Boys golf has eyes set on conference title

As the golf season comes into full swing, the men’s team has their eyes set on a conference championship. With 1st place team finishes in the Red Dog Invitational and matches against both Siloam Springs and Bentonville, new head coach Timothy Rippy has put these men in a position to make a run at conference.

Rippy implemented new practice drills as soon as he arrived in May according to senior Jack Collins. The new head coach also implemented themed practices: Mashed Potatoes Monday, Tempo Tuesday, Wedge Wednesday, Thirty-and-In Thursday, and Flat Stick Friday. According to Collins, these made the team much more excited to practice.

“Coach Rippy has really brought a lot of energy to our practices,” Collins said. “He’s helped us a lot with our mentality around the greens and emphasized where we need to leave shots to give us the best chance at par or birdie.”

Rippy, a former girls basketball coach at Siloam Springs High School, has always had a love for golf. His infatuation with golf started when he was 4 when his dad handed him his first golf club and has only grown from there, including fueling him to become a golf coach.

“I love sharing my passion for the game with others,” Rippy said. “I also enjoy seeing people grow through adversity, and golf seems to provide plenty of that.”

Rippy’s goal in his first year is to create a great culture for the golf team that his players will want to be a part of. He also wants to help players improve in any way that he possibly can through the mental aspects of golf by staying positive and learning life lessons. According to Collins, Rippy has done well to accomplish both of these goals.

“Coach Rippy has really brought our golf games to the next level through his encouragement and dedication,” Collins said. “I believe that we can compete against the best teams in the 6A West.”