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Del Sol High Golf Program Continues to Make Positive Impact

August 15, 2022 admin Comments Off

PGA Tour player, FedEx Cup Playoffs qualifier and Las Vegas resident Maverick McNealy has noticed the good things happening at Del Sol High.

Kendel Chryster and Paul Lampi, who oversee the Del Sol High School men’s and women’s golf programs, have created a state-of-the-art “golf room” at the school and golf is a part of the freshmen P.E. curriculum for many students. That means clubs get into the hands of 500 students each year.

What Chrysler and his teams are doing is pretty cool stuff, and McNealy quickly jumped in to help where he can including being a part of the annual fundraiser Sept. 3 at Legacy.

“We converted this area over into a fully-functioning golf room with a simulator and two hitting bays, chipping area, putting green, and we have different clubs separated by swing flexes and weights, and all this stuff,” Chrysler says. “It’s nice because the kids can kind of tinker and experiment. Once they have a swing down, we’ve got swing plane trainers and every training aid device known to man to help the kids develop. It’s a really neat facility. Maverick McNealy has come by and hit balls, and he also done clinics for the kids over the summer. I asked him, ‘What do you think of the room?’ and he said, ‘This is by far the coolest classroom I’ve ever seen.’”

The fundraising scramble event tees off at 8am Sept. 3 and is $100 per player. Proceeds directly benefit the program. McNealy is scheduled to host a beat the pro contest and following golf there is a barbecue plus a raffle with the “best prizes ever” according to tournament information.

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Del Sol is located in an underserved area of the city where most kids wouldn’t normally have the opportunity to learn golf. But Chrysler, a PE teacher, includes golf as part of the freshmen curriculum. He then follows through by coaching the men’s women’s golf programs for those students who show interest and talent.

“Bringing the game to kids who have never played before and then trying to figure out where it fits into their lives is fun and rewarding,” Chrysler says. “It’s enjoyable to watch somebody pick up a club and figure out what to do with it. We put a club in 500 kids hands every single year. A lot of our students have circumstances that keep them from being able to visit a golf course on a regular basis, so the room really helps them. I’ve got students who have to go to work to help support their families. Others have to babysit and help out their little brother and sisters so their moms or dads can go to work. By bringing in that golf room to the school, we’ve been able to create an avenue for each kid to explore the game without having to go to the course.”

While Chrysler, is a driving force behind the program, Lampi is the wise sage who pushes everyone.

“Technically, he is the head coach of the women and I am head coach of the boys, but we just split the roles and then split up the responsibilities,” Chrysler says. “He’s sort of the grandfather of the program and he is the one who inspires us to do more. He has all these crazy ideas and also says, ‘Why can’t we do that?’ He does the same with the kids and asks same question, ‘why not, why can’t you practice today?’ He really keeps them motivated.”

If you want to help Del Sol golf with donations, email chrysks@nv.ccsd.net.

Parts of this article are from Las Vegas Golf and Leisure Magazine, 2021.

Del Sol High Golf Program Continues to Make Positive Impact