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Kopplin gunning for state golf title |
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Wednesday, 21 September 2011 15:37 |
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As members of the media we get the privilege of watching out local high school athletes grow up before our eyes. One area athlete we've has been wowing us on the golf course for three years.
And as the end of his high school career approaches, Cory Coppock had a chat with Sturgis' Clay Kopplin, this week's athlete of the week. As the high school golf season heads down the home stretch the cream is starting to rise to the top. To no one's surprise, one player who is emerging as one of the West River's best is Sturgis' Clay Kopplin. Coach says, "He's a student of the game. I think the most fun is when we each get to relax and just be golfers, be buddies whatever, and just play golf. It's fun when you've had him. I had him in junior lessons when he was just a rug-rat. And now he's so much better than me, it's fun to see that progression. You're teaching him and you're learning and he's progressed past me and he's just fun to play with. He's a great kid." Over the last two years few players in the state have been as consistent as Kopplin who is sporting a handicap of +1.2. But it's not something he's doing but more of what he's not doing that keeps his score low. While most golfers have a million things going through their minds while on the tee box, Kopplin has whittled his self talk down to one important thing. Clay says, "I believe in taking the safe play is always the better option. So you don't do anything crazy bad. If you have an ok hole you can get back. You can get birdies or recover from a bogey but if you get, like, a ten, it makes it a long day." With the state tournament just around the corner Clay is focused on his game and achieving a few goals he has set for himself. Clay says, " First of all I'd like to just place at the state golf tournament and finish out a good year in my last year. And also I'd really like to finish out a good cross country season and get some good team awards there." Congratulations to Clay Kopplin, this week's Black Hills Fox Powerade Athlete of the Week, I'm Cory Coppock. |
