CHARLEVOIX — As a coach of multiple sports at the high school level, Doug Drenth knows plenty about pushing through adversity and getting better each and every day.
And everything he’s learned and taught his own athletes over decades has come into play for his own fight over the course of the calendar year.
Drenth has been in his own battle to keep on pushing through.
The fight began on Sunday, April 27 when the Charlevoix boys golf team van he was driving was involved in a head on collision with a fleeing suspect in a police chase.
It was about as wrong of a place to be at just the right moment. But, Drenth is just the kind of positive-minded and driven individual to push through months of hospital nights, rehab and a battle that keeps moving onward.
“Every day I’m just trying to get better,” Drenth said. “I go to physical therapy three days a week and just continue on. My left leg has a long ways to go, but it’s one of those things where I just want to continue to keep getting a little better every day. It’s one of those things that I just keep working at it.”
Drenth and the whole Charlevoix team have had a countless number of people in their corner throughout the process, with the entire golfing community around the state part of that.
This summer, the Michigan Interscholastic Golf Coaches Association named Drenth its Division 3 Coach of the Year.
“It’s an honor,” Drenth said. “It’s one of those things where Mr. (Bruce) Beaudoin deserves every bit of it as much as I ever would. I’m just thankful to have Bruce around me all the time. I’m thankful to the Association and the coaches that nominated me for that. But, I feel somewhat undeserving. If anything, it was Bruce to get the guys back going and back on the course and I’m just grateful for his presence.”
Communities around Northern Michigan rallied around the Rayder golf team and their recovery. Drenth had the longest stay at Munson Medical in Traverse City and did his best to follow along. When he finally made the trip home on June 13, he was shocked to hear of the scope. A GoFundMe page in support of medical relief raised over $285,000 alone.
“It’s been overwhelming,” he said. “It just shows the goodness in our society still. It shows how people step up and what people really care about. In a time where there’s a lot of divisiveness, this is pretty neat to see what people have done for the guys and myself. I feel very fortunate.
“I was pretty unaware of what people were doing for us until I came home and then I heard stories and I’m just amazed. The people stepping up and help from around the state, it’s been pretty amazing.”
What really brought Drenth joy was hearing about the athletes that made it back to the course this season that were involved in the accident. First it was Bryce Boss, Jackson Crouse and Landon Whisler, followed then by Emmet Bergmann in regionals. Brady Warchol, Joe Gaffney and Drenth’s son, Maxwell, were not able to get back during the year, though continue to improve every day.
“For them to go to the tee and continue to play is a tribute to them, to their resilience and for them to continue on is pretty amazing,” Drenth said. “What they went through, and I think about what they’re going through today and the rest of their lives. It’s a tribute to those guys and their families for sure. They showed so much strength and resiliency coming back.”
The whole team, including Beaudoin, made a recent visit to Drenth’s home for dinner, while checking in on their coach. It was another night that raised the spirit of Drenth.
“That was emotional for me and just really heartwarming to see that we’re all getting better and first and foremost that we’re all here,” he said. “Some are leaving for college and life continues. I’m fortunate.”
Drenth, who also coaches cross country at Charlevoix, is hoping for his own return to action this fall. While he’s not sure in what capacity or how he’ll follow the kids on course just yet, there’s no quit in Drenth figuring it out.
“I’m going to try to coach cross country,” he said. “I’d really love to be around the kids as much as possible because it gives me good, positive energy.”
One day at a time, Drenth is fighting on, something his athletes have taught him well.
You can follow Doug’s progress through his CaringBridge page and by searching Doug Drenth.
Contact or send game stats/info to Sports Editor Drew Kochanny at dkochanny@petoskeynews.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DrewKochanny, and Instagram, @drewkochanny
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Charlevoix’s Doug Drenth continues battle from Rayder golf team crash