2019 WNY PGA TOY (Teacher of the Year) - Erik J. Barzeski

[iacas]

2019 Section Special Award Winners Announced – Western New York

https://westernnewyork.pga.com/news/2019-section-special-award-winners-announced/

I'm proud and honored to announce today that I've been named the Western New York section of the PGA's Teacher of the Year for 2019.

From the site, this award is "based on the professional’s overall performance in teaching; unusual, innovative and special teaching programs the professional has initiated or played a key role in implementing."

The awards ceremony takes place the evening before my Behrend college team(s) play in our home Invitational, the last event of the "regular season," on Monday, October 7. I'm not sure which I look forward to more. 🙂

This follows two previous other awards or honors of recognition:

@david_wedzik has received this award twice (2013, 2015), and the list of previous winners is available here:

Annual Awards | Recognizing PGA Excellence | WesternNewYork.PGA.com

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Each year, the Section recognizes PGA professionals for their success on and off the course at an annual awards ceremony. See results at WesternNewYork.PGA.com.

Of course, this and $5 might get me a small scone at Starbucks. 😉 But, I kid, I kid. This award is perhaps more meaningful than the others because these are the actual pros in my section who know quite a bit more about what I do, and this is my first year as an actual class A member. (I only finished up my associate-ship last May.)

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Among the things I cited on my supporting documentation after I was nominated:

• The two previous Golf Digest recognitions.
• LSW, and the instructors we've trained in that.
• The Project 10 thing we created for the Western New York First Tee program, based on LSW ideas and concepts.
• The Penn-State Behrend team.
• My winter Junior Elite Program.
• 5SK, the education seminars we've given to PGA sections, Evolvr, my certifications (AimPoint, etc.), and a few other things.

[David in FL]

Congratulations!   That’s very cool!  

[djake]

NICE!!

Congratulations 

[coachjimsc]

Congratulation Erik!

[billchao]

Congratulations, @iacas!

[Club Rat]

The best things are probably still yet to happen.
Congrats and keep up the great work, Erik.

[DeadMan]

Well deserved! Congratulations!

[colin007]

I bet you get a free bowl of soup with that....

 

😘

[vasaribm]

Awesome! Congratulations.

[DaveP043]

Congratulations!

[Patch]

"Kewl Beans". Congratulations on all your hard wok, and achievements. 

[Wally Fairway]

Congrats!
Maybe you should write a book 😉

Edited September 27, 2019 by Wally Fairway

[boogielicious]

Well deserved Erik. You are a terrific teacher and give so much to the members of this site too.

[nevets88]

Congratulations Erik!

You're also a rules official and run a web site on the new rules, right? Plus analyzer. You have your hands in everything!

[JGus]

Congrat's Erik!  That's awesome news!

I'd say it's almost motivating enough for me to move back to Jamestown to have a great coach nearby, but since we both have been there, you know I would be lying a little.

Anyways, a great accomplishment!

[geo63]

Congrats!

 

[Double Mocha Man]

Congratulations on the TOY award (some acronyms are more fun to play with than others).   That's a hallmark achievement along your career path, I am sure.  Way to go!  Guessing you may be floating a bit today.

[dennyjones]

Well deserved.   Congratulations!