John Scott Senz has strong connection to Napa Valley College men's golf program
Photos: Napa Valley College head coach Bob Freschi, left, and John Scott Senz, a former NVC golfer.
By MARTY JAMES
AMERICAN CANYON – For the last four years, John Scott Senz has taken time to travel to Napa County to see coach Bob Freschi and the Napa Valley College men's golf team.
"It brings a smile to my face every time I see him," Freschi said after a Big 8 Conference North Division tournament at Chardonnay Golf Club & Vineyards, the Storm's home course, last week. "Terrific young man. What an experience he had here for us. He just enlightened our whole team."
Senz played the 2020 and 2021 seasons for Napa Valley. Senz, who was born with cerebral palsy, kept going in the game.
He signed a national letter-of-intent with The College of Idaho and is playing on the Coyotes golf team. The College of Idaho, located in Caldwell, Idaho, is a private school and is a member of the NAIA and Cascade Collegiate Conference.
"He found a great program at the four-year level," said Freschi.
Senz is in his fourth year at The College of Idaho. A senior, he will graduate later this spring with a degree in business administration, with an emphasis is marketing, and plans to start a master's program in sports management, either at Saint Mary's College in Moraga, the University of San Francisco, Seattle University, Boise State or Gonzaga.
"His attitude is second to none," said Freschi. "He's going to grind it until he finishes the match. That's what we applaud with him and what he brings to our team, even now, is just a great smile, a great laugh," said Freschi.
Senz's two years at Napa Valley were big, as he gained more knowledge and experience and grew in the game of golf, competing in dual matches and tournaments.
As he looks back on those years at Napa Valley, Senz talks about all the support that Freschi provided for him.
"He was really the one that wanted me to come here and encouraged me and us every day, to just keep going," said Senz. "He just told us to strive to be our best. And that really led me to be able to go to a four-year school."
Napa Valley is in first place in the Big 8 North Division. There are five conference tournaments remaining for the Storm.
"It's been great getting to come back and see this year's team and to see (Coach Freschi)," said Senz. "The team looks great. (Coach Freschi's) got them on the right path. Just need to have them keep it going."
The College of Idaho plays at TimberStone Golf Course and Purple Sage Golf Course, both of which are in Caldwell, Idaho.
Senz said it's been a very rewarding experience playing for The College of Idaho. The Coyotes are in the NAIA's Cascade Collegiate Conference. Schools from Idaho, Oregon, Washington and Vancouver, B.C. are in the league.
"I've been around not only great players these past four years, but great people as well," he said.
Senz was diagnosed with left hemispheric cerebral palsy when he was about six months old.
Cerebral palsy, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at www.cdc.gov, is a group of disorders that affect a person's ability to move and maintain balance and posture. "CP is caused by abnormal brain development or damage to the developing brain that affects a person's ability to control their muscles. CP is the most common motor disability in childhood."
Senz was at a young age when he received physical therapy and occupational therapy for cerebral palsy.
He had his left leg surgically rebuilt in 2009 by Dr. Scott Hoffinger at Stanford.
Senz had reconstructive surgery on his left hand, at Shriners Hospitals for Children-Northern California in Sacramento in 2014, by Dr. Michele James to help with flexibility.
Senz is a 2019 graduate of Concord High School and played on the golf team all four years. He was a four-time first-team All-Diablo-Valley League selection. He played in two CIF North Coast Section qualifying events.
He played with The First Tee of the Tri-Valley and The First Tee of Contra Costa. He also played in tournaments with the Junior Golf Association of Northern California, Junior Tour of Northern California and Future Champions Golf Tour.
Senz won three consecutive Special Olympics of Northern California Regional Golf Tournament titles (2017-2019).
He has also placed in Amateurgolf.com events over the years. He won the Amateurgolf.com Christmas Classic at Del Monte Golf Course in Monterey in 2019.
"Just a grinder, what he's had to do throughout his career and with golfing, his whole life is to persevere," said Freschi. "For him to play the game of golf with his condition is remarkable. His attitude is phenomenal. He's going to be in my lineup no matter what he shoots. He can play the game."
Senz's home course is Contra Costa Country Club in Pleasant Hill. He assists the club with junior golf camps during the summer.
Senz plans to play in a qualifier for the 2025 U.S. Adaptive Open Championship on May 1 at Heritage Oaks Golf & Country Club, in Sarasota, Fla. There are eight qualifying sites for the U.S. Adaptive Open Championship, scheduled for Woodmont Country Club, in Rockville, Md., July 7-9.
"In its short existence, the U.S. Adaptive Open has already become one of the most inspirational championships in golf," the U.S. Golf Association said, at championships.usga.org.
The event, a national championship established by the USGA, is open to male and female professional and amateur golfers with a Handicap Index of 36.4 or less, and an eligible impairment confirmed by a WR4GD Pass, according to the USGA.
The U.S. Adaptive Open, according to a report, at www.usga.org, "will serve as the association's 15th national championship, joining such iconic longstanding events as the U.S. Open, U.S. Women's Open, U.S. Amateur and U.S. Women's Amateur. Champions of this new event will see their names recorded in the annals of golf history alongside many of the game's storied figures."
* Marty James is a freelance writer who makes his home in Napa. He retired on June 4, 2019 after spending 40 years as a sports writer, sports editor and executive sports editor for the Napa Valley Register, a daily newspaper in Napa County. He is a 1979 graduate of Sacramento State and a member of the California Golf Writers & Broadcasters Association. He was inducted into the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Hall of Fame in 2016, the Vintage High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2019, and the Napa High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2022.