THE FRONT ROW WITH JASON ELLIOTT: Swan song: North Idaho College golfer and NWAC champion keeps it cool on, off the course

Throughout his recruitment to North Idaho Faculty, golfer James Swan didn’t know a ton concerning the college.

Not that he didn’t do his analysis, taking a look at photographs and movies of the realm round Coeur d’Alene.

No official visits, however that wasn’t his fault both.

“That was the one robust factor for positive,” Swan stated. “It’s one thing we’re extra accustomed to now, however on the time, it was somewhat freaky not being there in particular person and simply seeing footage and movies and campus excursions just about. You continue to really feel such as you’re stepping into blind.

“I’d seen numerous movies on the programs and The Coeur d’Alene Resort. I didn’t know concerning the campus location till I obtained right here. NIC has an excellent piece of property right here to be on the mouth of the Spokane (River) and it’s a fairly lovely spot to be in.”

Two years later, Swan just lately wrapped up his NIC profession by capturing the lads’s medalist title on the Northwest Athletic Convention championships at Apple Tree Golf Course in Yakima, Wash., on Could 23, ending with 3-over-par 147.

SWAN GREW up in Victoria, British Columbia. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, Swan was unable to go to Coeur d’Alene because of the Canadian border being closed.

“All through COVID, it was undoubtedly totally different,” Swan stated. “I took a niche 12 months after highschool and observed there weren’t many golf coaches popping out to matches resulting from border restrictions or no matter it is perhaps by COVID. Social media, e mail and my recruitment profile undoubtedly helped coaches discover me throughout that interval.”

A kind of coaches was NIC males’s and girls’s golf coach Russell Grove.

“I simply got here throughout him and his movies on Instagram,” Grove stated. “For lots of the COVID recruits, it was numerous Zoom calls and watching movies. There have been fairly a number of that I hadn’t seen play in particular person. It was a type of issues the place I appeared for sure scores and the way they stacked up. I appeared by fairly a bit of data on all of them.”

“He reached out to me by a few totally different platforms,” Swan stated. “He gave me a chance to come back and see what NIC needed to supply, and I fell in love with town for positive. With Russell’s previous historical past and the golf programs we get to play within the metropolis, it appeared like an excellent match. It undoubtedly drew my consideration and some months later, I signed to make my manner all the way down to Coeur d’Alene.”

As a youth in British Columbia, Swan tried nearly each sport he might discover.

“I performed golf, hockey, lacrosse, rugby, basketball, volleyball and baseball,” Swan stated. “Nearly the whole lot that my metropolis provided outdoors of soccer, I performed in some unspecified time in the future.”

Hockey was one sport that caught for some time.

“Rising up, it was hockey six days every week,” the 5-foot-10, 165-pound Swan stated. “Golf actually picked up for me after my freshman 12 months of highschool. That was my first 12 months of actually entering into it. After that 12 months, it was my dream to come back to the U.S. and play golf for a university group.”

As for the way he continued to enhance on the golf course …

“It was simply the best way he practiced,” Grove stated. “He actually checked out the place his strokes misplaced have been and improved on that and saved engaged on it.”

That’s when the enjoyable of golf obtained severe.

“Golf was one thing I undoubtedly picked up by myself,” Swan stated. “It wasn’t compelled on me by my dad and mom. It initially began as a enjoyable factor to do on the weekends and escalated from there.”

Swan certified for the 2021 U.S. Newbie at Oakmont Nation Membership in Oakmont, Pa., lacking the reduce with a 7-over 78-69—147. The reduce line was at 143.

“That occasion is prestigious and fairly the respect to symbolize the neighborhood again dwelling in Victoria, my membership and North Idaho Faculty,” Swan stated. “Carrying that bag out at Oakmont was one thing I’ll always remember. And I’m grateful for the chance.”

EVEN MORE spectacular than simply profitable his NWAC championship, Swan did it whereas competing with a torn labrum in his proper hip.

“I used to be born with, and form of developed, additional bone development on each of my femurs in my hips,” Swan stated. “Between weightlifting and additional put on and tear during the last couple of years, I ended tearing the labrum in my proper hip the final week of February.”

However but, he didn’t miss a match.

“The spring season was a grind,” Swan stated. “We didn’t discover out it was torn till there have been 4 weeks left within the season. The final 4 weeks have been a grind, but it surely made me work tougher realizing I had 4 months off to get well and end on a powerful be aware.”

Swan will proceed his enjoying profession on the College of Idaho within the fall.

“Russell helped me with my choices after NIC,” Swan stated. “We have been speaking to some totally different colleges, however finally, the coach from Idaho and I had a extremely good chat on the U.S. Newbie. I feel that’s what actually solidified it for me and him going on the market to observe me confirmed the form of dedication he had for me. It meant quite a bit to me for positive.”

Grove is a 2008 graduate of Idaho and Coeur d’Alene Excessive product.

“I’ve despatched gamers there earlier than,” Grove stated. “He had fairly a number of colleges and the coach was in a position to supply him the very best scholarship of the bunch. Being native was nonetheless interesting to him.”

HIS COACHES at NIC, each head coach Russell Grove and his father, assistant coach Russ Grove, have been additionally huge influences.

“They’ve given me some actual perspective on what it’s prefer to be a student-athlete,” Swan stated. “Dwelling away from my dad and mom and away from dwelling, it’s taught me numerous life classes. Each of them have been tremendous supportive, and I can’t thank them sufficient for serving to me make this transition as simple as potential actually.”

Russell Grove additionally taught him find out how to stay unfastened on the golf course.

“Russell and I’ve somewhat joke to attract smiley faces on the golf ball to remain blissful on the market by the ups and downs,” Swan stated. “He’s all the time making an attempt to maintain a smile on my face, and that’s one thing he’s actually taught me in my time right here. That, and crucial shot is the subsequent one.”

It’s additionally one thing that since making golf his major sport, he hasn’t appeared again.

“As soon as I discovered golf, it was love at first sight,” Swan stated. “Hockey, perhaps I’d have performed a number of extra years competitively. However I don’t suppose it will have given me the identical alternative to have a part of my college paid for and scholarships to come back all the way down to the U.S. My future goes to incorporate golf for positive, whether or not that’s simply the subsequent two years at Idaho and recreationally after that. I feel turning professional is one thing I might see myself doing after ending college. But it surely’s additionally not one thing I take into consideration every day as a result of I wish to take issues one step at a time.”

“Social media is big, and each child has it,” Grove stated. “James isn’t the primary and received’t be the final I’ve to recruit that manner. However you possibly can see his means and potential. The place he’s at this spring, it’s a cool factor.”

Jason Elliott is a sports activities author for The Press. He will be reached by phone at 208-664-8176, Ext. 2020 or through e mail at jelliott@cdapress.com. Observe him on Twitter @JECdAPress.