In the Oct 6th 2008 Pantagraph.

Dave Coffman was a junior in 1986 when he finished second in the Class A State 
Tournament.Coffman and Bob Kauth were freshmen two years earlier when 
University High School started its current 24-year streak of advancing to the 
state tourney. (Pantagraph file photo)

U High golfers nearing quarter-century of excellence

By Jim Benson

NORMAL -- Dave Coffman and Bob Kauth didn’t realize it when they were freshmen on University High School’s golf team in 1984. They were truly pioneers in more ways than just being a Pioneer.

Coffman and Kauth helped start U High on an unbelievable run of excellence that might never be seen again in Illinois High School Association boys golf history.

Through five different coaches, U High has advanced to the state tournament 24 straight years. The Pioneers have No. 25 in sights this season -- not to mention tying a state record of six straight titles -- when they tee off in the Class 2A Regional on Tuesday at Prairie Vista Golf Course in Bloomington.

“It’s a great feeling knowing we were one of the initial teams to help build the program, and the guys behind us have continued to succeed,” said Coffman, who is the club professional at Abenaqui Country Club in Rye Beach, N.H.

Kauth realizes times have changed at U High.

“When I was there, just getting to the state tournament was a big accomplishment,” said Kauth, who is general manager and head professional at Mercer Oaks Golf Course in Princeton Junction, N.J. “It’s not that we didn’t want to win, but getting there was the goal. It’s a given now.”

Coffman progressed from a freshman who shot 103 in his first state tourney round at Arrowhead Country Club in Chillicothe to finishing second as a junior two years later.

There is no doubt that Coach Jim Scott was instrumental in putting him and the Pioneers on the right track, said Coffman.

“Coach Scott instilled the idea that golf was an individual game, but you were playing as a team. His concept was more team oriented than I was exposed to in other sports,” said Coffman. “As we progressed through our sophomore, junior and senior years, the concept stayed true. He helped us grow as a team.

“It wasn’t just the No. 1 and 2 players, but everybody supported everybody. That’s an important thing in high school golf. You help to develop camaraderie and you’re all one team.”

Scott, who also coached baseball and swimming at U High, wouldn’t let golf be an individual sport.

“We always made it a priority for kids to help kids. Some of the best coaching goes on from other kids,” said Scott. “I used captains, and that had never been done before. I thought it was important to win or lose as a team, and whatever individual awards you get are greater when the team does better.”

U High, which finished second in the state twice in the 1970s, hadn’t been to the state tourney in three years before 1984.

“I remember that season we kept getting better every tournament and improving every tournament,” said Kauth.

The Pioneers finished fifth at the 1984 state tourney and were off. Coffman and Kauth were on squads their last two years which finished second behind Monmouth. Ironically, U High is now trying to match Monmouth’s six-year title streak from 1985 to 1990.

U High finally toppled Monmouth to win the Class A title in 1991 at Danville Elks Country Club. The 6-foot-8 Scott, a no-nonsense coach whom many considered a stern task-master, had tears in his eyes at the trophy ceremony.

“We did a lot of goal setting in all the sports I coached. I remember chewing them out one year because not one kid said (his goal) was to win state,” said Scott. “I told them it probably wasn’t going to happen until you change your attitude. From that point on, it was to win state.”

Brady Knight, a member of the 1991 champions, said he jokes with former teammate John Handy “that I’m not sure we could even make the team anymore. It’s cool to see what’s gone on the last 15 years.”

Knight echoed Coffman’s comments about Scott’s role in starting the U High dynasty.

“He is probably, on all levels of anything I played, by far the best coach,” said Knight. “He was a phenomenal teacher. He made you think. He brought that into baseball as well. He epitomized the mental game. He would put a board up and quizzed you (to see) if you read it. You had better read it every day. It was mental stuff, and it really helped your game.”

Scott’s successor, John McQuary, kept the program on the same high level for the next eight years. U High won another state title in 1996 and had several other close calls with four seconds, including by a stroke in 2000 and 2001.

Tom Romance saw U High’s success from both sides. His son, Nate, was part of the ’96 team and he served as McQuary’s assistant before taking over in 2002 and guiding the team to four titles.

“Besides good players — and you can’t do without them — John had a good system in qualifying and it was very competitive. It made you tournament ready,” said Romance. “And there was the tradition … We set team goals and we did not consider going to state. It was a given. If you think about it that was taking a lot for granted.”

Josh Wheeler, a four-year regular who was second in state in 1997, said there was always about 10 golfers competing for varsity spots.

“I remember having an A team and B team, and the B team would go off and win a tournament. That says a lot about how competitive it was,” said Wheeler. “We recognized each other on the team. Everybody’s goal was to win the state tournament.”

Even when U High was bumped up to Class AA by an IHSA enrollment multiplier, the Pioneers didn’t flinch. They beat New Trier by a stroke for the 2005 crown and edged St. Viator by four shots the next year. In the first year of three classes in 2007 under Ryan Snell, all U High did was shoot a state tourney-record total of 583 to claim the Class 2A title. Snell has now handed the reins to Harland Kilborn, the former Illinois State coach.

Wheeler wasn’t aware that U High was approaching 25 straight state tournaments.

“That is unreal,” he said. “If you look at it like that that’s a lot of years and you were part of a little portion. Holy cow!”

http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2008/10/06/scholastic/doc48e9645a86553829235462.txt