Chip off the old block
By Brittany Brownrigg, October 29, 2009
Mitch Simmons, 18, is a freshman golfer and history major at Franklin College. Behind this introduction is a young man who is passionate and experiencing many things that the average college student does not see or even think about. Mitch is used to experiencing life a little bit differently than others.
Brian Simmons, Mitch’s father, has spent 20 years in the military.“[He’s] a major in the United State’s Army,” Mitch said.Mitch’s family moved frequently due to his father’s job—nine times total. These moves have, in turn, affected Mitch’s choices and opportunities.
“It’s not bad,” Mitch said.
The travel – along with Mitch’s golf game – has helped him get to where he is today. Mitch started golfing as a young child.
“[I was] probably about eight years old when my grandma signed me up for golf camp,” Mitch said.
Mitch remembers sinking a 30-foot putt as a young boy, and says that in that moment his passion for the game of golf began. Mitch continued playing golf in middle school, and got tenth place at the height of his middle school seasons.
He then moved on to high school golf. Mitch spent his high school career at two different schools. He began his journey at Elgin High School in Oklahoma. There were about 450 students at Elgin when Simmons was there. When in Oklahoma, Mitch’s family lived outside of town, and he admits that this made it harder on him.
“It was just a different culture,” Mitch said.
Mitch’s first high school golf season was rough.
“[I] struggled [my] entire freshman year,” Mitch said about his golf game.
After getting through his freshman year, Mitch found the success he so longed for. During his sophomore season, he experienced his first win. He was also able to go to state, where he placed twelfth in all of Oklahoma.
On Mitch’s birthday, in the summer between his sophomore and junior year, Mitch and his family moved to New Palestine, Indiana.
“Over the summer golf just wasn’t the same,” Mitch said.
The people that Mitch had played golf with and had been surrounded with were no longer there.
When Mitch started his junior year of high school, things were different. After the move he attended New Palestine High School, which had around 1,100 students.
“I was fighting it,” Mitch said.
Although Mitch was fighting the change at the time, the move to Indiana opened a door that helped him significantly. He was able to start taking lessons from Scott Downing as soon as he moved to Indiana.
Mitch described his swing before lessons with Downing as “homemade”. Although the lessons did eventually pay off, Simmons’ swing was evolving his junior year.
“My swing was not the same,” Mitch said.
Through his swing changes, Mitch was still able to experience success. He says that his senior year was a great one.
“Senior year was where it was at,” Mitch said.
At the beginning of his senior year Mitch set some goals for himself. These goals included winning conference, county, sectionals, regionals, state and every tournament that the school played in. Mitch succeeded with many of these goals including winning conference, county, and sectionals. Mitch was also able to shoot his lowest score to that point at the sectional match, which was his first round under par.
Mitch only lost two of the tournaments that he played in. One of the reasons that he lost one of the tournaments that season was because he called a penalty stroke on himself, which cost him the tournament.
Mitch is extremely passionate about every tournament in which he plays. While talking about the tournaments that he has played in over the years he seems to remember every shot and which club was used. This passion has continued into Mitch’s college career, as well.
Throughout his first semester at Franklin, Mitch played in the fifth spot for the team. By the last two tournaments of the season, he played the number one position.
Mitch credits his success to his high expectations and his ability to concentrate under pressure.
“When it gets down to the nitty-gritty, I concentrate and work for the win,” Mitch said.
Looking back on life and where he has been Mitch said that moving to Indiana was a great thing for him.
“I don’t know where I’d be if I lived in Oklahoma,” Mitch said.
Mitch’s dad’s choice in occupation has not only affected Mitch’s past but will affect his future, as well.
Mitch is currently on a Reserve Officers’ Training Corps scholarship, also known as an R.O.T.C. scholarship. This commitment means that Mitch will most likely be commissioned as an officer upon his graduation from Franklin.
“[This has] taught me about time management and my priorities and what they are,” Mitch said.
Mitch’s ultimate goal is to go to law school, and become a lawyer, someday. In the more near future, his father will be sent to Afghanistan for at least six months.
The military and golf have shaped Mitch’s life thus far, and will no doubt continue to do so in the future.
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