For 10 years South’s golf teams have been led by Coach Dustin Carver. However, at the start of the year, the girl’s golf team was put under the wing of the assistant coach, Jim Southern.
Senior Avery Beck said,“I feel like in past years it’s been pretty divided between the top five girls and JV. I feel like now it’s more together,” in relation to the team’s coordination under Southern.
She also spoke on Southern’s coaching style saying, “a couple of the girls on our team hit the wrong ball at sectionals, they could’ve lied and acted like it was their ball but they were honest about it. With our environment and the girls on the team, those values come through.”
Carver remains committed to the teams, noting that despite the change he’s still devoted to his part on the teams and that he and Southern are in touch and planning to stay that way. “As you go through life, things change” Carver said when asked about the change of leadership. “You get into coaching to help and support; you try to compete in life to instill the athletes to be the best. Coach Southern is amazing, if I didn’t feel like he could be doing the job he wouldn’t be” he said.
Southern is and has been an active coach of the golf teams for years, and Bloomington as a whole. Serving the role of a teacher in the sport with his business and connected YouTube channel, GIR Golf LLC. “It’s better to teach, than to play” Southern said, expressing that his focus is keeping the team honest, respectful and doing anything he can to boost their skills for life and the sport. “You can learn from the past without living in the past,” Southern said.
