Midland golf coach receives National Coach of the Year award

(Story by the Midland Reporter-Telegram)

Longtime Midland College golf coach Delnor Poss was honored on Tuesday with the prestigious Dave Williams National Coach of the Year Award.

Poss was one of six golf coaches from different levels of competition around the nation to receive the award. The University of Texas' John Fields, Saint Leo's (NCAA Div. II) Chris Greenwood, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps' (NCAA Div. III) Bim Jollymour, Oklahoma City's (NAIA) Kyle Blaser and Kirkwood's (National Junior College Athletic Association Div. II) Darin Pint were also recognized by the Golf Coaches Association of America.

The coaches will be presented with their awards during the Hall of Fame Banquet at the GCAA National Convention on Dec. 12.

This season, Poss guided the Chaps on a memorable run to a third-place finish in their 29th appearance at the NJCAA Div. I National Tournament in Melbourne, Florida. En route to nationals, the team also captured the Western Junior College Athletic Conference championship as well as the NJCAA Region V Tournament title for the first time since 2008.

Poss said he was deeply honored to receive the award for the first time and said it's a great accomplishment for the Chaps' program. He credited quite a list of individuals -- particularly Martha, his wife of 62 years and longtime assistant coach Brian Gilley -- for their support of he and the program over his 39 and a half seasons with the Chaparrals.

"I was just flabbergasted," Poss said. "We had a great year this year. You can't do it without the current and former players who are so supportive. My wife is my No. 1 supporter. She has been the wind beneath my wings. There are so many moving parts to what we (the Chaps) do. It's just a special feeling."

This season was the 14th time the Chaps finished third or higher at the national tournament. The program has four national championships in its history (1992, 1995, 2006 and 2008).

Midland finished the year ranked No. 2 nationally in the Bushland Golfweek Coaches' Poll.