Florida youth coach selected as USBC David Dahms Coach of the Year
December 14, 2011
Robert "Bud" Endicott of Apopka, Fla., has been selected to receive the United States Bowling Congress David Dahms Coach of the Year Award by the USBC Youth Committee.
The award is named in honor of David Dahms, who was an instrumental leader in the creation of what is now known as the USBC Junior Gold program. The David Dahms award recognizes a USBC-certified coach who has been actively involved in a USBC Youth program and has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to coaching, sportsmanship and knowledge of USBC Youth rules.
Endicott, a USBC Silver coach, has been the Youth Director at Brunswick Wekiva Lanes for more than 10 years. The program, which had less than 50 bowlers when he took over, now has about 150 bowlers.
"Being awarded the David Dahms Coach of the Year award is truly an honor and a humbling experience," Endicott said. "No coach takes on the responsibility of molding and shaping the minds of young athletes expecting to be recognized or given awards; we do it because we love what we do and realize that the future of the sport lies in the development of future participants. I truly am honored to receive this award."
Endicott offers a PBA Experience league exclusively for youth bowlers and also provides scholarship opportunities. The league has awarded thousands of dollars in scholarships to the youth bowlers.
"Each year he runs a successful youth program and shows his management skills by maintaining two leagues on Saturday mornings and also managing a Wednesday after-school league," said Gregory Paxson, Association Manager for the Greater Orlando USBC Youth, in his recommendation letter. "It's the PBA Experience league where he shines the most. Through his league, he has developed many bowlers who are successful in various area tournaments while competing on Sport conditions."
Endicott began coaching in the early 1970s. He said his friends were teaching their kids how to bowl and, knowing the difficulty of trying to coach your own children regardless of the sport, he decided "to step in and help my friends by volunteering to teach the fundamentals of bowling to their children."
"The reward comes in the excitement and enjoyment you foster in the sport," Endicott said. "I am a firm believer that one good coach can create hundreds of lifelong bowlers. Ever since the first excited scream when the ball finally made it to the pins instead of falling off in the channel, I have had a passion for coaching."
Endicott also works with three high school bowling teams in the Orange County Public School system - Apopka, Ocoee and Wekiva high schools. He started coaching high school bowling when his own children were on the Apopka teams before the Florida State Athletic Association made bowling an official varsity sport. He has since started working with the other programs because bowlers on those teams also are in his youth program.
He said his most memorable experience as a coach was the chance to attend the World Youth Friendship Games in Holland with the People to People Sports Ambassador program.
For being selected the USBC David Dahms Coach of the Year recipient, Endicott will receive an expenses-paid trip to the 2012 USBC Convention in Arlington to receive the award.
Go to BOWL.com/scholarships to learn more about youth scholarships and awards.
The award is named in honor of David Dahms, who was an instrumental leader in the creation of what is now known as the USBC Junior Gold program. The David Dahms award recognizes a USBC-certified coach who has been actively involved in a USBC Youth program and has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to coaching, sportsmanship and knowledge of USBC Youth rules.
Endicott, a USBC Silver coach, has been the Youth Director at Brunswick Wekiva Lanes for more than 10 years. The program, which had less than 50 bowlers when he took over, now has about 150 bowlers."Being awarded the David Dahms Coach of the Year award is truly an honor and a humbling experience," Endicott said. "No coach takes on the responsibility of molding and shaping the minds of young athletes expecting to be recognized or given awards; we do it because we love what we do and realize that the future of the sport lies in the development of future participants. I truly am honored to receive this award."
Endicott offers a PBA Experience league exclusively for youth bowlers and also provides scholarship opportunities. The league has awarded thousands of dollars in scholarships to the youth bowlers.
"Each year he runs a successful youth program and shows his management skills by maintaining two leagues on Saturday mornings and also managing a Wednesday after-school league," said Gregory Paxson, Association Manager for the Greater Orlando USBC Youth, in his recommendation letter. "It's the PBA Experience league where he shines the most. Through his league, he has developed many bowlers who are successful in various area tournaments while competing on Sport conditions."
Endicott began coaching in the early 1970s. He said his friends were teaching their kids how to bowl and, knowing the difficulty of trying to coach your own children regardless of the sport, he decided "to step in and help my friends by volunteering to teach the fundamentals of bowling to their children."
"The reward comes in the excitement and enjoyment you foster in the sport," Endicott said. "I am a firm believer that one good coach can create hundreds of lifelong bowlers. Ever since the first excited scream when the ball finally made it to the pins instead of falling off in the channel, I have had a passion for coaching."
Endicott also works with three high school bowling teams in the Orange County Public School system - Apopka, Ocoee and Wekiva high schools. He started coaching high school bowling when his own children were on the Apopka teams before the Florida State Athletic Association made bowling an official varsity sport. He has since started working with the other programs because bowlers on those teams also are in his youth program.
He said his most memorable experience as a coach was the chance to attend the World Youth Friendship Games in Holland with the People to People Sports Ambassador program.
For being selected the USBC David Dahms Coach of the Year recipient, Endicott will receive an expenses-paid trip to the 2012 USBC Convention in Arlington to receive the award.
Go to BOWL.com/scholarships to learn more about youth scholarships and awards.