| Eleven years ago, Kyle Colton was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and his parents were told he would be unable to walk. Hearing this news, Kyle's parents assumed their son would never have the opportunity to play sports. Looking back over the years; however, Mr. and Mrs. Colton have great memories to share of the many sports Kyle has participated in. The athletic success Kyle has achieved by age 12 has gone beyond their wildest dreams. He has participated in everything from swimming to horseback riding to SCUBA and so much more. According to his mother, "Kyle is a true athlete in every sense of the word."
Despite Kyle's many athletic successes, he had never been able to join his brothers and parents on the golf course. However, two years ago Kyle's mom discovered the Rehabilitation Institute at Santa Barbara's adaptive golf program. Kyle spent every Monday morning the past two summers working on his swing. His younger brothers, Connor and Keane, were taking lessons of their own and developed an interest in how Kyle was progressing. So, the two brothers attended classes to help Kyle and the other participants learn the game, which they, too, were developing a love for. Like many siblings, Kyle has formed a bond with his younger brothers through playing sports. It is difficult in today's fast-paced world for a family to find an activity they can enjoy together, but the Coltons are lucky enough to have found theirs - golf.
Kyle has begun to feel at home on the golf course. His mom tells the story of an older gentleman who saw Kyle at Ocean Meadows Golf Course. The man offered to make skis for Kyle's walker that allows him to access the putting greens. Mrs. Colton explained what golf means to her family: "It is not simply the game that has positively impacted us, it is all the other things that come along with it. People notice Kyle and they talk with him. It is the quiet comments you hear, the compliments spoken and the smiles you see, not only on Kyle's face but on the faces of others."
Golf was highlighted recently by a Walt Disney movie as, "The Greatest Game Ever Played." Golfers from all over the world have found themselves caught up in the spirit of this great game. We are hooked on the game as fans, and as players ourselves. We remember our childhood heroes, and as we grow older we cherish the moments in golf that recapture those feelings from our youth.
There is something heroic in facing life's challenges. Perhaps you have seen it in your parents or your children. Kyle Colton is not a name you recognize from a Sunday leader board, but is truly one that belongs among golf's heroes. People smile when they see Kyle at the golf course because it makes us feel alive when we see our heroes. Kyle may never win a U.S. Open, but will forever be a hero to those who matter most - his family. |
