It took all summer, but Fort Lewis College found its guy.
Thomas “Guy” Begay was named the new head coach of the FLC men’s and women’s golf teams Friday afternoon. Begay, a 2004 graduate of FLC who played varsity golf for four seasons for the Skyhawks, replaces Bud Andersen, who resigned in June. Begay had served as Andersen’s assistant for seven seasons.
Begay will be the first coach of the women’s program, which officially is accredited as a varsity sport for the first time this season.
“I’m excited that Fort Lewis College is giving me this opportunity to coach the men’s program, and I’m even more excited that the women’s program is getting started,” Begay said Friday in a telephone interview with The Durango Herald.
“I get the opportunity to teach these kids and build a tradition that I know the women’s team will begin.”
Begay helped the Skyhawks continue to recruit all summer, even after the resignation of Andersen. FLC athletic director Gary Hunter said Begay has been a strong recruiter for the team even during his time as an assistant.
“We are very excited to have Guy lead our golf programs,” Hunter said in a news release. “His coaching and playing experience, along with his proven ability to recruit top quality student-athletes are huge assets to our programs. We have full confidence he will create a strong foundation for our women’s program and lead our men’s program to be nationally competitive.”
An associate head coach for both the FLC men’s and women’s teams will be announced next week, according to the school’s news release.
The announcement of Begay’s promotion to head coach sat well with former FLC golfer Devin Schreiner, a Durango High School alumnus.
“I think they needed to name a coach as soon as they could. They dragged their feet on it a bit, but Guy is a great pick,” Schreiner said. “Guy always has a real positive attitude, and that’s one thing you really need as a player, whether you’re playing golf or any other highly competitive sport at the collegiate level.
“He knows the program and what it can do, so he is a good pick for it.”
A PGA Class A professional and an assistant golf professional at Hillcrest Golf Club, Begay is well versed with the local and regional golf landscape. A native of Shiprock, New Mexico, Begay also hopes to be able to recruit more players from the Navajo Reservation along with native golfers from around the country.
“I come from a small Native American community, and this is a positive thing for a lot of young golfers and young native youth who are looking for a role model,” Begay said. “I want to be a role model for young guys and girls who want to coach or play at this level.
“Having a native coach is a good draw for a lot of young native players looking to get off the reservation for a bit and go experience some high-level college athletics. There are a lot of talented golfers, especially women, in the Four Corners area.”
Begay called Andersen a great mentor over the years, and he said he will take a lot of Andersen’s philosophies and merge them with his own. He said FLC has plenty of talent on the men’s team while working to build a roster of women’s players.
“I think I’m ready for this opportunity, and transitioning from assistant to head coach won’t be that difficult,” Begay said. “I am confident, and I am looking forward to working with these guys to get tournament ready and have them ready to win a few tournaments, get some high finishes and compete for a conference title. Hopefully, we can make it back to regionals.”
Begay and his wife, Shaula Palmer-Begay, still live in Shiprock. Palmer-Begay also attended FLC, where she played on the women’s soccer team. They are expecting their first child sometime this month.
Begay is the third new head coach the Skyhawks have named this offseason.
“I have a big sense of pride with the Fort Lewis athletics programs that gave me a chance to play,” Begay said. “Now that I’m the coach, I feel like I’ve come full circle as far as giving back. Now I just want to be able to take the team to the next level.”
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
