CALEDONIA — Dylan Darling doesn’t recall everything that happened when he was a middle schooler.
One thing is for certain, though, Darling never imagined he would be sitting in the Caledonia High School library as a senior talking about how golf earned him a chance to help pay for college.
More than five years ago, Caledonia High School boys golf coach Bradley Tate decided to add Darling and three other sixth-graders to the varsity golf team. Even though those four couldn’t play until they reached the seventh grade, Tate wanted to expose those players to as much golf as possible so they eventually would be able to contribute to the program.
On Tuesday, Darling thought back to the beginning of his high school golf career and smiled because he realized how far he has come from being a middle schooler who was just happy to be on the high school varsity team.
“I get to play golf at the next level. It is an honor,” Darling said after signing a National Letter of Intent to play golf at Itawamba Community College in Fulton.
Darling remembers playing a lot of sports — baseball, basketball, and football — in middle school. Those sports dropped off as he matured until golf was the last one standing. He said he received a lot of support from coaches and family members to stoke the passion for a sport he hopes to play the rest of his life.
Last season, Darling was a part of the Caledonia High boys golf team that dethroned reigning champion St. Stanislaus on its home course to win the Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) Class 4A State Championship.
Darling was second on the team to Hunter Logan with a two-round total of 173 to help the Confederates win their first title in Tate’s 10 seasons as coach.
Tate said Darling is active in his church and volunteers in the community. He said he “wishes he has his head screwed on that tight when I was that young.”
But Tate admits he didn’t know what kind of golfer Darling would be when he opted to put him on the high school’s varsity team. He said he saw an athletic middle schooler with talent that he hoped to mold into someone who could work his way into the lineup.
Tate had a chance to find out what Darling could do the following season, when he said one of his seniors couldn’t play in the state tournament and he had to find someone to fill in for him. Darling won the chance to play in the state tournament and didn’t disappoint in the first round, shooting a 79. That round served notice Darling was going to be a factor in the lineup for years to come.
Darling said he realized his potential after that first round and started to push himself to get better. He said he has tried to remain level headed so he could withstand the highs and lows associated with golf.
“Everything in your game is never going to be going good at one time, so when you see what is bad that is what you work on,” Darling said. “From there, you move to something else so your practice is constantly changing.”
Tate said Darling has matured into a golfer who is consistent, is long off the tee, and has a strong short game. He said Darling has been “so good since ninth grade” that it is hard to say where he has made his biggest area of improvement.
“He puts in 110 percent not only on the course, but he also puts in 110 percent in the classroom,” Tate said. “If he wasn’t signing an athletic scholarship, he would be signing an academic scholarship.”
Tate said Darling had offers from other schools, including a four-year school a little farther away from home.
But Darling said his desire to study pharmacy made it easier for him to select ICC. He said he hopes to continue his studies at Ole Miss.
Given a moment to reflect on his progress, Darling feels his maturation has followed a similar path to the team, which has finished fifth, second, and first in the last three years. From here on out, Darling said he will continue to push himself so his game keeps improving. He feels that mind-set will serve the Confederates well in 2017 when they attempt to win another state title.
Darling also feels that attitude will work well as he begins the next phase of a journey he never thought would be possible.
“It is finally starting to sink in,” Darling said. “I am trying to stay humble through everything because you see some people who sign with colleges and they get so cocky. When they get to college they wonder why they can’t even start on the team.
“When you get big headed, you’re going to realize somebody is still going to be able to beat you. There is always going to be somebody better. That attitude has helped me stay consistent. You try to keep your emotions out of things because when you get mad at the golf course, it goes downhill from there.”
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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