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Hernando Today

Keeping 'Em Honest

Staff photo by DAVE CASEY

J.D. Floyd eighth-grader Ryan Nicoll edged Challenger K-8’s Megan Berube for this year’s Hernando County Middle School Athletic Conference Player of the Year.

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By CHRIS BERNHARDT JR.

Hernando Today

Published: December 24, 2008

Ryan Nicoll didn't need to do anything extra to prove himself as a golfer at the season-ending Hernando County Middle School Athletic Conference Tournament.
He had spent the last two seasons showing everyone his capabilities on the links, equaled only by Challenger K-8's Megan Berube.
Yet what he did that day, Oct. 22, at The Heather Golf and Country Club, gave everyone a glimpse of the young man's integrity, and left an indelible impression.
The J.D. Floyd eighth-grader didn't win, at least not outright. But he could have – the wrong way.
At the end of his round, tournament officials determined he had shot a 1-under-par 32. That would have given him a one-stroke victory over Berube, a year after he fell by one stroke to her in this same event.
Just one problem: even at 13-years-old, he knew better. On Nicoll's own scorecard, he shot an even-par 33, and notified the officials of the inconsistency.
Rather than taking the first-place honors for himself, he would have to share them with Berube. That just didn't trump doing the right thing.
"Just the fact that cheating isn't right and I'd have felt bad if I took the trophy for cheating," said Nicoll of his thought process. "I was kind of disappointed because I went into the tournament expecting first place. But a tie for first is just as good."
Let it be noted that this good deed did not go unrewarded.
When the seven county coaches were asked their choice for Hernando Today Player of the Year, Nicoll won by a slim 4-3 margin.
Several of the coaches pointed to Nicoll's actions in the tournament as a deciding factor. Even Berube's coach, Richard Gomez, though naturally picking his own player, recognized the value of Nicoll's honesty.
"The stuff he did at the end of the year means more than anything," Gomez said. "I'd like to think Megan would do the same thing. But him doing that shows his character and what kind of person he is."

Strong player

Not that Nicoll earned this honor based solely on good sportsmanship. That would neglect to recognize what he accomplished with a club in his hand.
"He kept us in our matches," J.D. Floyd Head Coach Chuck Barrett said. "We won our matches because of him and when we didn't we stayed competitive because of his scores."
The Dolphins finished 4-2 in the regular season, losing to two-time county champion Challenger and Powell.
However, they nearly defeated the Panthers when Nicoll shot a one-under-par 35 at Rivard Golf and Country Club.
Coincidentally, Berube shot a 35 at Silverthorn that same evening, making those two the only players in the county to shoot an under-par round. Nicoll did it twice, following with another 35 at Rivard the next week.
Aside from one round of 43 against Explorer at Rivard, Nicoll never posted a score higher than 37 and averaged 36.1 for the season. He defeated Berube in a regular-season match at Rivard, 37-42.
"His ball striking is consistent on every hit," Barrett said. "He manages the course good. He knows what club is going to go what distance.
"He also knows putting wins matches, so he really worked on his putting this year."
Barrett also noted that Nicoll mentored sixth-grader Jans Tamayo, who evolved into J.D. Floyd's number two golfer by the end of the season.
"He (Tamayo) learned more in a week or two playing with Ryan than he would have for the entire season playing with someone of his ability," Barrett said.

Balancing act

Nicoll, the son of Spring Hill's Gary and Sandra Nicoll, has attended J.D. Floyd since first grade, though this marks only the second year the school has had a golf program.
He only began playing competitively the past several years, though he started at an early age because his father is a teaching pro.
Though he tries to get out on the range as much as possible, he doesn't usually play a full practice round until the weekend at The Dunes Golf Club at Seville.
Not only must he balance golf with school, but baseball, as well. He plays shortstop and pitches in West Hernando Little League and for the AAU West Florida Panthers.
"The swings are pretty similar," Nicoll said. "I think that's why I picked up golf so quickly."
He currently plays on three different tours, the North Suncoast Junior Golf Association, Greater Tampa and Premiere Junior. He recently won a Greater Tampa tour stop at The Dunes.
He plans to continue partaking in two sports in high school. He'll attend Springstead High, and thinks he can help the golf team there. The Eagles are the defending district and county champions.
"In middle school I played the red tees," Nicoll said. "In high school I'll play the blue tees. That could affect me a little bit. But I have the distance. I think I can keep up with the high schoolers.
"…I just have to learn how to score better. I can get it to the green; I just have to get the ball in the hole."
"On the high school level, he's only going to continue to get better," Barrett said. "He's already shooting 3-4 over par right now. In high school, I don't see him dramatically changing his scores but I see him dominating if he keeps the same attitude."
But even while looking ahead, Nicoll could look back and appreciate his time playing for the Dolphins.
"It was really good," Nicoll said. "I made a couple of friends and the coach, Mr. Barrett, was really good to me, as was Rivard. They treated us really well.
"I'd just like to thank my parents and Mr. Barrett for allowing me to play on the golf team in general."
He leaves behind a legacy based not only on his level of play, but his exemplary conduct.
"I think his honesty, his integrity toward the sport," Barrett said of what stood out most. "He played with good sportsmanship and great golf etiquette. He's learned a lot of life lessons and I think life lessons are learned on the golf course. Other student athletes can learn from that."

BY THE NUMBERS: RYAN NICOLL
Date       Opponent                            Course                      Round
09-03      Fox Chapel                           The Heather            36
09-17      Powell                                   Rivard                       35
09-24      West Hernando                  Rivard                       35
10-01      Explorer                                Rivard                       43
10-08      Parrott                                  The Quarry              34
10-15      Challenger                           Rivard                       37
10-22      HCMSAC Tournament      The Heather            33 (T1st)
               Average                                                                 36.1

Sports writer Chris Bernhardt Jr. can be reached at (352) 544-5288 or online at cbernhardt@hernandotoday.com.

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