Coach Develops Link to Links Success

Sometimes it’s just obvious when a coach has a major impact.

In his four years in charge of the Harvard women’s golf team, Kevin Rhoads has changed the face of the program.

This year, the Crimson won the Ivy League Championship for the first time in its history.

“Our goal was to win the Ivies and he led us to that,” sophomore Claire Sheldon said. “He’s been instrumental in our success.”

The title came after a long, four-year process by which the former UCLA player was able to induce consistent improvement from his players. Scoring has gone down every year he has been at the helm, and the 19 lowest team scores in program history have all come during the last three seasons. In his four years as coach, Harvard has won a total of 14 tournaments, while the program only had five tournament victories before Rhoads took over.

When Rhoads joined the Crimson, he set a goal of not only becoming the best team in the Ivy League, but also the best team in the entire Northeast.

This year, Harvard achieved both, finishing the season as the top team in the region and placing 18th in the NCAA Central Regional Championship in the heat of Austin, Tex., after reaching 15th place at one point during the final round.

Rhoads is a full-time teacher of the game, not just a college coach, and was recognized for his outstanding work by being named 2008 New England PGA Teacher of the Year. That award runs in the family—Rhoads’ father, Rick, won the award twice in California.

“He spends countless hours with us,” captain Jessica Hazlett said. “For him, it’s like having 10 kids. He makes sure we’re doing well on and off the course. And he does a great job of ensuring a positive team dynamic and making it fun for us. He has been key in the growth of every player as a golfer and as a person.”

—Staff writer Jay M. Cohen can be reached at jaycohen@fas.harvard.edu.