By Harrison Leone
Sports Assignment Editor
In the words of golfing great Ben Hogan, “the most important shot in golf is the next one.”
St. Bonaventure Golf Head Coach John Powers subscribes to a similar philosophy of the game he plays, coaches and loves.
“One of the biggest things that can hinder your performance on the golf course is getting wrapped up in what just happened or what might happen,” Powers said. “When you’re having an off day, you’re pretty exposed. There’s nowhere to hide. Coach isn’t going to pull you out; you just have to keep going.”
For all the potential mental frustration imparted by such a tedious and exact game, Powers has been a constant denizen of putting greens and fairways.
“I’ve been golfing pretty much my whole life, I just sort of grew up with it,” Powers said. “It was just kind of a family activity. As long as no one decided to sit out, everybody was participating.”
Powers played collegiate golf at Bowling Green State University, in Bowling Green, Ohio. During his time as a Falcon, Powers studied sports management, was a member of the Student Athletic Advisory Committee and was a letter-winner for all four of his undergraduate years. While he was a lifelong player, Powers said he did not consider competing at the college level until he was in high school.
“It never really crossed my mind until I was playing in a tournament when I was 16. I played in my first big regional tourney that I had qualified for. While I was there, there were a ton of college coaches walking around, watching guys play,” Powers said. “I thought that was pretty awesome that I was capable of playing in a tournament that college coaches were looking at.”
Powers said the experience provided the necessary spark that would propel him to continue with his golf career once he attended school.
“That was pretty inspiring. It of gave me a lot of motivation to keep getting better,” Powers said. “I started playing in more tourneys like that to get some exposure, and that ultimately brought me to college.”
Once it became clear that being a college athlete was in fact what he wanted to do, Powers said the decision to go to Bowling Green was an easy one.
“I grew up a lifelong fan of Bowling Green, and once it became a little bit more realistic that I could possibly be playing for their team, I didn’t really take the time to go on a ton of visits to other schools,” Powers said. “Some other schools were in the mix. Miami (Ohio) came in a close second, but when all the dust settled, Bowling Green was definitely the best fit for me.”
Following his tenure at Bowling Green, Powers worked at the local Stone Ridge Golf Club before being offered a position at St. Bonaventure. Powers said St. Bonaventure captured his attention in 2010 because it would allow him the opportunity to immediately take on a large amount of personal responsibility.
“It was a great opportunity to get some experience and get started in college athletics and coaching,” Powers said. “I really got to jump in with both feet. It’s hard to believe if you sit back and think about it, but I’ve gotten a taste of pretty much every aspect of being a college coach, especially with being a head coach and not starting as an assistant.”
Powers said that he has been the beneficiary of help and advice from a variety of sources, including opposing coaches.
“I’ve been lucky enough to have (assistant athletic director) Steve Campbell to lean on for advice, as well as my college coach and several other coaches I see out on the road,” Powers said. “That’s another cool thing about the game. Guys aren’t hesitant to give me some advice here and there, even though we’re competing.”
Only three years removed from his college playing days, Powers said he believes his youth allows him to build a rapport with the players currently under his tutelage.
“I definitely understand what they’re going through, in terms of the challenges from day to day, such as juggling class and practice and everything like that. It helps that I’m able to get out there and play with them, too,” Powers said. “It helps the two-way communication, and, as a coach, being able to communicate is one of the most important things.”
In terms of what may lie ahead, Powers is approaching his prospects in a similar fashion to the way he approaches golf — with patience and focus.
“It’s really hard to say (where I’ll be in five years from now),” Powers said. “I’m just kind of focused on what’s right in front of us, the same thing as the game itself. It’s the same as when the guys tee it up in these tournaments, just focus on what’s in front of you and let the chips fall. We’ll add them up at the end.”
