George Washington University Athletics
GW Golf Coach Finds Inspiration in China
1/28/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
When George Washington golf Head Coach Chuck Scheinost set off for a winter trip to China, his main focus was to teach and tutor young golfers in the art of the game.
What he came home with was a new-found appreciation for a different culture and an inspiration to infuse his future rosters with international student-athletes.
Coach Scheinost joined collegiate coaching colleagues from around the country, including Kentucky, Oregon, Yale and Nebraska, on an eye-opening trip to China.
"I think for every one of us - we came away with something different than we thought we were going to get," said Coach Scheinost of his seven-day excursion to Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Shanghai.
The purpose of the trip was to teach at camps in China, where interest in the game of golf has been increasing over the past decade. What Coach Scheinost found was that students of the game have great ball-striking skills, with room to improve in mechanics and strategy.
"The golf culture in China is very serious," explained Coach Scheinost. "They hit balls a lot, but they don't really have the opportunity to play [on the course] as much as we do here in America. They haven't learned how to play the game. That was the biggest thing that stood out to me. There are some great players there, and they can be even better with improved game management and shot selection."
While participating in the camps as an instructor, Coach Scheinost picked up on the common level of commitment displayed by various players - they all wanted to be better. However, teaching the nuances of the game wasn't easy, especially through a translator.
"The hardest part of the whole trip was teaching lessons through translation," said Coach Scheinost. "Not all words translate to their language so it was very interesting speaking in small, three-sentence phrases, and trying to figure out how to convey it so it would be understood on the other side."
While in Shenzhen, second-year Head Coach Scheinost connected with GW golf alumnus and Hong Kong native Martin Liu `12. Although the two did not cross paths at GW, they have established a lengthy email correspondence.
"I had been communicating with Martin for the past nine months about some international kids that we are looking at and to also keep him in the loop as to what was going on with the program," said Coach Scheinost. "When I took advantage of this opportunity, we set up a time to connect in person. It was nice to finally put a face with a name."
The two enjoyed time together talking about GW golf and the prospect of an overseas trip for the program in the future.
"We talked about some different ideas, one of which was possibly starting an international tournament in Hong Kong," said Coach Scheinost. "There used to be an event called the Topy Cup that would take four teams from America to Japan to compete. I think we could get something similar going in Hong Kong where golf is emerging as a very popular sport."
Liu is one of the more recent international student-athletes to compete for GW golf. The current roster features just one - Pierre Tillement of Suresnes, France - but Coach Scheinost is looking to reinvigorate the lineup with international flavor in the future.
"Establishing an international presence on the roster is definitely something we want to do," said Coach Scheinost. "Right now, we have some connection with international squads. Pierre has played on the French National Team. Alumnus Max Hamm '11 played on the German National Team. Martin has played and practiced with the Dutch National Team. Our goal is to take advantage of those contacts."
The GW Department of Athletics takes great pride in its number of international student-athletes. There are currently 53 student-athletes from 30 countries around the world across GW's 27 varsity athletic programs. Coach Scheinost has seen the benefits of international flavor across GW's varsity programs.
"Having international student-athletes is beneficial to both sides," explained Coach Scheinost. "It makes the international student-athletes grow, having to adapt to a new city and a new culture. It also gives our American student-athletes an opportunity to learn new cultures, overcome language barriers and come together as one to work for, and ultimately accomplish, a common goal."
Players Mentioned
