After a draining day at school, all I want to do is go home and take a nap. I wish I could say I was excited, but after years of putting, chipping and driving, I lost motivation to try my hardest.

The school dismissal bell rings at 2:36. Unmotivated and tired, I rush home, grab a snack, throw my clubs in the car, and race to be on time to practice--golf practice, that is.

If you’re like me and don’t have patience when it comes to seeing improvement, golf might not be fun. When I don’t see immediate improvement, I get discouraged.

But that all changed when the little, 90 pound, middle age guy--with more energy than can ever be imaginable--pulled up in his red mini van. He is the only reason I show up to practice each day ready to putt, chip, and drive (all while getting discouraged because I can’t hit the ball far enough or close enough to the hole).

Greg Budzien is more than just a coach. He is also my entertainer and my motivator, cracking jokes making me burst out in laughter. He also gives advice on how to properly swing a golf club so you don’t look like an idiot. Bud says, “Swing up in three motions and say I love pizza” (as crazy as it sounds, it helped me get the proper motion). That  saying helped by improving my consistency, accuracy, and technique.

He also greets each player as they arrive to practice saying to me, “Schlondrop! How’re you?!” letting me know this is going to be an exciting practice.

Tilting his hat backwards, and talking with his hands, he turns into the funny guy who puts a smile on everyone’s face. He taught me to have patience and determination, and to enjoy the sport more than I did when I first started. He is like the sun on a cloudy day--brightening up even the not so fun times.

Bud not only loves the sport of golf, but he also loves helping each individual player improve. He answers any questions--adding a joke along with his answer--just because that’s who Bud is. It gives me encouragement and determination to know he’s there to help and solve problems.

Because of Bud, I’ve learned new things, and I’ve had experiences I’ll remember forever including piling six players and our clubs on a two person golf cart, learning how to improve my golf game, and having humor incorporated into what seemed like everything. And because of him, l will always have someone to look up to and aspire to be like. I’ll never forget all the times he’s made me laugh. This is why I am nominating Coach Budzien for this award.