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06/01/2017 12:00 AMThis spring marks Curtis Gullette’s first season as the sole head coach of the Old Saybrook golf team, and he’s made a tremendous impression by helping the Rams charge up the Shoreline Conference and Division IV state rankings.
Curtis, a Madison resident, grew up in Guilford, where he played both golf and soccer and was an All-State athlete in the latter sport before graduating in 2008. While Curtis has been an assistant coach with Guilford boys’ soccer the last four years, including the past two as the JV head coach, he also began teaching at Old Saybrook High School during that time.
Curtis spent the past two spring seasons as the Rams’ golf squad’s co-head coach alongside Tim Payne, but after Payne left the school district, Curtis took the reins this year. Thus far, Curtis has guided the Rams to a 9-7 regular season record to go with a seventh-place overall finish in the Shoreline Conference standings.
“My first year as a teacher at Old Saybrook, I expressed interest in the golf team, but it didn’t materialize that first year. But then Tim asked me to do it together with him a couple years ago. The athletic director at the time was on board with it, but then Tim left the district,” says Curtis, who’s a math teacher at Old Saybrook. “This season has been awesome. I’ve gotten to see the kids grow throughout the season. They’ve relied on each other and helped each other. Golf is a unique sport, because it’s based on honesty and integrity, and the kids exemplify that. We made the final grouping for Shorelines, which was one of our goals this year. We have such a great group of kids, and I couldn’t ask for anything more.
Curtis feels that coaching isn’t just about teaching his student-athletes how to excel at a particular craft. He says that it’s also about helping them develop character as they grow into upstanding young men.
“There’s a fine line you try to ride between letting them have fun and also helping them reach the best of their abilities. You have to find a common interest with them and make them feel as comfortable as possible,” Curtis says. “I’m their coach for that sport at that time of the year, but I’m also there to help them become better people, too.”
As a coach in another successful program just a few towns away, Curtis explains that the joys of both jobs come not just from attaining victories, but also when the kids realize what they can achieve when they go all in every day.
“I’ve had some good success as a coach. In the four years I’ve been with Guilford soccer, we’ve basically had only a couple losses each year, and it’s rewarding to win like that, because you want to get the most out of the guys,” Curtis says. “It’s rewarding for me when they see that hard work leads to greater success. In golf, I love seeing the kids succeed and know they have a bright future. I want them to have as much fun as possible while playing.”
Old Saybrook Athletic Director Mike Cunningham says that Curtis is completely immersed in his both his coaching role and the Rams’ community. Cunningham appreciates how Curtis is building a solid golf program that features high-quality athletes.
“Curtis has been the utmost professional with our student-athletes. He is a great teacher of the game and works very well with each individual. The golf program has had some success this year and, in his short time at the helm, he has developed our student-athletes,” says Cunningham. “Curtis’s recognition is well deserved and it is great for our program to have someone so invested in the program and to be in school ensuring accountability of our student-athletes.”
The future is certainly looking bright for the Rams, who will welcome back several starters next spring. For now, though, Curtis is focused on the Division IV State Championship to see how Old Saybrook will measure up against some of their upper-echelon opponents.
“There are some really good teams in the Shoreline Conference and in Division IV. We played a tough schedule, but our goal was to make that final grouping for Shorelines. For states, we think sixth place is a realistic goal. If we achieve that, then we will show what we are capable of,” says Curtis. “We have no seniors this year among our top five players, so we will be returning our top six players next year. We are trying to build up their confidence for dealing with the pressures of a match. The next couple of years, we hope to get the kids ready to step up and contribute.”