Kavan Eubank, freshman undeclared major, lines up his putt on the first hole during practice at the Victoria Golf Club in Riverside. The golf teams have competed in three invitationals so far this season. Spencer Findlay | Banner
For some who play for recreational purposes, golf is just a sport, but for others it is a way of life. For one California Baptist University student, it is not only a way of life, but also a dream he followed and pursued overseas.
Kavan Eubank, freshman undeclared major, was born in Texas and moved to Japan at 3 years old, where he lived for 15 years with his parents and two brothers. His father was stationed there with the U.S. military.
“It was definitely different over in Japan. Everything was a lot smaller, but things were nicer and cleaner,” Eubank said. “My family has always been golf-oriented. I started playing when I was 3. I have two younger brothers who both play golf. We even had a putt-putt course in my house back in Japan.”
Eubank took his talents to the International Managing Group Academy high school and boarding school for young athletes in Bradenton, Florida. It is a prestigious sports school where athletes such as Raury McElroy and Tim Tebow visit and speak regularly.
John Hackney, head coach of the men’s golf team at CBU, said IMG is the reason Eubank is now a CBU athlete. He was discovered there.
“I have a friend out there, so I go and visit every year to scout,” Hackney said. “I saw that Kavan is a tremendous ball striker and has great length. He’s a very seasoned player who has no fear and sometimes tries to knock down the flag stick, which is very special. When I confronted him about a scholarship to California Baptist University, he took the deal right on the spot.”
Eubank said he enjoys being a student at CBU.
“Coach Hackney confronted me and told me all about California Baptist, so I flew over here and loved the campus, so I signed,” Eubank said. “I really love how small the classes are because we can talk to the teachers and have a lot of one-on-one. As for golf, we’re practicing every day and we just played 36 holes last weekend. I think we’re going to be pretty good this year.”
Hackney said he is also hopeful that it will be a good year for the team.
“We have a lot of young talent, and out of those young guys there is a lot of leadership,” Hackney said. “I believe that we will be one of the top teams in the nation when this season is over.”
For Eubank, his only difficult experiences come through communication with his family back home in Japan. With golf and college mixed with the different time zones, sometimes it can be difficult to talk to everyone at home.
Although it has been a difficult adjustment to live far from his family, Eubank said he feels at home while he is playing his favorite sport, and attending a university he enjoys helps him stay focused and determined to be the best golfer he can be.
