Athlete of the Week: Scott Brinker

By Shannon Duff

JULIA TIERNAN/YH

When one thinks of the Yale sweater- clad captains whose pictures grace the walls of Mory's, one usually assumes that these leaders are the seasoned seniors on their respective teams. For Scott Brinker, JE '99, this year's men's golf captain, this leadership role was assumed at the end of his sophomore year.

Being elected captain after only two years on the Yale team was quite an honor for the precocious lea-der. He admitted, "It seemed like I had just found my place on the team, and right away I had to start taking responsibility for the play of the team as a whole. I enjoyed the challenge, and I realize that I am continually gaining experience as well." Both the junior's leadership and his personal performances have proved to be integral elements of the Bulldog mix this year.

While a long winter makes maintaining team cohesion difficult, the Yale squad has played with intensity and focus after only five weeks of on-course training. Brinker described the spring break trip as crucial preparation for the team's spring season. "San Francisco was definitely a good foundation for the spring season," he said. "We were able to play for two weeks together without the burden of schoolwork--the long spring break is definitely an advantage that we have over other teams."

The golfers returned home after the training trip with a renewed enthusiasm. They opened their spring season last weekend at the Harvard-Yale-Princeton Tournament in which Yale defeated the Crimson but fell to the Princeton Tigers. Once again, Brinker's leadership was evident as he was the lone Yale medalist in the tournament, shooting a 74. The modest captain downplayed his own game and focused on the team's play and outlook for the rest of the season. "We knew Princeton would be tough, especially because they had the home course advantage," Brink-er said. "Nonetheless, we are definitely the better team--we're confident that we can beat them this weekend in the Ivy Tournament."

This weekend's Ivy tournament, held at the Bethpage Course on Long Island, is the focus of the spring season. The young travel team, which includes two juniors, two sophomores, and a freshman will certainly depend on the experience of its captain. Brinker's perspective enables him to see what the younger members of his team need. "You remember how highly you thought of the upperclassmen as a freshman and a sophomore, and realize now that you are one of the upperclassmen that your teammates look up to," he said. "It is a strange role reversal to get used to at first, but the team counts on you to have that perspective." Having so successfully made this transition, Brinker makes a tough job look easy.

--Shannon Duff

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