Headlines are announcing the winner of the tournament, Justin Rose, but there was another hero playing in the tournament, a chief master sergeant in the Pennsylvania National Guard.

Sergeant George Vasiloff was selected by the Tiger Woods Foundation and AT&T National to play in the AT&T National pro-am this past Wednesday. Sergeant Vasiloff is the chief of logistics in the 201st Unit called RED HORSE, which stands for Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operation Repair Squadron Engineer. His unit is based at Fort Indiantown Gap outside Harrisburg, PA.

The pro that would accompany the sergeant was none other than Tiger Woods. How does something like that happen, you might ask? Well, an invitation had gone out to Sergeant Vasiloff’s unit to attend the tournament to perhaps serve as military caddies to the players. But before the sergeant knew it, he was invited to play! He has confessed that he isn’t the best player in his unit but, at 45-year and a lifelong player, it just might have meant the most to him!

“This just proves that golf is game with a lot of heart,” said Grant Griffiths, our JKCP Golf Director. That’s true both on and off the links!

To read the full original story, visit: attnational.org

I’m not one to toot my own horn, but TOOT TOOT.  “We’re honored and humbled by our listing,” says camp owner Julian Krinsky.  “We strive consistently to provide exceptional experiences for our students, and it’s nice to see my staff’s hard work recognized.”  So, everyone from the Julian Krinsky Camps & Programs family would like to extend a huge thank you to our friends at Be Well Philly.

Here’s to another great summer!

http://blogs.phillymag.com/bewellphilly/2010/06/21/the-areas-coolest-camps-for-active-kids/

“At times, it’s difficult to fight the stench of stagnant water, the sting of bees, the constant pursuit of ticks, but we must brave the elements of lateral highway danger to ensure the well-being of our family members,” says Human Resource Director Jennifer Walker.  Adopting a highway is not a decision that we take lightly.  When you welcome him or her into your family, you accept a sacred responsibility to dress annually in an orange bib, grab a trash bag and keep that baby clean.  My colleague Carrie Kayser reminds me that the cleanup was a team effort.  I concur with her assessment, but admit to having selfish motives for the act. During the cleanup efforts, I found a birthday present for my brother.  (Who throws away a perfectly good Mongo Jerry CD?)  I guess the old saying is, in fact, true: One man’s roadside garbage is another man’s birthday present for an older brother.  That is a saying, right?

The excitement of the final round of the Master’s lay in the fact that Mickelson maintained his composure on the final nine holes to finish at 16 under par.  Last weekend’s tournament, however, engendered a whole new type of excitement.  During a playoff hole against Jim Furyk, Brian Davis called a two-stroke penalty on himself for striking a loose impediment in a lateral hazard.  In layman’s terms, his club illegally struck a dead, dry reed.  The remarkable thing about the penalty is that Davis was the only one who noticed it.  He had to prompt the officials to review the tape for definitive evidence.  This veracity probably cost Davis close to a million dollars.  Apparently, this was not enough money to sacrifice the integrity of the game.  When Furyk – in disbelief – asked Davis, “Are you sure?”  He responded, “Yes.  I couldn’t have lived with myself if I didn’t call it.”

“I can’t think of a better lesson to teach all of my junior golfers,” says Julian Krinsky School of Golf Director, Grant Griffiths.  “The beauty of golf is that it reveals character.  Give me 18 holes with a person, and I’ll tell you who he is.”  Davis certainly showed the world who he is and reinforced the old adage of golf being a game of honor.  “This would have been Brian Davis’ first PGA Tour win,” said Griffiths, “but with the character and talent he displayed on Sunday, I predict many victories in the future.”

I don’t want to offer congratulations to Davis, but thanks.  Thanks for giving the Julian Krinsky School of Golf this inspiring display of sportsmanship and integrity to use for years to come.

This week’s tournament takes us to New Orleans for the Zurich Classic of New Orleans where last year’s winner Jerry Kelly won $1,134,000.

Does a champion make a sandwich or a sandwich make a champion?  Last weekend at the Honda Classic, the latter proved more accurate.  It was hard to miss Columbia’s Camilo Villegas eating his pre-packed sandwich on the 7^th hole during the final round.  Perhaps, we can contribute the victory to the resident chef at the PGA National Resort and Spa.

