Volume XXX Issue #1
The board members of the Golf Coaches Association of Wisconsin are pleased to present the 2017 Summer Issue of The Coach Approach. In this issue you will find the following:
- President’s Message
- Boys All-State Team
- Boy’s Academic All State
- Boy’s Team Academic All State
- GCAW Scholarship Winners
- College Showcase Report
- Summer Clinic Report
President’s Message
It’s hard to imagine a better time and location for golf than summer in Wisconsin. Avid golfers travel from all corners of the country, or even the world, to walk the fairways we take such pride in, and bask in the moderate mercury levels summer provides for us.
My summer job at Whistling Straits provides me the opportunity to meet many of these travelers. I marvel at how they lose themselves in the experience, to the point where they, at times, forget where Wisconsin lies in the contiguous 48 inquiring, “so, what ocean is that again?”
I am especially fond of those visitors who appreciate everything that is Wisconsin. Golfers often share their views on our way of life, contrasting it against their everyday interactions and experiences. Commenting on how nicely everyone in our great state treats them, how people ask how their day is going, even if there is no established relationship; they note how hard everyone seems to work, and how great it is to see families out together. Some tell me they feel like time slows down a bit when they are in Wisconsin.
At times, it is easy to question if what they see is real or if they came to the Badger State hell bent on being pumped full of fried food and bratwurst by a group of cordial, family orientated cheeseheads of whom time has forgotten; refusing to head home until they have an anecdote to back up the stereotype. I believe what they see and share with me is authentic. Genuine experiences somewhat exaggerated by the slightly relaxed, yet very impressionable, vacationing mind. They witness, and by default, become a participant in the values many of us hold dear.
These strong Wisconsin values, the same values so many expect to experience when they descend into Wisconsin to be humbled by our golf courses, are the same values we try to instill into our teams. We expect members of our teams to be polite, both on and off the course; we expect them to work hard at golf, school, being good sons or daughters, and to improve as a people everyday; and we attempt to impart and nurture core family values, such as genuinely caring for and being compassionate to each other, playing for each other, celebrating each other’s successes, and being empathetic to others setbacks or failures.
The common denominator in all of this is golf. Through the vision of some, Wisconsin has developed into one of the finest golf destinations in the world. Whistling Straits, Blackwolf Run, Erin Hills, Sand Valley, and our own hidden gem, Universtiy Ridge are world class facilities that have brought tremendous attention to Wisconsin, in turn, providing seemingly endless opportunity to demonstrate the great values we hold as a state.
It is our responsibility to seize the opportunities presented to us by a state full of great golf and great golf events. As coaches, we must continue to build off of the excitement created by Wisconsin hosting the US Open, the American Family Insurance Championship, multiple PGA Championships, and the yet to occur 2020 Ryder Cup. We must use this excitement to help spread the greatness of golf along with the lessons that go with it.
The use of these opportunities will look different from city to city and even from school to school within those cities. However, one thing that should remain a constant for all Wisconsin High School coaches is being not only a member, but an active member of the Golf Coaches Association of Wisconsin. Your membership provides great opportunity to educate yourself as a coach during our spring and summer clinics, as well as gives us a unified voice when working with the WIAA.
Membership of the GCAW also brings with it tremendous opportunity for athletes. As a member players eligible to receive All-State, Academic All-State, and Team Academic All-State honors. At this year’s summer board meeting we approved $6500 in scholarships to graduating seniors. Without membership within the GCAW, seniors would not be eligible. With that in mind, please check our website often for upcoming opportunities for you and your athletes and the deadlines associated with them.
I would also like to congratulate our most recent state champions. In division one, Coach Budzien and his Arrowhead Warhawks edged out Marquette by four strokes over the two day WIAA State Tournament, closing out a dominant season in which the Warhawks played in only one event they did not win. In that event, the first event of the year, they finished second. I would also like to congratulate Coach Joe Ring of Madison Edgewood as they stormed back to the top of division two with a comfortable 22 stroke victory over second place Lodi. And for the third straight year, Coach Joe Bird, of St. Mary’s Springs, can call himself a state champion. Coach Bird’s Ledgers were 29 strokes clear of the next closest division three competitor.
