What does ICE stand for?

This question can be answered in many different ways.  The most apparent would the acronym of I.C.E. but the acronym also tells what we "stand for". ICE stands for Identity, Character, and Excellence.  

In order to be great at anything you do, you must first know who you are, your strengths and weaknesses, and how to utilize what you have to succeed at this moment in time.  You are then finding your true IDENTITY. 

Once you take a hard look in the mirror and see these traits about yourself, you can use this information to create a plan to change; to be better.  Before you begin to notice change, you will need strong CHARACTER traits to see this change through.  Confidence, Resilience, Belief, and Motive to name a few.  

Finally, after following the first two steps; while keeping your head down and working; while trusting a process; you will begin to see EXCELLENCE blossoming from the dirt you worked in, fertilized and fed with effort and sweat; you will see the NEW YOU.  Seeing yourself blossom will feed the desire to continue the process and exercise of IDENTIFYING and BUILDING CHARACTER to create EXCELLENCE.

#KnowYourID #trainrighttrainhardplaywell #ICEGOLFACADEMY

US Kids Golf - Top 50 Teacher Award

Every year, US Kids Golf selects 50 of the top teachers for juniors.  This is a very prestigious award and identifies those teachers committed to junior development.

This year, coach Vince was nominated for the award.  While we wish we could applaud the acceptance to this honorable class, we are no less excited to be given an Honorable Mention for this award.  

We look to always be the front-runner in instruction for Junior Golf by offering instruction that is second-to-none and education and opportunities that encompass the entirety of playing the game.  From Technique and Fitness, to Course and Behavior Management, we train our students to be experts.  We continue this with application-based initiatives so the students learn to use what they have learned in a competitive environment.  Lastly, we identify areas needed for improvement using advanced metrics so that each student has a clear, objective view of their game.

Thank you to US Kids Golf and we look forward to becoming one of the top 50 next year!

#uskidsgolf

Sigma Pi Phi / PGA Reach / PGA Jr. League Golf

Last year (2016), we were honored to be selected as one of the pilot sites for a wonderful initiative thanks to Anthony Stepney, PGA.  This initiative, the brain child of Sigma Pi Phi fraternity in coordination with PGA Reach and PGA Junior League, was introduced to increase participation in golf and the PGA Junior League among minority communities.  We attracted a large number of students for the pilot (38) and were pleased with the results.

We were happy to announce, in the second year of this initiative, we were selected again, and increased the participation from 38 to 51.  For 2017, our goal is to continue to grow the game of golf and show the benefits of learning this great game.

Each of the first two years, Sandhill Crane Golf Club hosted a year-end event that brought all participating programs in Florida [3] together for a final skills competition.  Seeing more than 100 juniors and their parents descending on a golf course, and there not being one face without a smile, is truly a blessing.

2017 PGA Junior League Golf

ICE Golf Academy decided to throw its hat into the PGA JR LEAGUE golf ring.  While we were very concerned if we could field one (1) team, we stood by our teaching philosophy and proceeded forward with faith that if we continue to do the "right thing", we would achieve all that we ask.

We partnered with Little Linksters to form our own league.  We were elated to have 5 teams in the league; two (2) of them being ICE Golf Academy and three (3) being Little Linksters.  We couldn't have asked for better partners in this endeavor as Little Linksters, under the leadership of Brendon Elliott, were siimply great to work with.  

We completed the rainy, yet successful, season on the final day of competition.  We were happy that, in our first year, our team of all ICE students won the league.  Good play and perseverance vaulted Team #1 to the top.  With Team #1 winning the league, coach Vince was named the All-Star team coach and elected 6 of the 10 All-star players from ICE teams.  While we were eliminated in the second round of the All-star play, it was an invaluable experience and one to treasure for years to come. 

The Start of a Journey

ICE Golf Academy was born of the idea that greatness is found, many times, in places that are very unexpected.  With this being the case, we wanted to create an Academy that opens the playground to all who are willing to be great.  We set out to create an environment that encourages community and acceptance, teaches proper practice and skill formation, and instills perseverance and other behavior traits that are consistent with exceptional people.

Growing up, I was always into sports.  Until 14 years old, I was a premier travel hockey player competing with boys 2 and 3 years my senior.  I played baseball and football recreationally and basketball competitively.  It was my years playing hockey that set the foundation for ICE Golf Academy, however.  Being in a sport that very few of my friends played, I always felt like an outsider.  I never had experiences to share with others.  I never was able to joke in the locker room.  I never had a group to belong to and to push me to be the best I could.  Despite these NEVERs, I continued to succeed; I continued to get better.  I succeeded because I had an internal drive to know how to do anything and do it well.  Unfortunately, this desire could only last so long.  With a lack of friends and supports, I decided to turn to other sports that people around me played.

Fast Forward 20 years later.  After playing golf in college, I was able to reflect on my past and the things that went wrong and could have altered my future.  While I have no regrets, I feel I can affect many more children and young adults with my experiences and wisdom.  I learned I did not need to play the sports my friends played; I needed someone to create an environment that formed the friends around the sport.  I needed a coach to create a kinship amongst the team that formed and strengthened bonds between each teammate.  In this environment, you are not only competing against each other to be the best on the team, but you are a working together to be the best team around; a sum of all the parts.

ICE Golf Academy, therefore, is the culmination of all that has been learned.  We offer all the components necessary to excel.  These components are unsurpassed technique training, prestigious facilities designated for practicing, opportunity to apply said principles in competitive formats, and a time commitment from ICE.  We take these principles and wrap them with the the team structure where the students learn, practice, play, and compete with one another.  Where the students, once they reach Elite, assist in the training of those students who are up and coming.  Our students become a team.

We are always working to be better than we were yesterday; continually pushing towards bettering the lives of our students.