Most middle schools offer a variety of organized team sports but funding issues and lack of personnel often creates a void for some sports interests. Fortunately, young golfers in the Columbus area have the opportunity to pursuit their sport through the Chattahoochee Valley Middle School Golf League, also known as CVMS.
The history of the league is a little vague but current officers in the CVMS Golf League, Richard and Stephanie Callahan, President and Treasurer/Secretary respectively, give credit to Neill Hatcher for establishing the modern day version of the league.
“You can date it (the league) all the way back to the 90’s. It wasn’t called CVMS back then. I think somewhere around 2007 or 2008 Neill Hatcher took it over and formed it,” says Callahan.
The Callahans became involved with the golf league through their son, Andy. Because the league encompasses some schools who originally included the fifth grade in their middle school programs, the league is open to golfers from the fifth through eighth grades. Andy Callahan first joined the league as a fifth grader at Britt David Elementary. Today he is a student at Arnold Middle School which is one of the nine local schools participating in the league.
Other middle schools include Aaron Cohn Middle School, Blackmon Road, Brookstone, Phenix City Intermediate School, Richards, St. Anne, St. Luke and Veterans Memorial. There is also one independent team in the league comprised of athletes whose schools do not have enough golfers to form their own team.
The league holds two seasons of play. Athletes can participate in the fall or spring, or both. Each season lasts six weeks. There is a fee for golfers to participate but Stephanie Callahan says scholarships are available and discounts are given to families with more than one child playing in the league.
Schools who participate by forming a team consider golf a club sport. Funding comes solely from the league fees and private donations. Coaches for the teams are either interested parents or local teachers who donate their time. Approximately 140 golfers participate in the fall while about 110 play in the spring. Callahan says the spring sports such as baseball draw a few golfers away in the spring golf season.
Richard and Stephanie Callahan wear two hats when it comes to the sport of golf. They serve as officers with the middle school league and also are in charge of the youth golf program at Godwin Creek Golf Course in Columbus. They say their involvement in both came about as their son’s interest in golf progressed. The Godwin Creek course, known locally for its outreach to young golfers, acts as the “hub” for the middle school league but it also has a variety of programs for all ages.
“From about age five, or when they can hold a club pretty good, they can start playing golf here. Godwin Creek has programs for different ages. The CVMS has three levels. Varsity, junior varsity and a B-Team, which is for Beginner. All the B-Team matches are played here at Godwin because this is a beginner course,” says Stephanie.
The purpose of the middle school league is to introduce young people to the sport and help them become organized before high school. Middle school athletics often act as “feeder” programs for high school sports. The Callahans firmly believe the CVMS golf league has enabled many of the most successful high school golfers in the area get a head start in the sport because of their participation at the middle school level.
“Jimmy Beck is one example of someone who came through the program. He went to Columbus High and recently spoke to the kids at the Chairman’s Cup in the fall. Sara Grace Drop just signed a scholarship. She played with us,” says Callahan.
The nine school teams and one independent team play each other twice during a season. In the fall, the Chairman’s Cup is the city championship. Twenty-four golfers vie for the winner’s spot in a setting much like the professional Ryder’s Cup. In the spring, there is a Sweet 16 event where the young golfers “win or go home” according to Callahan.
Stephanie Callahan and her husband say the league would not be able to continue without the help of Green Island Country Club and Red Oak Golf Course. Other courses in the area also lend a helping hand to make the two seasons of play happen for the middle school golfers.
“Red Oak has been good to us. They never charge a kid to play golf. It’s free. They have been really good to CVMS and for young golfers,” says Callahan.
Next month the CVMS league will hold their championship the first week in May. There are several older golfers who have been gaining in reputation in the league both in the fall and this spring.
“Oh yeah, there are some really good golfers. Cole Kirkland, Faith Scott, Mary Catherine McDaniel, John Calhoun, Jonathan Parker, Carson Marchetti, and Charles Waldrep are just a few of them,” Callahan says.
The Callahans estimate about half of the golfers who start with the league are beginners to the sport of golf. They are seeing an increase in interest in the sport and also note an increase in female golfers participating in their programs.
Anyone interested in obtaining more information about the Chattahoochee Valley Middle School Golf League should contact the Callahans through the Godwin Creek Golf Course/Fore Kids, 706-324-0583.
Mission Statement
The CVMS pledges to serve every middle school golfer with the highest level of sincerity, fairness, courtesy, and respect. through the league’s values. The CVMS will offer the finest programs, guidance, and competitions that will be delivered by caring coaches who will take 100% responsibility for meeting the needs of each and every middle school golfer.
Columbus Valley/Special feature/April 2015
Chattahoochee Valley Middle School Golf League
By Beth Welch
Photos by Jerry Christenson
Golf League tees up athletes for high school sport
