoing women's golf coach Keilly Purdom, who is relocating with her family to Oxford, Mississippi, where her husband Kirk has accepted a new position in alumni relations with the University of Mississippi where both were athletes. Kirk Purdom was most recently the Vice President for Advancement at Transylvania.

"Coach Purdom has done an excellent job with our program," said Sheilley. "We hate to see her departure, but we know she has left our program headed in the right direction and we are thankful for her service."

York brings a wealth of acclaim to the women's golf head coaching position at Transylvania, including the 2014 Kentucky Section PGA Teacher of the Year award. York has also been nominated for the 2011, 2012, and 2013 Junior Golf Leader of the Year awards in the Kentucky Section.

York served as the boys and girls high school head coach at the Sayre School in Lexington for three years from 2012 through 2015. In all, York has been involved in golf instruction for over a decade as he enters the women's golf head coaching position at Transylvania.

After a decorated junior golf career which included two Player of the Year honors from the Southeast Kentucky Junior Golf Tour, York played four years of golf at the University of the Cumberlands, graduating in 2005 with a Bachelor's in Business Administration.

Following graduation, York moved to Lexington where he specialized in golf instruction. "I began teaching golf shortly after the conclusion of my college golf career and knew that coaching was something I wanted to do for a long time," said York. "I'm fortunate that my primary focus has been on instruction, and subsequently improving these teaching skills. Along the way I've been able to contribute to the marketing efforts of the facilities I've worked with, as well as manage the financial responsibilities of running my own teaching business."

York touts a relationship-first teaching philosophy based upon initially evaluating the learning style of each of his students, and developing a method that best aligns with their abilities and talents prior to developing the optimal golf swing. "My philosophy as an instructor is do something every day to better yourself and personally adopt that in my own life," said York.

Other notable instruction certifications York possesses are K-Vest level 2, SeeMore putter, putting zone, and EyeLine golf. York actively subscribes to the usage of technology within golfing, implementing the revolutionary K-Vest and Trackman as some of the tools utilized in his training sessions.

On York, Purdom commented, "Tyrus will bring a wealth of teaching experience to the Transy program, which will bring top recruits and future championships to the women's golf program. I feel confident that I am leaving the program in excellent hands."

As the coaching change occurs in the middle of the spring season, Purdom noted that she will continue to serve as a resource to York during the transition period in order to make the transition as smooth as possible for the current team and recruits.

"This is a wonderful opportunity for the Transy program to continue moving forward," said Purdom.

York added, "I would like to thank Coach Purdom for her help in this process, as well as for the dedication she has put in the last few seasons to lay a solid foundation in growing Transy women's golf. I would also like to thank Dr. Holly Sheilley for her support of women's golf at Transylvania, and entrusting me to continue the great work Coach Purdom has begun."

As a resident of the Lexington area for nearly a decade, York enters the position with an understanding of the university and top-level aspirations for his program: "Transylvania has a rich history here in the state of Kentucky for both academics and sports," said York. "The university has long been a very important landmark in Lexington. Having produced extremely talented student-athletes already, I want to see more women's golfers be a part of that legacy. I am humbled to be the coach to take these ladies to the next level."