Med Center Health hosts inaugural Coach’s Appreciation Golf Tournament

The high school sports season finished up over the weekend, which means it’s time for a little off season recuperation for both players and coaches. Even though it’s now the off season, several local high school coaches still got involved in a competitive event with each other.

On Monday morning, Bowling Green Country Club was busy with the sound of high school coaches trading in their clipboards for golf clubs in the inaugural Med Center Health’s Coach’s Appreciation Golf Tournament. The idea for the outing, arranged by the Med Center Health’s Sports Outreach Department, came from from the University of Kentucky’s Sports Medicine Department in Lexington, according to Sports Outreach Coordinator Kevin Winn.

"As we kind of work to develop our sports outreach program and our sports medicine program, we thought it’d be a good thing to emulate down here," Winn said.

Eleven teams of four coaches from various schools in the Warren County area and beyond were invited to this tournament, with all expenses covered, as a way to show gratitude for all the hard work and time they put in when they’re coaching on the field, diamond, or court.

"They give so much of their time, and I think it goes a little under appreciated," said Win. "As a way to just give back and say, ‘Hey, we appreciate what you do every day.’ Especially me, personally, being a former high school coach, I know the time and effort and stress that goes into it, so we just thought it’d be a good way to say thank you for what they do."

And the gesture was well received among the coaches who participated in the soon-to-be annual event.

"Well I don’t know about the golf part of it, but really enjoyable day, beautiful day out here," said Bowling Green Football Head Coach Mark Spader. "Of course I’m playing with some coaches I know real well. We’re having a good time. I don’t know if we’re putting together any golf though."

An event like this also present coaches the unique opportunity to get to know their fellow opposing coaches better, but in a setting different than their regular field of play.

"The coaches really appreciate the camaraderie also," Winn said. "A lot of times when they see each other they’re competing against each other, they don’t really have that time to fellowship and talk and to develop that community."