Here is my posting on my visit in Atlanta with Olympian Dennis Berkholtz. He put me on the right track to capture the “Olympic Spirit of Golf.” I hope to do this sort of sharing with each person I meet and place I visit on the “Journey to Olympic Golf.” Let me know what you think, I want to take you along to Rio with me! (-: (Facebook Link, Andy Reistetter, 10/22/13)
Dennis Berkholtz, Olympic Team Handball & Coach
CLICK here to meet Olympian Dennis Berkholtz
CLICK here to learn about the Olympic Qualifying Process from Dennis Berkholtz
After a Farewell at TPC Sawgrass, the “Journey to Olympic Golf” started in Atlanta which hosted the Summer Games in 1996. I stopped there to capture the spirit of the 1996 Games and that is exactly what happened. I was hosted by 1972 Olympian Dennis Berkholtz who also was an Olympic Coach in 1976. His sport was Team Handball and he can thank Uncle Sam for pointing him in that direction. A gifted athlete, he was “All-Army” in four sports but became the “Forest Gump of Team Handball.” If you are like me, you are thinking American Handball, hitting a small rubber ball, usually in an indoor court, against a wall so that your opponent cannot return it. Team Handball, or Olympic or European Handball is different and played on a larger court with six outfielders and a goalie. You can pass the ball and the objective is to score by throwing the volleyball-sized ball into the goal of the other team.
CLICK here for Team Handball (Wiki)
CLICK here for the USA Team Handball Introductory Video
The videos I did with Dennis speak for themselves in terms of how to become an Olympian and what it means and feels like to be an Olympian. I had never personally known an Olympian before I met and spent a weekend with Dennis. All I can say is that it was a wonderful experience and I learned so much about the Olympic Spirit from this man. For the first stop on the “Journey to Olympic Golf” trying to define what the “Olympic Spirit is for Golfers” this was a huge first step and will put the rest of the 3-month odyssey in perspective. Thank you Dennis Berkholtz!