Though he admits basketball is his best sport, coach Bruce Pearl knows a few things about other sports as well.
Pearl spoke to a group of children about golf at Robert Trent Jones Grand National golf course on Monday, July 14.
PGA Tour players Parker McLachlin and Will Wilcox joined Pearl for the Junior Clinic, an event designed to teach young people golf techniques and the things that can be learned by playing the sport.
The event is part of the festivities building up to this week’s Barbasol Championship, which will take place at Grand National beginning on Thursday.
Pearl said he always values chances to get involved in the community, especially with children.
“Anytime we get a chance to impart a little bit of wisdom and motivation on some kids, it’s a great opportunity,” Pearl said. “Golf is a great game. It teaches you a lot of things about sportsmanship and leadership.”
Wilcox, a Birmingham native, was also excited about the opportunity to interact with the children.
“I hope I did a good job and they learned something,” Wilcox said. “Coach Pearl definitely teed me up for it. He did a great job. [The children] seemed to react really well to it. The kids enjoyed it and listened and they were attentive and respectful. It was great.”
Many of the junior golfers were from the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Lee County, and Pearl centered his message around the phrase “be great” that was printed on the backs of the children’s T-shirts.
“We just asked them the question, ‘What are you going to do to be great?’ Pearl said. “It was interesting because the response was ‘helping others’ more than anything else. I could be great if I help somebody else do something. So obviously these kids are getting a great message.”
Alabama Power sponsored the event in conjunction with the PGA’s “The First Tee” program, which aims to teach young people life lessons through the game of golf.
“(The First Tee) is a youth education program related to golf,” Alabama Power spokesperson Michael Sznajderman said. “It uses the game of golf to inspire children to build various strong character traits that golf is all about, including honesty, integrity and responsibility.”
Sznajderman said the program has been successful in the past at other golf events throughout the state.
“The children love it,” Sznajderman said. “The golfers, the participants in it, love it. We think it’s positive for the community.”
Pearl said the biggest goal of the clinic was to boost the children’s self-esteem and teach them lessons that will be useful on and off the course.
“It’s always good when you get an opportunity to make sure the kids understand that they matter,” Pearl said. “Why is all this out here, why are the TV cameras out here for them, why is a golf pro out here for them, why is a coach out here for them? Because we care about them. We want to encourage them and give them a chance to, like the shirt says, be great.”
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
