| | The Positive Impact Of PEAK
July 9, 2008
By Amanda Wilson, USGA
Sitting on opposite sides of a bus returning to their hotel
rooms, Patrick Byrne and Juan Espejo silently
reminisced. Both were attendants of the PEAK, the Place
to Exchange and Acquire Knowledge, a best practices
conference conducted by the United States Golf Association
for organizations that had received a "For the Good of the
Game" grant. The January 2006 conference, held in Colorado
Springs, was designed to provide an opportunity for local
champions from across the United States to come together,
share ideas, work through challenges, and learn best
practices.
Although neither of the men knew it, both were avid golfers
from Chicago who operated golf programs for juniors and
adults with disabilities. Espejo noticed that Byrne was
a lower-limb amputee, and he offered to help him off the
bus. This small gesture was the start of a friendship
that would soon affect the lives of hundreds in the Chicago
area.
Overcoming Challenge
Before a construction accident in 1992, which resulted in the
amputation of his left leg, Byrne had no interest in golf; in
fact, he thought it was boring. But when Byrne's
father, who traveled from Ireland to help with his recovery,
suggested that he take up the game to improve his balance,
his attitude changed.
"Once I hit the ball the first time, I couldn't believe that
a person with one leg could hit a golf ball… It totally
changed my life around," Byrne said.
After that first swing, Byrne realized there was an outlet
through which he could remain active despite his new
challenges.
Byrne carried out his therapy at the Rehabilitation Institute
of Chicago (RIC). "When I told them that I could play
golf, they asked me if I would be interested in starting a
golf program," said Byrne.
Through the program, he was able to give back to other
amputees who were going through similar experiences.
"I realized that I didn't have to be so mad, and that I could
turn this into a positive instead of a negative. You go
through the grief, and then you have to learn to accept it,
because it is something that is going to be with you
forever."
In addition to working with amputees, the program included
stroke survivors and participants with spinal cord injuries,
cerebral palsy and visual impairments. Although each
individual was dealing with different challenges, they came
together with the common goal of learning the game.
Just Across Town
Meanwhile, Espejo, a PGA professional, was busy developing a
golf program for participants at Maryville Academy,
an organization that provides care, healing, treatment, and
education for abused, neglected, or abandoned children. While
the Maryville program offered instruction and playing
opportunities to many participants who otherwise would not be
introduced to the game, Espejo wanted to give kids a full
picture of various aspects within the industry. He
introduced club-making, caddieing, and pro shop management
through the program.
Outside of his involvement at Maryville, Espejo was
knowledgeable of various occupational programs taking place
at RIC; his wife assisted clients with spinal cord injuries
in a vocational counseling role. As a representative for the
Illinois PGA Foundation, Espejo would conduct mock interviews
with RIC clients, give a free lesson to each participant who
obtained a job, and allow clients to assist him with
transportation at Maryville.
Espejo was inspired to teach the game to individuals with
disabilities by two of his mentors: Bill Strausbaugh and
DeeDee Owens. They helped Espejo create innovative ways
of teaching by simulating various disabilities
themselves.
"We would tie up one leg, we blind- folded ourselves, we
would recreate what it's like to play without a limb, and we
would train ourselves to teach doing that," Espejo said.
A Shared Passion
By the time Byrne and Espejo reached the PEAK, they both were
ready to advance their programs to a higher level.
After their brief encounter on the bus, they had the
opportunity to sit down and talk "swing theory" later that
evening. Espejo was shocked to find out that Byrne had
played 36 holes at the Broadmoor Golf Club that day, even
with a light dusting of snow on the ground.
"You could just feel his enthusiasm and love for the game,"
Espejo said.
The initial passion that was shared between the two inspired
each of them and contributed to the development of their
friendship.
After the PEAK, the two promised to stay in touch, and later
that spring Espejo developed his first of many programs for
RIC. The "Report to Spring Training" was an exercise
program designed to train participants' muscles for the
upcoming golf season. With this small jump-start, their
partnership would soon prove to be an impact on many
individuals' lives.
During its first season in 1998, the RIC golf program served
18 participants and provided instruction along with minimal
course access at a local par-3 golf course. In the last
decade, RIC has grown by more than 350 percent in its
participant reach, and now provides opportunities for
instruction, practice on the driving range, and course access
at various local regulation and par-3 golf courses. RIC
also recently introduced a golf program for its younger
patients in the Caring for Kids program. Throughout
this growth, the USGA supported the program by awarding a
total of five grants in the amount of $68,316 to help fund
instruction, access, adaptive equipment and transportation.
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