Men's Golf

Drotter Previews 2016 Season

Drotter Previews 2016 Season
Posted: Jan 21, 2016

FULLERTON, Calif. – Less than a week away from the start of the 2016 season, seventh-year director of golf and men's head golf coach Jason Drotter spoke with FullertonTitans.com about his outlook for the spring.

The Titans open the season at the Arizona Intercollegiate on Friday at Sewailo Golf Club, playing in an event that is known for its challenging course as well as its talented field.

Drotter's roster includes nine underclassmen, four of which are true freshmen. During the fall, the Titans opened the season with a strong third-place result at the Itani Quality Homes Collegiate in Pullman, Wash., but ended the calendar year with back-to-back 10th-place finishes.

FullertonTitans.com: What was your evaluation of the team following the fall, and what things did the team work on as the spring season approached?

Jason Drotter: Our evaluation was mixed. We did some good things and we did some not so good things. Overall, I think we played below our potential, but the good news is that the freshmen played well in the fall, and our future is bright. Our older players played below their potential, so we are expecting better performances in the spring. In order to prepare for the spring, we completed a deep analysis identifying our weaknesses from the fall and developed a plan to attack those weaknesses.
FT: Your squad has a majority of underclassmen this year. What have you been working on with the newcomers to prepare for the season, and can you tell us about the young talent that you have on the roster?
JD: I think the biggest thing we worked on is the transition to becoming a collegiate athlete. The structure is more in depth than what the freshmen are used to. Managing academics and athletics can be overwhelming to the newcomers.

In addition to adjusting to their academics, young players have to learn to increase their level of play and manage their game a little bit better. In college, players have to learn to make choices that are statistically better; making sure the reward is worth the risk. We have four freshmen, all of which are very good, and two who played all fall and performed very well. We have high hopes and big expectations.

FT: You'll be starting the spring with difficult competition at the Arizona Intercollegiate on Jan. 29. Can you tell Titan fans what the team will be working on over its last few days of practice and preparation?

JD: Right now we are trying to determine who will travel. On the golf courses that we have access to, we are playing the most difficult courses they have. On the course in Arizona, you have to be precise off the tee and around the greens. We are focusing on those areas recognizing it's a challenging golf course and a strong field.

FT: A highlight of the schedule each year is hosting the Folino Invitational Presented by Microsemi Corporation. How much do you and the student-athletes enjoy having a home tournament each year.

JD: It's a very special event. Our namesake, Paul Folino, is the biggest donor to our team and helped us restart the program, so it's a very important event for us. Although it's a lot of work, it's very rewarding to know we can host a high-level event and bring 10 schools out and give them a challenging test of golf.

FT: The Big West Championship will be played at Wood Ranch Golf Course this year, a venue you and your team are very familiar with. How will the spring schedule help prepare your team for the conference championship?

JD: We are very familiar with Wood Ranch Golf Course. I think we have the knowledge to prepare very well for that golf course and the conference championship. The course has specific challenges and things you may not see on other courses. The fact that we are familiar gives us the ability to prepare properly, but it comes down to hard work and effort, and if we put in the time, we should be very competitive.

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