At 6 a.m. in the morning, all winter, members of the Homestead Boys Golf Team carry two things around the gym: weights and a legacy. Steven O’Brien, history teacher, has been coaching Homestead Boys Golf for 33 years, and while the names on his roster have changed over the seasons, his philosophy on commitment and work ethic has not.
The Homestead boys golf team has been holding morning workouts from October to March for 25 years.
“It takes a serious amount of discipline to go to the morning workouts. It shows extreme work ethic by the team to show up, and be held accountable by the others on the team when you’re not there” Grayson Pasher, junior, said.
The team’s before-school workouts were created to further the Homestead golf team’s lessons on dedication.
“Morning workouts are about commitment and dedication to both yourself as an athlete and the team. Players “enjoy” workouts for the camaraderie and the benefits it has for their game. The workouts help make you stronger which helps your game, but also helps build mental endurance as well,” Wolfgang Recht, junior varsity golf coach said.
O’Brien has been teaching Homestead students lessons inside the classroom and on the golf course for over three decades. O’Brien’s instruction on the golf course often goes beyond technique and putting advice.
“The thing that I feel he [O’Brien] demonstrates to us the most doesn’t even have anything to do with golf, but it’s the way he carries himself as a person. He consistently talks about character and our behavior on the golf course as well as off the golf course. He is an awesome leader and we all couldn’t ask for a better coach,” William Charles, senior, said.
O’Brien’s opinion on team culture and character is native to Homestead.
“I learned from other Homestead coaches and other golf coaches around the state, that the coach just has to set some standards and then let the athletes decide whether they want to follow those standards or not. Once the team has a bunch of players who are willing to do what is necessary and realize those standards will help make them and the team better, everything else takes care of itself,” O’Brien said.
The Homestead boys golfers have decided they want to follow those standards and value the intensity of the program.
“The most valuable thing the program gains from having O’Brien is the tight ship he runs. He pushes people to be their best even while leaving the emphasis mostly on the mental side of golf rather than the physical side of golf. He knows how talented the team is and how good we can be, so he is more focused on the mental strength side. Having his positive mental aspect with us helps us stay focused throughout the ups and downs of the season” Greg Rykah, junior, said.
The Homestead Boys golf program has four teams and all four teams are coached by Homestead teachers. While O’Brien coaches varsity/ varsity reserve and Recht coaches JV1, Brandn Lindsey, business teacher, coaches JV2.
“I love all the golf coaches and how they teach. All the coaches work well together making sure we have a place to practice and a schedule ahead of time making it very smooth. Each coach has a role within their team and they follow that role to perfection, which is what makes Homestead Golf as successful as it is,” Vance Reiland, senior, said.
Although O’Brien, Lindsey, and Recht have a variety of experience levels and styles, they are unified by their morals.
“We’re all different styles of coaches with a few shared common goals: one, help boys learn the game of golf, along with the accompanying etiquette, two, get boys to shoot lower scores, and three, turn boys into mature young men who exercise integrity, honor, respect, sportsmanship, and professionalism. Homestead golf has a reputation for integrity, “doing things the right way,” and competitive success – our mission is to uphold that reputation,” Lindsey said.
