Jim Houser, of Fort Worth, Texas, is a general contractor for commercial properties by day and a Special Olympics golf coach by night. Kristina Houser, a home-school teacher, is also a Special Olympics golf coach. Who are their star athletes? Their three sons: Erik, 19, Kristofer, 18, and Andrew, 16, all of whom now compete in golf with Special Olympics Texas (SOTX).

Jim Houser has had a love for the game since he was a teenager. He played recreationally for most of his life but had not been involved with golf for several years due to his other activities with his sons. Erik, Kristofer, and Andrew were all born with a general developmental delay, attributed to environmental toxins, which prohibited "normal" mental development. This challenge, however, did nothing to slow down their interests in athletics. The boys were initially exposed to SOTX track and field events at a private school. Though the Houser boys were primarily interested in golf, their father was forced to initially become a cycling coach because there was no active golf program in their area. After learning about other SOTX golf athletes and competitions through cycling contacts, the Houser family began their journey into the realm of SOTX golf.

Both Jim and Kristina Houser became certified coaches and started their own small team, Smooth Swing Golf Team, with their three sons. This season they added three more athletes for a total of six and competed in area events, invitational tournaments, and the SOTX state competition. Andrew competes in Level 1, which consists of several skills challenges, while Kristofer and Erik compete in Level 2. In Level 2, each athlete plays an alternate-shot, 9-hole format with a Unified Partner. The partner teams with the athlete in the competition and also helps with course management and strategy, rules, club selection, and etiquette. The state tournament last year was in College Station, Texas, and was an obvious highlight for all three of the boys. "My favorite trip was College Station for the tournament," said Kristofer. "Oh yes, we had a lot of fun at that tournament." Despite the great memories from competitions, the Houser's are quick to point out that the improved golf skills are not the best part of the SOTX program.

Jim and Kristina Houser are convinced that their sons learn much more on their Monday, Wednesday, and Friday practice days than they ever will during the actual competitions. Jim Houser said that, "Golf gives them more confidence. We go to the same driving ranges as everyone else, and they can see that they can play as well as 30-40% of the other golfers out there." Kristina Houser echoes these sentiments. "Our athletes know when you're catering to them versus when you're really challenging them. They can learn like everybody else - they see they can do what everybody else can do."

In addition to support from SOTX, the Houser's have had a great deal of encouragement from their local community. From golf professionals, to retail store and driving range owners, the Houser's have received generous offers from all over Fort Worth. "Various people around the community support the boys and the team a great deal," Jim Houser explains. "A retail golf store owner gives the athletes clubs, balls, and gloves, while a local golf professional will be traveling with us to the state competition to see how it all works in preparation for implementing his own tournament. It's amazing how many doors will open if you just ask."

As for Erik, Kristofer, and Andrew, they continue to participate in their other favorite activities when not on the links. All of the boys enjoy swimming, cycling, hiking, and fishing. Despite not spending hour after hour on the driving range, it appears as though their golf learning curve has been particularly steep, as they have already picked up an important theme of the game. "Driving is fun - I like to hit the ball a long way," Kristofer admits. "But I know the short shots count as much as the long shots."

The Houser's involvement in golf has affected the family in many ways. For Jim Houser, it has taught him a great deal about determination and willpower. "I wish I had the ability to try as hard as my athletes do," said Houser. "They try so, so hard to accomplish the task, to please the coach, and to please themselves." Kristina Houser has simply enjoyed watching her sons accomplish their goals on a daily basis. "It is such a genuine thrill when they do something - they're excited for themselves, they're excited for others. It's a real joy that is absent from our mature, normal culture . . . genuine emotion that's almost overwhelming." For Erik, Kristofer, and Andrew, the game of golf is just a lot of fun.

Sounds like the students have now become the teachers.

For more information about Special Olympics Texas, go to www.sotx.org