The Ferris State disc golf team has returned from their traditional spring break trip prepared and ready to win nationals by establishing a new culture dedicated to teamwork.
Each year when spring break comes around, the disc golf team takes a trip to prepare for the College Disc Golf National Championship. This year, the team traveled to Rock Hills, South Carolina, which is where the 2024 National College Disc Golf Championship is set to be held April 3-6.
Head coach Leonard Johnson took the first national championship team there in 2015 before their victory. The team has kept this tradition alive for almost ten years and has won four national championships since the implementation.
President and team captain Benji Zorn experienced his first spring break with the team in 2023. With it being his first year, he didn’t connect with a lot of the team up until the trip. One of his goals since taking charge is to make the environment friendlier and more welcoming for new faces.
“We’ve really instilled a positive culture of support. It’s definitely less toxic, we’re more supportive of others, and it’s as a result has helped everyone on the team feel more comfortable,” Zorn said. “It’s especially helped us prepare new people for our big trips, like spring break and nationals, and gets them more involved.”
To establish this mentality early on, Zorn and the team have been meeting since early August. Zorn wanted everyone together as soon as possible to start meeting. This gave them more time to get well acquainted with one another before the season as well as form the team’s executive board.
As president, Zorn is responsible for budgeting, fundraising, signing the team up for tournaments and organizing all team practices and clinics. By forming an e-board, Zorn’s transition into his presidency was smoother. He credits the e-board for getting the team where they are today.
“A big thing we’ve pushed this year is team camaraderie. We’ve had different team dynamics in the past, and we really want to push a positive, uplifting, really supportive community, because that’s honestly what winning culture is. We’re getting things organized so we’re not stressing over things that we could have planned ahead for. It has been a lot, but I feel like we have put ourselves into a wonderful spot,” Zorn said.
Delaney Beckett, women’s team captain, has found herself a part of the team rather quickly despite it being her first year.
“Everyone has done a great job of welcoming us and seeing us as just as capable athletes as they are,” Beckett said. “They know that we have the skills and the abilities they do and we’re deserving of the same recognition the guys get.”
Her favorite parts of taking the trip during spring break were spending time with the team and furthering their relationships on and off the course. This motion of support and camaraderie has led to her finding a group of people she has been able to rely on since joining the team.
“We get to go out and play a really fun game and building a friendship off of it helps that they’re not only focused on the game, but they’re also focused on all aspects of you, the team, and wanting to do well,” Beckett said. “It has brought a lot of awesome relationships into my life, and it has just increased the enjoyment that I get while being at Ferris and what I get to do with my life.”
With nationals around the corner, this is a time when alumni players step up and help out with coaching. Zachary Bemben, a former player, was one of the coaches who attended the trip with the team. He works with each player throughout spring break honing in on their skills and getting them prepared for the biggest event of the season.
“As coaches, we are making sure that they’re throwing not only good shots but making smart decisions as well because throwing good shots is only half of the battle,” Bemben said. “The other half is the mental side of things so we’re just instilling a strong sense of confidence in each player.”
Coming back was an easy decision for Bemben. Throughout his four years, he was actively involved with the team and looks back at his time as some of his favorite memories while at school. He always felt like he was part of a family and that was one of the contributing factors as to why he came back.
“If you don’t feel like a family out here, there’s no reason to do this,” Bemben said. “Making sure that teams don’t form cliques within each other because that is something that happens with teams and it tears them apart. I think that’s something that Ferris does really well, and we’ve always done it.”
The women’s division is currently ranked 20th nationally, and the men’s division is currently 27th. As a tight-knit community, all players and coaches are just as invested in one another as they are in the game of disc golf.
“It’s a tradition of excellence here,” Zorn said. “We’re working, we’re grinding every day, treating this like a varsity sport because we are competing at that level. I love disc golf more than anything, but this team is why I want to be here. I want to make everyone proud and do good for this university.”
Zorn is appreciative of the opportunity that the team currently has. They have the chance to not only compete for the national title with one another but a chance to bring home a fifth title for the Bulldogs.
“This is an amazing opportunity we have to compete at the national level not just for one another not just because it’s disc golf, but because this is for Ferris,” Zorn said.
The team actively encourages anyone who wants to learn the game of disc golf or participate in practices to reach out to them. They are set to leave for nationals on Monday, April 1. For updates or inquiries, refer to the Ferris State Disc Golf Instagram page.
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