All kidding aside, this sandwich highlights the fact that – when it comes to preparation – PGA champions leave no stone unturned.  This begins with packing your bag.

Apart from golf balls, tees, gloves, rain gear, pitch fork and the other obligatory items, golfers consistently forget one item: healthy snacks and drinks to keep hydrated and focused for 18 holes.

As golf becomes increasingly more competitive at every level, good nutrition and hydration have assumed an important role. To fully maximize all the hours of hard work you put into developing your skills, your body also needs the right kind of fuel. Try to pack a high-protein low carbohydrate snack and remember to eat before you get hungry.  If you wait to get hungry on the course, it’s usually too late; your blood sugar is already dropping, causing subsequent difficulty in concentration. Julian Krinsky Master Golf Professional Grant Griffiths recommends that all his golfers, “pack healthy snacks in their bag such as fruit, nuts, chicken sandwiches, water and even protein shakes.”  He reminds them constantly, “Stay away from fast foods and always remember the saying from Gary Player ‘Eat Hamburger, Play Hamburger.’”

This weekend is the Puerto Rico Open at Trump International Golf Club in Puerto Rico.   Last year’s winner, Michael Bradley, won a purse of $630,000. Stay posted for highlights from the tournament and the lesson of the week.

AP Reuters reports that this could be the actual sandwich consumed.

“The PGA Merchandise Show is one of the most exciting weeks of the year for anyone involved in the golf industry. Anybody who is anyone is down here at the Show. Introducing innovative equipment and techniques, 1,000 vendors will have booths at this year’s Show.  Like me, many more walk the aisles, evaluate the latest equipment, check out new apparel and accessories, attend seminars, meet and negotiate with new clients and sponsors and enjoy the week-long golf-centric universe.  Also, some of the great personalities of the game, both from the business and the competitive side, will be here.  I can’t wait to meet them.”

PGA Golf Merchandise Show

Sunday, February 28th

1pm – The Roslyn Claremont Hotel – Roslyn, NY

1pm – Residence Inn by Marriott – White Plains, NY

5pm – Upper East Side Courtyard by Marriott on 92nd St. – New York, NY

5pm – Hilton Short Hills – Short Hills, NJ

Plus, you’ll receive a special tuition price for attending!  We hope to see you there.

When the holidays are over, the cold loses its appeal pretty quickly.  We start yearning for the summer.  Luckily, I get to work in an environment wherein we plan a perpetual summer.  It’s always on our minds.  Just the other day, I was having a conversation with my three-year-old, she with her hot chocolate and me with my coffee.  She took a long pensive sip, wiped her mouth with her sleeve and after an obligatory “Ahh” informed me, “There’s nothing like a hot chocolate on a nice warm summer day.”  Of course, she had her seasons confused and – after correction – amended her statement, but the fact of the matter remains that – though subliminal – she too yearns for the summer.  (Perhaps she feeds off my summertime zeal.)  So, save your pants and sip slowly; summer will be here soon enough.  Let’s make it a great one!

]]> http://www.jkcp.com/blog/2010/01/in-the-depths-of-winter/feed/ 0 http://www.jkcp.com/blog/2010/01/2010-resolutions/ http://www.jkcp.com/blog/2010/01/2010-resolutions/#comments Mon, 04 Jan 2010 14:06:03 +0000 contributor http://www.jkcp.com/blog/?p=485 The New Year is here and resolutions are in full swing.  My resolution this year is to keep my resolution for more than two months.  In several decades, this has yet to happen.  Here’s to making it happen in 2010.  In all earnestness, though, a good resolution must be sustainable, must fit comfortably into daily living. This is a creed we’ve all come to live by at Julian Krinsky Camps & Programs.  “You can’t play football forever, but you’re never too old to pick up a tennis racket,” says Julian Krinsky.  The same rings true for those lessons learned in our golf, enrichment, fitness and pre-college programs.  The director of our Krinsky Fitness program has a simple mantra: “We’re not in the business of changing people, rather improving lives.”  Small changes can produce big results.  So, when evaluating the success or failure of your own resolutions, keep in mind that big changes rarely produce prolonged results.  Don’t fret if you’ve already wavered in your resolution resolve.  Take some time to forge another, but keep it small and measurable.  You’ll thank yourself for the progress it’ll produce.