Elite, competitive, gritty, healthy competitors are made; they are not managed into existence. Tomorrow’s generation of athletes will be made primarily by the good judgment and keen discrimination of parents, mentors, and coaches. None of these will be more important than the wisdom of the home. Time and Patience are the two primary ingredients of wisdom. Inside these pages you will find a coach of young athletes in golf for the past twenty years. He will give you researched facts the he applies to young athletes and their teams. The secret is to recognize the difference between intention and emphasis and how to apply it appropriately and consistently. You will also find the untold story of one young athlete that grew into a FIVE-time champion on the PGA Tour and a Ryder Cup hero. You will be able to see behind the curtain of a world-class career and the important role played by those that surround and nurture the athlete. These two, a coach and an athlete, do not wish to persuade you; but instead they wish to push you to think. This is more than a great story or entertaining read. It is an approach, a mindset, and a guide that you will use to define, create, and apply to your young athlete. All heroes need a guide and sometimes that guide has ONLY ONE SHOT. This book is dedicated to you, the guide.

"VJ is one of the world's foremost experts on the long-term development of junior golfers. His book provides a roadmap for optimizing a junior golfers' performance.  I think this is a must-read for junior golfers and their parents."  

As many as two hundred players have come through Trolio’s junior golf program at Old Waverly Golf Club in West Point, Mississippi, for short- or long-term instruction and have gone on to play Division 1 golf. Four are currently on the men’s or women’s pro tour at some level.“The road to being average is much easier than that of being a competitor. Many young adults can get lost in the process. They can begin to think that frustration, setbacks, and difficulties along the way were not faced by other competitors. The reality is that the road to becoming a champion has many hills and valleys. Setting outcome or performance goals without process goals is simply incomplete and can lead to immense frustration. “Trolio reflects.“If we can help our kids set goals and let them be their goals and stay away from comparisons, we will do a better job as parents, coaches, friends,” he continues. “So often you hear ‘well he shot two under and you were four over’ or something like that. I have to remind myself all the time that’s not the approach,” Trolio continues.“We are all given different gifts so when we compare ourselves to others or our kids to others, we are doing a disservice. We just need to teach them to be the best they can be, not the best someone else is or wants them to be,” he states. “Youth sports is about love and learning from mistakes and the joy of playing. It’s important to give our junior golfers time and space to realize that and let them bring up the subjects,” he recounts of his own experience as a father, coach, and instructor.Time is spent teaching the juniors not only what to practice but how to practice, not only how to hit a particular shot but also when to use it on the course, not only how to succeed but also the behaviors that will lead to the successful mindset on and off the course."