By Mark Carpenter
People’s Defender
The Adams County pipeline to Coach Dave Hopkins’ Shawnee State Men’s Golf program continued earlier this month as the Shawnee head man got commitments from a pair of North Adams Green Devils. In a joint signing ceremony held on April 9 in the NAHS gymnasium, Devils’ teammates Breestin Schweickart and Connor Young inked their letters of intent to become members of the Bear’s golf program this coming fall.
Both Schweickart and Young have been outstanding multi-sport athletes at North Adams, Schweickart in golf and basketball and Young in golf, basketball and baseball. They were both members of the Devils’ basketball squad that won three consecutive district titles and two consecutive gold ball trophies, both earned All-Southern Hills Athletic Conference and All-District honors. Schweickart capped off his hardwood career by being named the OPSMA Division VI District Player of the Year and being named First Team All-State. On the golf course, both were part of a North Adams squad that made it to the state tournament their sophomore season, then missed that by one stroke their junior year. Schweickart is a two-time Adams County Cup champion and two-time SHAC champion, while Young was named to the All-SHAC Team three times,
For Schweickart, the choice to play college golf turned out to be a simple one.
“I liked the fact that Shawnee was close to home,” said Schweickart. ‘I knew Coach Hopkins from him officiating basketball games and I’d see him around and in the end, it just fit. I knew I wanted to play golf, basketball is just too hard on my body, felt like my knees and ankles were shot. Golf is a sport you can play forever.”
“I remember the first time I ever played golf. I went with my Dad when I was younger and I absolutely hated it. I thought it was boring and I wasn’t very good at it and then (former NAHS golfer) T.J. Holt took me out when I was a freshman and I wasn’t as bad and I kind of liked it and I just stuck with it and started playing all the time. My sophomore year was really successful and I thought it might have just been beginner’s luck but then my junior year came around and I was winning a lot and I started to think- ‘I can keep doing this’.”
“I think the highlights of my high school career were going to state my sophomore year and just always being able to hang out on the course with my friends. I just enjoyed the experience though it would have been nice to go back to the state tournament a couple more times. Here at North Adams, I think I’ve learned to just always try and don’t give up. I’ve had bad golf matches and bad basketball games but I’d just keep going and get through it. Life goes on and you just have to keep working and practicing.”
First-year North Adams golf coach Corey Richmond also joined the signing ceremonies and talked about his two newest recruits.
“I knew a little about these two from before I became the head coach,” said Richmond. “Breestin is just a great all-around competitive golfer who definitely likes to win and is very coachable, always wanting to get better. Connor was kind of a late bloomer but honestly he has one of the best golf swings I have ever seen. Sometimes he lacks a little confidence but he definitely has the talent to do big things at the next level. He has a really good head on his shoulders and is just a really solid player. It’s an honor to come into coaching and have two players like this moving on to the next level right off the bat.”
Young also took the time to explain his college decision.
“I was talking with Breestin about our future and stuff and also decided to visit Shawnee and I liked the campus and Coach Hopkins,” Young explained. “It just felt like the right place for me. I wasn’t sure I would ever be good enough for college golf but my senior year Breestin and I were on the course every day and I really improved.”
“Winning the district and going to the state tournament my sophomore year will probably always be my high school highlight. That was pretty fun. I’ve learned in both sports to just try and stay level-headed and play through the ups and downs and come out better. That comes with maturity.”
The recipient of this golf talent is again Coach Hopkins, who is continuing to build a solid men’s program at Shawnee.
“ I watched these two play the past couple of years and got to know then a little better, more so on the basketball court, and I liked the fact that they are multi-sport athletes,” said Coach Hopkins. “People know them for their basketball skills and they’re just good athletes and when I get the chance to get them to concentrate on one sport at Shawnee, they’re only going to get better. They are both good students who come from good families and when they contacted me, it was a no-doubter on my end. We always like good people in our program. they come from winning programs and they are just going to get better. You can’t go wrong with kids like that. We’ll give them a good education and make them productive in society, that’s the most important thing in my book.”
While at Shawnee, Schweickart plans to study Business while Young will be studying Physical Therapy. Both young men will graduate with Associate’s degrees from Southern State along with their North Adams diplomas.