Also deserving recognition are our individual state champions. Division one champion, Piercen Hunt of Arrowhead (Coach Greg Budzien), finished his freshman campaign in style winning the state title by 5 strokes. Hunter Pipik of New Berlin West (Coach Steve Murdock), left little doubt carding a 67 on day two of the tournament winning the division two individual championship by 6 shots. Matthew Higley of Eleva-Strum (Coach Jon Higley), earned what I believe to be the loudest roar of the state tournament by birding his 36th and final hole, breaking the tie with the clubhouse leader, Drake Wilcox of Sheboygan Lutheran and earning himself the division three individual state championship.
I would also like to congratulate all of our All-State, Academic All-State, Team Academic All-State, and scholarship winners. Your hard work and dedication to all things great about student athletes, golf, and Wisconsin do not go unnoticed.
As I close this, my first message to you as the President of the Golf Coaches Association of Wisconsin, I would like to thank you for all you have done and will continue to do to help build the culture of golf, spread those great Wisconsin values, and promote your athletes. We are so fortunate to live in the state we live, play on the courses provided to us, and coach the athletes we do.
Enjoy the remainder of your summer; be sure to take advantage of some of the great courses that surround us.
Andrew Delong
Sheboygan North High School Boys Golf
GCAW President
2017 GCAW Boys All-State Teams
First Team All State
Jack Blair – Marquette University High School
Piercen Hunt – Arrowhead * Player of the Year
Tyler Leach – Spring Valley
Robbie Morway – Homestead
Harrison Ott – Marquette University High School
Hunter Pipik – New Berlin West
Matt Polivka – Muskego
Logan Walzer – Lodi
Second Team All State
Jed Baranczyk – Bay Port
Ben Gilles – Edgewood of the Sacred Heard
Brock Hlinak – Kaukauna
Bennett Knapek – Arrowhead
Jacob Michel – Lodi
Jake Schroeckenthaler – Monona Grove
Ryan Schuelke – Manawa
Third Team All State
Russell Dettmering – Merrill
Lukas Heckmann – Lakeside Lutheran
Mathew Higley – Eleva Strum
Matthew Raab – Arrowhead
Zach Shawhan – Racine Case
Matt Tuman – Wausau East
Ryan Wikel – Muskego
Alex Yost – Arrowhead
Honorable Mention All State
Colin Ahern – St. Mary’s Springs Academy
Owen Ahern – St. Mary’s Springs Academy
Jack Anderson – Brookfield Central
Drew Arndt – Edgewood of the Sacred Heart
Zach Bernhardt – Eau Claire Memorial
Alex Brandt – Chilton
Dylan Brown – Reedsburg
Eric Chambers – Union Grove
Thomas Christensen – Amery
Tyler Cleaves – Kaukauna
Andrew Clement – Pewaukee
Logan Comte – Eau Claire North
Patrick Darling – Notre Dame de la Baie Academy
Peter Dorward – Cedarburg
Landon Elsner – New London
Matt Fladten – Eau Claire Memorial
Rory Gierhart – Edgewood of the Sacred Heart
James Gilmore – Edgewood of the Sacred Heart
Brett Grulkowski – Franklin
John Haselwander – Eau Claire North
Isaac Heckmann – Lakeside Lutheran
Garhett Kaegi – Verona Area
Sean Murphy – Waunakee
Elliott Nielson – Fond du Lac
Jack O’Brien – Racine St. Catherine’s
Max Pasher – Homestead
Alex Pellegrini – Brookfield Academy
Billy Peterson – Eau Claire Memorial
Matthew Phelan – Edgewood of the Sacred Heart
Zachary Reiser – Arrowhead
Ben Resnick – Rice Lake
Josh Rowinski – Catholic Memorial
Danny Sanicki – Menominee Falls
Steven Sanicki – Menominee Falls
Max Schmidtke – Sheboygan North
Garrett Schultz – Sheboygan North
Carter Simon – Sun Prairie
Blake Skogen – River Falls
Austin Thyes – Sheboygan North
Drake Wilcox – Sheboygan Area Lutheran
Josh Yang – Wausau West
Solomon Zarling – Kettle Moraine Lutheran
Andy Zucker – Middleton
2017 Boys Academic All State Team
Congrats to all of the boys who qualified for the GCAW Academic Boys All-State team.
The players maintained a 3.25 GPA or higher while playing in at least 75% of their varsity matches. High Honors is 3.75+ and Honors is 3.25-3.749
For a full list, visit our Academic All-State page.
