HISTORY OF ST. JOE'S GOLF
Golf is considered a gentleman’s game, so it is surprising that it took St. Joe’s nearly a century to start a golf team for its young gentlemen. The school opened in 1861; the first golf team was formed in 1949, as part of the first Catholic High School golf league in New York. The initial team had just four members and was coached by Brother Christian, FSC. In 1952, Brother A. William, FSC, took over, and just two years later, the team won their first Western New York Catholic High School Championship, the first of three the team would win in a five-year span. In 
1970, the sport switched from the spring into a fall sport. In the fall of that year, the team won the Burke Championship, a feat that they would repeat in 1975. The team would win two more All Catholic titles, and churn out consistent winners in the 1980’s, but the fortunes really started to turn in 1989, with the hiring of Coach James Coleman. Under Coleman’s leadership, the team posted four consecutive one-loss seasons, winning three All Catholic titles in that span. After a short rebuilding period, the team showed remarkable consistency with three straight 10-2 seasons, the last of which, 1997, marked a Monsignor Martin League title. The team would win two more League titles in 1999 and 2000. Coleman departed in 2002, after never presiding over a losing season. The golf team has continued its success under Jack Herlan. In 2004, the team recorded a 12-2 record and participated in the Catholic Stats Championships. SJCI golfers look to live up to the standards of etiquette of golf; and to the high level of success that St. Joe’s strives for in all activities.
