Gilstrap trades elite level for ground floor
Posted on Sunday, August 17, 2008
Sunday photograph by Sarah Nader Rogers Heritage golf coach Jay Gilstrap talked with his son Jared during practice at the Prairie Creek Country Club last week.
ROGERS— Two years ago Rogers Heritage golf coach Jay Gilstrap was living the dream in Augusta, Ga., the golf Mecca of the United States.
Gilstrap had many things in his favor. He had access to watch The Masters at Augusta National every year. He was at the top of his coaching career, leading Lakeside High School to its second consecutive boys ’ state championships in April 2007.
Around the state Gilstrap was known for coaching and he was tournament director for two other state championship events.
He had a great job, great team and a great area.
“ It was difficult to leave, ” Gilstrap said. “ That was the ultimate job for me. I was teaching engineering and drawing full-time and coaching the golf program. I had very good success. ”
So why did he move from the Peach State to northwest Arkansas ?
It was a combination of factors. One of the main reasons was that his wife, Debra, an audiologist, got a job at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Fayetteville. Gilstrap would be closer to family in Wichita, Kan. He often travels to Wichita to take care of his father, who has Alzheimer’s. “ Four hours is a lot closer than 19 from Augusta, ” Gilstrap said. When Gilstrap moved to Benton County last year he didn’t even have a coaching gig
but that was fine with him.
Golf was not the reason he moved. “ When we moved I told my wife that we are moving for family and whatever happens, happens, ” Gilstrap said. He spent last school year teaching math at Rogers High School and at Elmwood Junior High School. He will teach drafting and mathematics at Heritage this year. A few months ago, when he saw that Heritage needed a golf coach, the man with more than 18 years of coaching experience immediately applied for the position. Starting a program from scratch is the other side of the golf spectrum from his days in Augusta. At Lakeside, he had a plethora of molded talent and his job was simple.
“ I was a between-the-ears kind of guy, ” Gilstrap said.
His last Lakeside team was full of college-caliber golfers.
“ I got to see golf at its most elite, ” Gilstrap said of his time at Lakeside. “ We could have played top-20 in the nation. It was a stud team. It was the absolute best team you could imagine. ”
Gilstrap is looking forward to establishing a winning golf program at Heritage. He knows it will not be easy, especially with a golf powerhouse at Rogers High School in the conference.
“ I love the opportunity here, ” Gilstrap said. “ It is the ground floor-level position and I can do what I want to do and work with the kids. ”
An added plus to his new job is that Gilstrap gets to coach his son Jared, who is a junior at Heritage.
Before he made the move, Jared Gilstrap had no expectations of what life would be like in Rogers.
“ I didn’t know what to think of it, ” he said. Gilstrap was a member of the RHS team last year. “ We were leaving The Masters but I was looking forward to the move. I was looking forward to the new challenge and meeting new people. ”
Earlier this month, both Gilstraps received an indication of where Heritage stands when the War Eagles finished seventh of eight teams at the season-opening Springdale Invitational at Springdale Country Club.
Gilstrap has a few ways to improve his team’s performance.
Gilstrap stresses mental and physical conditioning outside the golf course. He will have his players listen to CDs from sports physiologists and will have his players practice yoga. Gilstrap said yoga not only helps his players think clearer but the flexibility generates torque on the golf swing. His players will also spend time in the weight room.
“ I’m a huge proponent of that kind of work, ” Gilstrap said. “ The kids might not like it but it works. ”
Although he loves to win, Gilstrap does not measure success by championships or golfers who play in college. He wants his players to understand golf inside and out.
“ I’m here to promote the game, ” Gilstrap said. “ My intention is get them to know and love the game and appreciate it. You just don’t have many athletics that take in nature. ”
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