2017 Boys’ Team Academic All-State
Congratulations to the teams being honored for the academic accomplishments of their boys’ varsity team. The Golf Coaches Association of Wisconsin (GCAW) is proud to announce the recipients of the 6th annual “Team Academic All-State”award, established to recognize high school golf teams with the highest ‘team’grade point averages (‘team’ is defined as the five designated golfers on the roster for the spring 2017 WIAA regional tournament). The three teams with the highest cumulative team GPA in each division (D1- D2-D3) will be recognized with gold, silver, or bronze medals for each student-athlete, and their schools will receive a certificate to note this accomplishment. Schools with at least a 3.25 team GPA will receive a certificate acknowledging honorable mention status.
Summary of teams being honored (in order of finish) for the Spring 2017 season includes:
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2017 Scholarship Winners:
Girls:
1st Place ($1000) – Grace Stippich, Kettle Moraine
1st Runner-up ($750) – Jessica Kuzniewski, Waukesha West
2nd Runners-up ($500)
- Brooke Marcue, Lancaster
- Megan Russell, New Berlin Eisenhower
- Reagan Beyer, Oshkosh West
Boys:
1st Place ($1000) – Jameson Rubenzer, Elk Mound
1st Runner-up ($750) – Peter Dorward, Cedarburg
2nd Runners-up ($500)
- Jason Jaworski, Wausaukee
- Jacob Michel, Lodi
- Alex Brandt, Chilton
College Showcase Report
The GCAW and the WPGA proudly partnered up to bring 100 junior golfers the 2017 College Showcase. Along with the WPGA partnership this year’s College Showcase also featured a new 36 hole tournament format played on The Irish Course at Whistling Straits. I would like to congratulate Brock Hlinak (Kaukauna), and Lexi Meade (Eau Claire); their two day totals of 150 and 156 respectively, earned them top honors.
At the conclusion of play on day two the round table discussion featured UW Wisconsin Womens coach Todd Oehrlein, Marquette’s Mens coach Steve Bailey, UW Whitewater Womens Coach Andrea Weiland, and current Mackenzie Tour player and Homestead graduate Jordan Niebrugge and his father Rob.
Jordan and Rob discussed the college recruitment process from the athlete and parent point of view, while college coaches discussed what they were looking for in student athletes and provided advice to current high school athletes as to how to begin their college selection.
Find full results to the 2017 College Showcase at here.
Participating Coaches
Todd Oehrlein University of Wisconsin
Steve Bailey Marquette
Eric Anderson College of St Scholastica
Tucker Weisman Macalester College
Jason Lauren National Scouting Report
Jon Feyen National Scouting Report
Neal Grusczynski Cardinal Stritch University
Rob Retzlaff Carroll University
Jarrett Simonson Carthage
Ashley Koeshall Carthage
David Roehl Carthage College
Andrew Belsky Webster University
John Sabo St. Norbert College
Vince Lazar DePaul University
Greg Nikolai Concordia
Frank Janczak Benedictine University
Mark Olsen UW Parkside
Amber Peterson Lakeland University
Greg Nikolai Concordia
Sam Schroeder Lakeland University
Fred Fritchen Lakeland University
Joe Meloy Milwaukee School of Engineering
John Sabo St. Norbert College
Adam Volbrecht WI Lutheran College
Skip Steffey Lewis University
Andrea Weiland UW-Whitewater
Jeff Schmidt UW-Whitewater
Summer Clinic Report
The Summer Coaches Clinic at Wild Rock Golf course was a huge success! Nearly 80 coaches from all around the state were in attendance. Coaches were treated to a clinic on Day 1 that included special guest, UW Men’s Golf Coach Mike Burcin, followed by 18-holes of stroke play golf. Chad Salay of Prescott fired a blistering 72 to take the individual stroke play title. On Day 2, Kyra Lostetter (Lakeside Lutheran), Eric Oliver (Broadhead), Al Oliver (Broadhead) and Robert Lucas (Clinton) teamed up for a round of 58 to win the team scramble competition. We’d like to thank the Wild Rock Staff for all their work to make this event truly special. We received a lot of positive feedback on the golf course and hope to return to Wild Rock in the future! Stay tuned for details on next year’s clinic in the coming months. Thanks to all who participated!