The team hosts the Cougar Classic tournament this month
Born: Goldsboro, North Carolina
Lives: Hanahan with his wife and tournament coordinator, Michelle, and two dogs
Family Biz: His son, Tyler, works at CofC as a game operations and facilities assistant, while daughter, Kylie, is a graduate assistant track and field coach at North Greenville University
Hobbies: “Golf used to be my hobby, but now, I decompress by working on my yard. I love growing roses.”
As head coach of the College of Charleston women’s golf program, Jamie Futrell hits the green with his team for three to four hours a day, five days a week. And that’s just for practice. He says his short game also includes work as “a sports psychologist, travel agent, bus driver, recruiter, and more.” But his success lies in the strong relationships he shares with his players and coaching staff.
While he’s teeing up for his 29th season with the Cougars, Futrell actually began his coaching career in baseball at his alma mater, Charleston Southern University. “We didn’t have a very good record,” he laughs. So with a two handicap and a few amateur tournaments on his scorecard, Futrell decided to take a swing at coaching golf. Three decades later, winning tournaments has become par for the course, and he’s driven his Division 1 team to six conference championships. As Futrell heads into a new season, we caught up with the five-time winner of the Colonial Athletic Association’s Coach of the Year award.
CM: What’s your coaching style?
JF: Laid-back; I don’t overcoach. I prepare my team, then let them play. My biggest strength comes from my baseball days. I was an underdog who got cut, then came back to make the team. As a coach, I can make a kid believe that, at that moment, they’re equal to or better than whomever they’re playing. I’m competitive in that way.
CM: What’s been the biggest moment of your career?
JF: The 2006 Southern Conference championship; we hadn’t yet won a championship, and Furman had been almost unbeatable for a decade. Our players that year had one goal. When Angie Hill birdied the final hole, it felt like the pinnacle. Of course, as a program, we’ve been in the top 100 for 29 years (few schools can say that) and earned the highest GPA four of the past five years (we recruit character kids that get their stuff done). But when I really look back, the most rewarding part of coaching is watching these kids come in at 18, grow up over four years, and leave as young adults.
CM: How’s the upcoming season looking?
JF: I think we have an extremely good chance to win the conference and go to regionals. The girls are playing really well. We have great newcomers joining some of the best returners in the school’s history. Plus, we start the season on our home turf hosting the Cougar Classic.
CM: Tell us about the tournament.
JF: The 20th annual Cougar Classic (September 9 and 10) brings schools from every Power Five conference among others to Yeamans Hall Club. Thanks to our donors, we’re able to make it one of the best tournaments in the nation. Yeamans Hall gives the ambience of Augusta, and players are treated as full members of an exclusive club. The event is key to getting the schedule we want as a mid-major team because we get reciprocals [invitations] when those Power Five teams host tournaments.
