PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. -- PGA Golf Professional Marcus King, General Manager at Sand Point Country Club in Seattle, Wash., is serving as a Special Olympics Team USA Golf Coach at the 2007 Special Olympics World Games held in Shanghai, People's Republic of China, Oct. 2-11.
Special Olympics is a worldwide sports training and competition program for individuals with intellectual disabilities. Team USA is the second largest delegation to China and will join almost 7,500 athletes from 165 countries. Golf, one of 25 Olympic-type and demonstrations sports, will feature competition events ranging from individual skill contests, to team play and individual stroke play at Tianma Country Club in Shanghai.
The 32 golfers of Team USA will be among 155 total international golf competitors from 19 countries. King is one of eight golf coaches and leaders traveling with the USA team.
"My initial exposure to Special Olympics golf in the early 1990s through a Conrad Rehling workshop ignited my interest, but then a light went off once I became personally involved with the program and Special Olympics golfers," said King. "Last year, I applied for the Team USA Coaching position not thinking I'd be selected in a million years. I was blown away when they called. It was amazing to think I'd be going to China to represent the United States and Special Olympics. I thought of Conrad Rehling during the entire phone call and how it started some 15 years ago from such a small step into this program."
Conrad Rehling, PGA Master Professional at the time of his death in April, followed a successful collegiate coaching career at Florida and Alabama by inspiring PGA Professionals to give back to the physically challenged. In 2005 the PGA of America honored Rehling with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to Special Olympics in the sport of golf and established an award in his name, the Conrad Rehling Award.
"Many PGA Golf Professionals make a meaningful impact in their communities, but I am especially proud today to know the passion and dedication Marcus King has brought to Special Olympics golf through his volunteer efforts as a Team USA golf coach," said PGA of America President Brian Whitcomb. "For the past decade, Marcus has provided instruction, facility access and support to develop his local Special Olympics golf program and today he is more than 5,000 miles from home for more than two weeks sharing his talent and love for the game with his team. We are proud to call him a PGA member and look forward to following Team USA's accomplishments in China."
Earlier this summer, King also volunteered one week with his fellow coaches and Team USA golfers at the Team USA training camp in Nashville, Tenn. "Training camp really shifted my paradigm. I went to camp thinking about winning and how I could help each golfer reach as far as possible within their abilities to win a medal," said King. "I've learned that preparing Special Olympics golfers for the World Games is about developing their skills to the best of the abilities, but even more so about helping them reach their personal best, developing friendships, creating a once-in-a-lifetime international experience."
King, a PGA member since 1990, hopes to make an impact during his time with the U.S. team.
"I am so proud to be a PGA member involved with this. If I can have an impact on our team and coaches through my teaching and leadership that will help them grasp what is good about golf and make it a recreational anchor point for the rest of their lives, then I will be satisfied."
Since The PGA first introduced golf to Special Olympics in 1988, the game has become an official Special Olympics sport with some 13,000 athletes competing in 17 countries. The first international introduction of Special Olympics golf came in 1991 when nearly 4,000 Special Olympics athletes participated in daily PGA golf clinics at their Summer World Games in Minneapolis. While volunteers and PGA Golf Professionals grew the program locally, Special Olympics prepared for their first exhibition golf tournament at the 1995 Special Olympics Summer World Games. The Summer World Games hosted the first official Special Olympics World Golf Tournament in 1999. Since 2000, The PGA of America has sponsored the annual Special Olympics Golf National Invitational Tournament and has hosted four of the national tournaments at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Fla., including the 2007 tournament this past September.
The PGA of America also makes annual grants to the organization, provides rules expertise at tournaments and offers free Special Olympics golf clinics nationwide.
To find out more about Special Olympics golf, visit the disabled golf section of www.PlayGolfAmerica.com and to follow the Team USA golf competition at the 2007 Special Olympics World Games, visit www.SpecialOlympics.org.
About Special Olympics
Special Olympics is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering individuals with intellectual disabilities to become physically fit, productive and respected members of society through sports training and competition. Founded in 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Special Olympics provides year-round sports training and competition to 2.5 million adults and children with intellectual disabilities across 165 countries. The Special Olympics Movement offers one of the world's greatest platforms for acceptance and inclusion for all people regardless of race, religion, ethnicity or cultural differences. Find out how you can become involved at www.SpecialOlympics.org.
About The PGA of America
The PGA of America is the world's largest working sports organization, comprised of 28,000 men and women golf professionals who are the recognized experts in growing, teaching and managing the game of golf while serving millions of people throughout its 41 PGA Sections nationwide. Since its founding in 1916, The PGA of America has enhanced its leadership position in a $62 billion-a-year industry by growing the game of golf through its premier spectator events, world-class education and training programs, significant philanthropic outreach initiatives, and award-winning golf promotions. Today's PGA Golf Professional is the public's link to the game, serving an essential role in the operation of golf facilities throughout the country.
