Almost a year ago, beloved coach Andrew Hershey passed away, and we enter a new era of coaching for Shorewood golf. 

Michael Weisner has taken over the program and looks forward to starting a new chapter with the athletes.

Coach Weisner acknowledges the challenges of taking over a program that has gone through so much. 

“The first thing I did when I took the job was talk to the team and recognized that this team and program has gone through a lot in the past year,” he said. “It is never easy to go through a situation like this, but I reassured them that I would do everything I could to make their experience this year the most fun and positive that I can. It’s impossible to fill someone else’s shoes, but I’m optimistic that even though this year will be different, we will still have a great year.” 

Prior to coaching, Weiser had been an athlete his entire life from baseball to basketball at the collegiate level for the University of Montana. Sports has had a tremendous impact on his life and he hopes to do the same for these athletes. 

“I have had every role from being cut, coming off the bench, to being a captain throughout my years. I’ve learned over the years that the relationships you build over the years are what you remember most. I plan on implementing fun challenges and activities outside of practices and competitions to make it a memorable year,” he said.

Weisner’s father was a coach for more than 20 years which not only encouraged him to begin his coaching career but also his love for sports. 

“My love for sports made me want to start coaching and since I started doing it I really enjoy it,” he said. “I still keep in contact with a number of coaches I used to play for. 

Having a genuine relationship with them both when competing, as well as outside of the sport has had the biggest impact on me. I’ve gone to them for mentorship or advice on other things besides sports, which ultimately has had a positive impact on my life.”

Weisner actually started as an assistant basketball coach for the boy’s team this year. Golf and basketball are two sports that differ in both playing and coaching styles. 

“There is a different intensity and tone when coaching the two. Even though there is a team aspect to golf, I view basketball as more of a team sport. In golf you’re out there alone and many times don’t have anyone to lean on other than yourself,” Weisner said, 

“When I’m coaching golf I try to get the guys to think about their strategy and put them in pressure-filled, competitive situations in practice. Hopefully, this will lead to confidence when they’re competing.”

Coach Weisner hopes to continue the success of the golf program and be an influential role in their athletic development. 

Said Weisner: “Each player has their own individual goals for the season and I’ll do my best to encourage and push them to achieve those goals. Golf is a hard game so all I ask my guys to do is show up and give maximum effort and have a good attitude…When they look back at the end of the year I think they’ll be happy with their season.”