New coach knows Bison girls golf 'heritage'

Thursday, August 10, 2017
Joel Arterburn

McCOOK, Neb. — There are still more prairie chickens roaming free than Joel Arterburn’s number of McCook High School golf “birdies.”

His soaring playoff catch over a Beatrice Orangemen is still more memorable than his longest high drive during any prep golf tourney.

“I’d say that game stands out more than any,” Joel recalled about the 24-17 state semifinal football win in 2005. “I also remember Josh Cherry making a great catch at the goal line.”

Cherry, Arterburn and other Bison like Bandon Crick were part of a senior class that scored more victories than most other Bison.

They won their way to three straight Class B state title games and only lost three times in his last three football years (2003-05).

Yet through only three days of coaching high school girls, Arterburn’s already seeing some great similiarities among the 2017 golf seniors.

“We were doing long putts and it’s tough because they have to get so close in a certain number or they start over,” he said about the returning Class B state No. 2 team. “But they wouldn’t give up. They kept working and would not quit. They know the tradition of McCook golf and they know what it takes.”

The same attitudes that helped mold Aterburn into McCook’s new girls golf coach.

He also never quit a busy first job not nearly as glamorous as catching footballs or hitting three-point Bison basketball shots.

“I played those sports but when spring came, it was time to go to work,” he said.

Arterburn spent afternoons working at Heritage Hills Golf Course.

He didn’t go into great further details, except all that work turned into love for a sport Arterburn never “officially” played.

“Every day, I mean every day, dad (Tom) would get off work and we would go play,” Joel explained. “Sometimes I’d get done late and join them after they’d already started a round, but we’d always play.”

“For me, golf has always been about family,” he added.

Arterburn also learned plenty from one of McCook’s true golf families: the Colemans.

Late great Bison golf coach Ron Coleman — who directed Bison teams to seven Class B state championships — saw something in Arterburn before the kid even reached McCook High School.

“In junior high, we would go over and play St. Patrick where coach (Coleman) was,” Joel recalled. “I was never the biggest or most athletic. But I made a tackle and I remember coach Coleman saying ‘y0u might just turn out all right’.”

“That was the thing about him No matter what kind of day he was having, if he saw you — he’d make sure you were having a good day,” Arterburn added.

Of course, Joel eventually would break away from Bison friends and family. His all-conference basketball talents moved on to McCook Community College.

After his education was complete, Joel eventually ventured nearly across the state to coaching and teaching with the Wahoo Warriors.

Yet the Bison family connection was never totally broken. Joel learned plenty while working at Wahoo, especially how a rivalry can slightly divide communities.

“I remember one side of town was (Wahoo) Neumann and the other was public school,” he said. “It wasn’t so much kids —they got along all right – but the parents.”

Perhaps that’s why it was so fun to rejoin a town where most everyone unites behind the McCook Bison.

He returned to teach junior high social studies, coach freshman basketball and marry McCook High School sweetheart Taryn Placzek in 2010.

These Arterburns are now proud parents of three: son Bentley (age six), daughter Harper (four) and youngest son Drake (one year old).

Their connection to McCook’s family have never been closer.

“When we came back, we figured it might be about a three-year deal,” he said.

Again, that was now better than six years ago.

“It’s nice to be back in the McCook lifestyle,” Joel said. “I don’t see us going anywhere now.”

Joel can now focus on continuing McCook High School’s golf tradition. He accepted the head coaching position in May afte Scott Leisy decided moving back with family to his eastern Nebraska home territory.

The inheritance for Arterburn is a seasoned, state tourney-tested team featuring five seniors. Cassidy Redl, Holly Grigg and Holland Stagemeyer are three top players returning from last year’s runner-ups.

“They know the tradition of McCook golf, and they know the goals they want to reach,” Arterburn said about this impressive group.

However, McCook’s team currently runs just eight players deep. So one of his main goals will be developing and growing the love for goal that been a Bison tradition.

And patience.

“The first few meets may not be great, but our goal will be early October for districts,” he concluded.

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