Keaton McAuliffe
Reporter
In second grade, Will Essigs went to see the US Open golf tournament. He was inspired to pick up the game and started practicing in his backyard. After four years at NCHS, he will continue next fall at Gettysburg College, where he has been recruited to play for the Division III Bullets.
While Will is heading the NCHS golf team this spring season as captain, he wants to focus on more competitive events and tournaments. “I no longer have to focus on playing in events that are going to get me noticed by schools,” he said. “This season I am excited to play in events that are going to have great competition and will help me to improve my game.”
Although Will doesn’t have to worry about the recruitment process now, he admits that it was a stressful task. “The recruiting process is brutal. I found that if I played well one week, then the phone would ring off the hook, but then the next week could be silent,” he said.
“When you get into the process, you realize how many schools that you need to contact in order to be successful and how broad your search has to be,” Will added.
But despite all of the schools that reached out to him, as well as all of the ones he contacted, Will was attracted to the strong academics and golf program in the Centennial Conference at Gettysburg. “I was looking for a school on the east coast, on the smaller side where I could study a major that appealed to me and play golf at the same time,” he said. “After doing an overnight visit with a captain on the team, I decided that Gettysburg was where I wanted to spend the next four years.”
With such a difficult process, Will was thankful to have so many people supporting him. “I would like to give credit to my guidance counselor Mrs. Lenci,” he said. “She was instrumental in my recruiting process and I wouldn’t have had the success I did throughout my high school career without her.”
Will also knows that his coaches and the team founders played a large role in his recruitment process. “Bill Brown and Paul Gallo built a great program at New Canaan High School, I wouldn’t have been inspired to continue my pursuit of college golf if it wasn’t for them,” he said.
For other athletes who are about to enter the college recruitment process, Will recommends keeping all options open. “Always keep your mind open and never close a door on a school until the absolute last minute,” he said. “A recruiting situation can change in seconds so you always want to keep your options open.”
How did you start playing golf?
I started playing golf in my backyard after attending the US Open in second grade.
How was the recruiting process for you? Did you go to schools with your stats? Did schools reach out to you?
It worked both ways for me, I reached out to some schools and others contacted me. When you get into the process you real- ize how many schools that you need to contact in order to be successful and how broad your search has to be. The recruiting process is brutal, I found that if I played well one week then the phone would ring off the hook, but then the next could be silent.
How did you choose your school?
I was looking for a school that was on the east coast, on the smaller side, where I could study a major that appealed to me and play golf at the same time. After doing an overnight visit with a captain on the team, I decided that Gettysburg was where I wanted to spend the next four years. I was originally attracted to the combination of strong academics and a solid golf program in the Centennial Conference
What role did your coaches, parents and/or school counselor play in your recruitment process?
I would like to give credit to my guidance counselor, [Susan]Len- ci. She was instrumental in my recruiting process and I wouldn’t have had the success I did throughout my high school career without her. Coach Buck, a former lacrosse coach at NCHS also helped me to find a school that would be a good fit for me and really helped me with the mental side of my game, that allowed me win the tournaments that I did over the summer. My parents always focused on helping me throughout the long process, and like any student athlete I wouldn’t be anywhere without them. Bill Brown and Paul Gallo built a great program at New Canaan High School, I wouldn’t have been inspired to continue my pursuit of college golf if it wasn’t for them.
What will you do differently this upcoming season knowing that you are already recruited?
I am going to play in more competitive events. I no longer have to focus on playing in events that are going to get me noticed by schools. This season I am excited to play in events that are going to have great competition and will help me to improve my game.
What advice do you have for other student athletes who want to be/ have been recruited?
My advice to anyone that wants to play college athletics is to al- ways keep their mind open and never close a door on a school until the absolute last minute, a recruiting situation can change in seconds so you always want to keep your options open. The best thing that you can do is find someone in your sport that has gone through the process before.
