March 22, 2025 Issue, Page 9 of 12

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SPORTS The Elk City News SATURDAY, MARCH 22, 2025 • 9 Matt Coleman Special By Alex Alvarez ed in helping me with servic- myself with golf cart mainte- come and help us on Sundays, far as the board of directors, and how to stop it before it ing members’ golf carts in his nance. and late afternoons after work. the biggest risk they had tak- spreads out. For this, he likes SMILEY MATT’S JOUR- spare time, and he agreed. He Sadly, one day, he quit and It was a big responsibility, be- en for the club: were they pro- to be “exact”, just like when he NEY did, and later, he also start- went to sell cars for a local cause although watering is moting someone correctly or changed tires years ago, if the “A Journey From Tire Shop ed fixing carts when a mem- dealership owned by a mem- viewed as “easy” (hey, you have to his level of incompetence. car manufacturer says 38 PSI, Employee Fixing Flats to Golf ber needed some mechanical ber of the club. We were sad to a computer, right?), IT ISN’T For the first few months, it it doesn’t say 37 PSI or 39 PSI. Course Superintendent… work. Always ready to make see him go, but I also was hap- AS EASY AS IT SOUNDS! looks like it was the correct Now, in this job, if the book with a smile!” some extra cash. Also notice- py for him because I knew he It could be a make-or-break decision. says something about spray- It is a fact… if you are faith- able, if he did not know some- was going to make a better liv- situation for someone in that Since he took the job, he has ing, he will mix the chemicals ful in the small things, you thing, he wasn’t afraid to say ing for himself and his lovely position, and a make-or-break been as serious about it as you exactly as written, “close is not may be blessed to be responsi- so, but he always found a way family, while perhaps playing situation for the golf course. would expect him to be. He good enough”. ble for the bigger things. Bibli- to do it, either by asking an more golf, without the stress Both, the course and Matt soon joined the Golf Course Recently, I invited him to cal fact. Human fact. expert or doing research him- of answering maintenance de- took the risk and the mutual Superintendents of America play nine holes one afternoon Being the PGA Pro for thir- self. He was someone who did cisions to golfers who usually challenge. Association, studied enough but he politely declined stating teen great seasons at Elk City everything possible to solve a ask of anyone in maintenance, Weeks later, the board, to promptly get his “Class B” that he had to finish some- Golf & C.C., gave me the op- problem. In his mind, every- “Hey Matt, why this?”, “Why who were still looking for a card in record time. Has taken thing on the course, then he portunity to meet many peo- thing was possible. Pretty op- that”, which in this case, he permanent superintendent, various courses, made contact was going to “hit the books” ple in this small town, one timistic. had no answers. decided that he was doing a with experts in different areas, so to speak off. His continuous of them being “Smiley” Matt A few years later, he came to Forward to early summer of good enough job to offer him and will enroll on a 10-week education will come from his Coleman, who used to play work for the club in the main- 20024, when our superinten- a permanent job. It meant that course with OSU for turf man- personal experiences com- in our weekly Tuesday Night tenance department under dent left us without much of a now, he had to quit his job as a agement. He has recalibrated bined with his studies. He Scramble. Seldom, if ever, did our head superintendent, so notice and the board of direc- salesman where he was mak- the computer system, found wants to learn, which comes Matt play individually, since, now we had a chance to share tors was faced with the dilem- ing a good job, and take on a every sprinkler that was not in from recognizing that no one in his own words, laughing some time regularly, either at ma of getting someone really new challenge, this time basi- the computer, re-programmed “knows it all” and admitting he would say, “No one swings the golf course grounds, when quickly to finish the season cally from scratch. The board the software, made his sched- it, is a strength, because you as hard as I do to waste more we crossed paths, or when he without losing the conditions showed confidence in him, ules for 2025 for maintenance will never stop learning. His energy than I do in a shot. But stopped by the clubhouse. Al- golfers were used to. and he responded by accept- procedures and now also journey from the tire shop to I enjoy the game a lot. Swing ways working with a smile. Paramount was irrigation: ing this awesome challenge, working on a three-year plan becoming a golf course super- as hard as I can, in case I make He was always interested do it the right way, the right something he had never done for the course. intendent in charge of a crew, good contact”. That attitude in learning new things, and amount and in the right places. before: he needed to learn As someone who likes to stands as a testament to the told me a lot about him: he even began giving his opinion, And for that, someone needed about chemicals, fertilizers, solve problems, he now knows power of passion, an optimis- was honest by nature, and that both, as a golfer or as someone to be aware of how to use the seasons, types of grass, sched- that his #1 priority, is not only tic mind, perseverance, and he took the game of golf as who wanted to offer more, as computer software from Toro ules, when and how to areate to solve these, but more im- never being afraid to pursue what it is: just a game. he could now see from the “in- company, the codes, the sprin- and top-dress, along with portantly, learning how to pre- a dream, even when it means When I found out that he side-out”, instead of only from kler and controllers locations, mechanics of the equipment vent some of them and how to starting over. Keep that smile worked at a tire store, I went the golfer’s point of view. As in addition to knowing the at hand. You name it, and it recognize when nature throws and attitude! to ask him if he was interest- before, when time permitted, course. So, a board member would be the biggest challenge you something unexpected, helped our members and/or approached Matt to ask him to that he had ever taken, and as like the beginning of a disease Rory easily hit course record. Last player in, TENNIS PROFESSIONAL J.J.the didn’t, par-5 green in two, J.J. first alternate, Denny Walk- Jack Draper, from En- fourth time. Pennzoil 400, won by Josh Berry. Continued from page 1 didn’t. It was like it was over, er, who got in because Jason gland, beat Carlos Alcaraz NASCAR: Sources: On Line, MSN before it was officially over. Day pulled out on Thursday in the semifinal 6-1, 0-6, Oklahoman Christopher Sports, ESPN, Wikipdia, was 56 yards ahead of J.J. Other highlights: Justin morning, made the best of 6-4, and Holger Rune in the Bell was not able to com- ATP.com PGATour.com Rory in the fairway and Thomas shot 78 and came his tournament with great final 6-2, 6-2 of the Indian plete the feat of four in a back with a 62, that tied the play and a tie for 6th. Wells Open to win for his row, finishing 12th in the ELK CITY The Elk City EMR students got a real treat when Air Evac stopped by to teach them about the work they do serving western Oklahoma. They got a crash course in what it’s like to be an EMT or nurse in a medical helicop- ter, and they even got to sit inside. Thanks went out to EMR instructor Demerie Cher- venka, Air Evac and friends at ECFD for helping to make this happen for the students. Good Luck Area Teams! We want to wish you a great season! :UG6W (ON&LW\2.   Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender. ZZZSL]]DKXWFRP ELK CITY: 2714 W. 3rd St. • 102 S. 580-225-2580 Main St.•580.225.2580 https//www.fnbec.bank 2017 W. Third | 1300 S. Main | gpbankok.com &DUU\RXW‡&XUEVLGH‡'HOLYHU\ *UHDW3ODLQV Carry-out • Hut Lane • Delivery 2017 W. Third | 1300 S. Main | Elk City Wal-Mart | gpbankok.com SAYRE: 711 NE Highway 66 • 580-928-2580 1DWLRQDO%DQN 580-225-2265 Good Luck Teams! We hope each of you have a great season! We hope 1210 S. Main St, Elk City you have 580-225-0100 Elk City Nursing Home a great www.elksupply.com 301 N. Garrett, Elk City 580-225-2811 580.243.0466 year!