January 29, 2026 Local Stories in and Around St. Joseph, Illinois

Five Question Friday with SJO Golf Coach Jeff Kern

How cool is it for the team to do so well at the regional tournament?
It was awesome for the team to do so well at Regionals.
We only missed first by six stokes which is amazing.
We have come a long way and other teams know we are there to play when we show up.
    
 What was it like for you, both as a dad and a coach, to see Jacob win the regional?
I will never forget that moment when he walked off of the 18th green at Regionals.   It’s pretty hard to explain what was going through my head but I have a picture that someone took us shaking hands and hugging and I am going to have that on my desk forever.    I’ve seen the hard work that he has put into it so I knew he was capable. At one point he was two under par but he did not realize he was four or five strokes in the lead too.  When you are shooting that well, it is a very stressful place to be because mentally, you are trying to stay there and know that the competitors are hoping you don’t.  Golf is unusual because there are no time outs, no substitutions, and once you start, you are on your own. 
Jacob does a great job keeping calm when he plays, it’s really hard to tell how he is doing unless you are really watching him play.  Seeing it play out the way it did was amazing, we are very proud of him.


  How much progress has the team made from the first meet back in August to now?
The team has made amazing progress.  Scores have been good this season and the boys played well when it counted.  I think most importantly their confidence has improved this season and they know they have great potential.   


 How much do you think this outcome will help the program moving forward?
Hopefully the success we have had will draw more people into Golf at SJO. 
We really need to keep people involved if we want to continue to move forward.


 Why do you like coaching golf at SJO?
Coaching Golf at SJO has been an honor and something I don’t take lightly.  I really enjoy just being apart of the team and providing opportunities for kids to play.
 

Banner
Related Posts

Meyer, Knott shine in Rantoul for Spartans

April 10, 2019

April 10, 2019

Two trips to Rantoul in a three-day span produced some quality performances from the St. Joseph-Ogden High School boys’ track...

SJO falls to Charleston

April 9, 2021

April 9, 2021

—-CHARLESTON—- The St. Joseph-Ogden Spartans varsity football team traveled out of conference on Thursday night, and was defeated 56-14 by...

Immke, Martinie help power SJO softball to five-game win streak

April 18, 2022

April 18, 2022

The St. Joseph-Ogden High School softball team is finding its rhythm.And picking up plenty of wins in the process.The Spartans...

Wells, Armstrong help balanced Spartans to strong showing in Illini Prairie

March 11, 2021

March 11, 2021

Performing well in conference games is about the best outcome a high school basketball team can consider during this pandemic-abbreviated...

Spartans hope to raise the bar

August 27, 2021

August 27, 2021

By Jim Cotter St. Joseph-Ogden football hopes raise the bar this season.Last season, the Spartans finished 2-4. The Spartans are...

Red-hot SJO volleyball faces St. Teresa for regional championship

October 28, 2021

October 28, 2021

The St. Joseph-Ogden High School volleyball team concluded August with an impressive three-set win at St. Teresa. If the Spartans...

SJO baseball hits 20-win mark, pushes win streak to four games

May 10, 2019

May 10, 2019

Every year Josh Haley has coached the St. Joseph-Ogden High School baseball team, the Spartans have won at least 20...

Dukeman leads Spartans to victory

April 5, 2019

April 5, 2019

Eight games. Eight wins so far for the St. Joseph-Ogden High School softball team. The Spartans carry an 8-0 mark...

Mattsey, Plotner key strong starts for SJO cross-country

September 10, 2019

September 10, 2019

The Chrisman Cow Chip Classic features seven different waves of runners. Run over a pasture near Chrisman High School, hence...

Getting to know SJO football Captain Aidan McCorkle

October 29, 2022

October 29, 2022

We asked the SJO football team captains five questions. Here are Aidan McCorkle’s responses. Why is being a team captain...

SJO girls’ basketball looks to bounce back against Tuscola

November 29, 2021

November 29, 2021

Playing the Paris girls’ basketball team is always a challenge, with the Tigers as one of the premier small-school programs...

Mabry clocks top time for SJO boys’ cross-country during Spartan Classic victory

October 1, 2021

October 1, 2021

The St. Joseph-Ogden High School boys’ cross-country team has already run on a variety of courses during the first month...

Showdown at BHRA on tap for SJO boys’ basketball

December 16, 2024

December 16, 2024

The St. Joseph-Ogden and Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin boys’ basketball teams are familiar with each other. That’s because the two tradition-rich programs typically...

Izard, SJO boys’ basketball rolls in postseason opener

February 26, 2020

February 26, 2020

It wasn’t even close. The St. Joseph-Ogden High School boys’ basketball team picked the perfect time for its most lopsided...

Plotner’s dedication to cross country pays off

October 4, 2019

October 4, 2019

Jillian Plotner works hard every day to be the best she possibly can be. St. Joseph-Ogden Cross Country Head coach...

Comments
Leave a Reply