- December 30, 2024
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Ethan Buchanan got his first golf course job when he was 12. He picked range balls, watched golf carts and helped out in the pro shop when needed at the Mountain Glen Golf Club in Newland, North Carolina. His compensation was a new set of clubs.
“They said if I helped out, the clubs were mine. We couldn’t afford a new set. I’m a lefty and the clubs I had were half lefty and half righty,” he said.
That job began a career in golf, interrupted by a nine-year stint in the Air Force. Buchanan was hired last week as the new boys golf coach at Matanzas High School.
Buchanan was an assistant golf pro in North Carolina as well as at Pine Lakes Golf Club and Grand Haven Golf Club in Palm Coast. He also coached golf and basketball for three years in North Carolina.
He moved to Florida after serving in the Air Force. But being a golf pro again just wasn’t the same, he said.
“I missed coaching more than I missed being a golf pro,” he said.
Buchanan is looking forward to leading the Pirates and hopes to land a full-time job as a PE teacher or even in a support position, he said.
“Hopefully something will open,” he said. “It’s hard to recruit (Matanzas students) from the outside.”
Three Florida track and field and cross country coaches were finalists for Coach of the Year honors at the National High School Athletic Coaches Association’s National Awards Banquet on June 26 in Bismarck, North Dakota.
Flagler Palm Coast’s David Halliday was a finalist for the second time for National Boys Track Coach of the Year. One of Halliday’s mentors, Minnesota coaching legend Scott Christensen, won the honor.
Winter Park’s Kristin Williams won the National Girls Cross Country Coach of the Year honor. Oviedo Hagerty's Jay Getty was one of the eight finalists for Boys Cross County Coach of the Year.
“Honored to be selected and join these coaches who are the top in their profession,” Halliday wrote in a Facebook post. Halliday’s teams have won three state championships during his 30-year coaching career.
The Palm Coast Little League’s Senior League All-Star team won its first game at the rain delayed state championship in St. Cloud. The PCLL Seniors defeated Venice 12-2 on Saturday, June 29, but fell to Port St. Lucie and North Springs the next two days. Palm Coast finished third.
The Ormond Beach Youth Baseball 10U all-stars placed fourth out of nine teams at the Babe Ruth/Cal Ripken state championships in Lake City. Ormond Beach went 2-2 in the tournament.
The Ormond Beach Youth Baseball 11U team and Flagler Babe Ruth Baseball 9U team also competed in their state tournaments at the Flagler County Fairgrounds. Both teams were eliminated after two games.
“We won district championships two out of three years (in 9U and 11U),” said Chad Parsons, Ormond’s 11U coach. “We fought. Hopefully they enjoyed themselves. It’s something to build on for next year and beyond. We have one more year before we move to the big field.”
Flagler Babe Ruth Baseball hosted three of the state tournaments with Ponte Vedra winning 9U, Jacksonville Beach winning 11U and Lutz winning 18U.
Flagler Palm Coast Youth Soccer Camp, July 8-11, ages 5-13, half-day ($75) and full-day ($150) options. Register at https://tinyurl.com/dbj6hpaf. For information, email [email protected]
Matanzas Soccer Camp, July 17-19, 5-8 p.m., grades 3-8, $115. Register at https://july-mhs-soccer-camp.cheddarup.com. For information, email [email protected].
Email [email protected]
