Walker Hennen comes home to coach
Walker Hennen, was always one of the fun-loving golfers on the Minneota Vikings team when he was in high school.
Now an elementary teacher in Ivanhoe, Hennen has taken the reigns of the boys’ golf team at his Alma mater.
“I guess I’ve come full circle,” he said. “It’s good to be back on the course I love and the town I love,” he said.
He indicated, “It was kinda in my plans to teach in the area,” he added.
Hennen will have junior Nolan Boerboom, a returning state tournament golfer, to lead his team. While it’s a young team, it has a variety of experience.
Senior Mitchell Rost has a couple years of experience and will add his talents to Boerboom.
A year ago, Cole Myhre was an eighth grader who had a good year. Now as a freshman, he adds to the top four. Chase Differding, Braxton Downing and Zach Van Keulen are back from a year ago and will be vying for spots on the top four.
Joey Rybinski has joined the team along with a trio of youngsters. Helping the team as a volunteer will be former Coach Greg Gile.
“He was a structured person and we hope to carry on for him this year,” said Hennen.
He will count on the advice given to him by Gile and Ralph Hagen before him.
“We should be able to pick up where they left off,” said Hennen. It’s a luxury to have a golfer leading the team like Boerboom, so the Minneota squad will be counting on his experience.
The team finally got outside for their first practice on Monday with the idea they’ll have their first meet on Monday at Marshall.
Hennen likes the idea his team could be shooting for a spot in the boys’ state tournament for the first time ever.
“The boys have never been there,” he said. “I hope we’ve got a shot,” he added. When he was in high school, Walker Hennen himself golfed as an individual in the state golf meet. Now, maybe, it’s time to return.
Only this time, it won’t be as an individual golfer.
He’ll be trying to “come full circle”, from Minneota golfer, to Minneota coach. And it would be quite a moment if this former Minneota golfer were able to coach his team to the Minnesota State Golf tournament.
But even if he doesn’t, he’s still come, “Full Circle,” and done something few others get a chance to do .... return to the team they golfed for to coach that same team.
Yes, Walker Hennen is home.