Peachtree Corners, Ga. – Coaches from 24 U.S. states and 10 nations received their U.S. Kids Golf Top 50 Kids Coach and Master Kids Coach awards at the 2024 PGA Show in Orlando on January 22.
“We are proud to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of these coaches,” said Dan Van Horn, President and Founder of U.S. Kids Golf. “Their dedication and commitment to the game, and more importantly, their students, is a great benefit to the facilities they represent, the families they serve, and especially, the young players who are starting this lifetime journey of golf.”
Presented since 2004, the U.S. Kids Golf Top 50 Coach award is widely recognized as the pinnacle achievement for junior golf coaches worldwide. Award recipients are chosen based on their contributions to youth golf in their community. These contributions include but are not limited to coaching players ages 12 and under, use of the Player Pathway in advancing their players, creativity, engagement with parents, communication, and organization.
Coaches achieve the Master Kids Coach status upon earning the Top 50 award for a third time. This year, 14 coaches earned this recognition.
“Becoming a Master Kids Coach is the highest distinction for kids coaches,” noted Van Horn. “These are the professionals that have dedicated a career to youth golf and families, consistent excellence, which is not easy, and truly embody the spirit of the U.S. Kids Golf mission.”
Top 50 Kids Coaches, Class of 2023:
Dawn Andel……………………. Onalaska, Wis.
Yang Bai………………………….. Rosemead, Calif.
Gene Bakkum………………… Oakland, Calif.
Tanner Barnhard…………… Lenexa, Kan.
Jimmy Bayne…………………… High Point, N.C.
Ryan Benton…………………… Dothan, Ala.
Stefan Blain…………………….. Atlanta, Ga.
Barbara Borin………………… Quarrata, Italy
Candice Bromley…………… Cardiff, Wales
Ginger Brown-Lemm…….. Spring, Texas
Robin Campbell……………… Aberdeen, Scotland
HouKuan Choi……………….. Shreveport, La.
Philippe Corsalett………….. Villeneuce-Loubet, France
Terrence Crimmins……….. Wellesley, Mass.
Jonathan Dudley……………. Greensboro, N.C.
Travis Fowler………………….. London, England
Robbie Fritz……………………. Greensboro, N.C.
Glenn Garnett………………….. Hoover, Ala.
Andrew Gerlach…………….. Hilton Head, S.C.
Jerrel Gill…………………………. Coral Gables, Fla.
Tilly Gretsch……………………. Las Vegas, Nev.
Scott Guzinski………………… Virginia Beach, Va.
Dakota Hicks………………….. Duncan, Okla.
Chip Inks…………………………. Royal Palm Beach, Fla.
Chad Johansen………………. Bristol, Ill.
Megan Johnston……………. Ridgedale, Mo.
Ali Khimji………………………………… Nairobi, Kenya
Paul Killgallon……………………….. Birmingham, Ala.
Jacob Lehman………………………. Rye, N.Y.
Catalina Mackelfresh…………… Dublin, Ireland
Katherine Manlolo………………. Kapolei, Hawaii
Ric Moore………………………………. Pasadena, Calif.
Chad Moscovic……………………… Frisco, Texas
Zachary Newell…………………….. Boca Raton, Fla.
Carly Newman……………………… St. James, N.Y.
Rushi Oza………………………………. Charlotte, N.C.
Michael Parker……………………… Ridgefield, Wash.
Clayton Pendergraft…………….. Lemont, Ill.
Joseph Portfilio…………………….. Bloomfield Hill, Mich.
Alvaro Puche………………………… Doral, Fla.
Eva Rogers…………………………….. Medinah, Ill.
Matthew Rueb……………………… Bismarck, N.D.
Daniel Sánchez Reséndiz……. Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Jon Schoepf…………………………… Rolling Hills, Calif.
Marius Schutte…………………….. Eco Park, Vietnam
Daniel Shelden……………………… Hinsdale, Ill.
Jonathan Shoffner………………… Humble, Texas
Will Smittle…………………………….. White Plains, N.Y.
Sara Stephens………………………. Burlington, Ky.
Shirley Walker Yeager…………. Mobile, Ala.
Master Kids Coaches, Class of 2024:
Bridget Ackley………………… West Palm Beach, Fla.
Matt Brown…………………….. Fort Sill, Okla.
Gavin Burns……………………. Lexington, Ky.
Kellie Edelblut………………… Southern Pines, N.C.
Sean English……………………. Baltimore, Md.
Vanessa Fassler……………… Lakewood Ranch, Fla.
Tim Fraley……………………….. Bend, Ore.
Darren Game………………………….. Stamford, England
Bill Hall…………………………………….. Beaufort, S.C.
Joe McNeil……………………………….. Castroville, Texas
Kelli Murphy…………………………….. Auburn, Ala.
Juli Roberts……………………………… Oviedo, Fla.
Abigale Schepperle………………… Roswell, Ga.
John Schmoll…………………………… Greenwich, Conn.
For more information on the U.S. Kids Golf Top 50 Kids Coach Award, visit: https://foundation.uskidsgolf.com/about-our-coaches
About U.S. Kids Golf
U.S. Kids Golf is the world’s leading organization for helping grow golf among youth and families. Founded in 1996, U.S. Kids Golf offers equipment in four lines of clubs in up to 10 sizes in each line. The U.S. Kids Foundation hosts more than 2300 tournaments globally – including the U.S. Kids Golf World Championship held annually in Pinehurst, N.C.; and its Coaches Institute includes over 1800 members around the world. The Foundation also owns and operates Longleaf Golf & Family Club in Southern Pines, N.C., a “Living Laboratory” of golf’s best practices and newest ideas to make golf a better game for everyone. Since 2018, U.S. Kids Golf has been consistently recognized by the National Golf Foundation as one of the “Top 100 Businesses in Golf” based on influence, innovation, and social good among other criteria.
Connect with U.S. Kids Golf:
Website: www.uskidsgolf.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/USKidsGolf
Twitter: www.twitter.com/USKidsGolf
Instagram: www.instagram.com/u.s.kidsgolf/
