Williams Tennent’s Andrew Kocher hasn’t let cerebral palsy keep him off the golf course. Photos courtesy of Geanine Jamison Photography. Visit the photo gallery for photos of the SOL Golf Championships. https://solsports.zenfolio.com/p484694315
By Ben Reese
Every golfer alive knows what a handicap is.
But for William Tennent senior Andrew Kocher, it is something entirely different.
You see, Andrew has cerebral palsy.
He has had it since birth, working to overcome it in all of his 17 years. And, at least on the golf course, he has battled it to a standstill.
In explanation (per Wikipedia), cerebral palsy is the most common motor disability of childhood. It is a group of disorders that affect a person’s ability to move and maintain balance and posture.
“I’ve been playing golf since sophomore year,” he said while sitting out a rain delay at the Suburban One League boys’ championship at Five Ponds Golf Course in Warminster. “I used to play baseball, but I stopped because of my legs.”
Just the fact that he is out on the golf course, walking 18 holes, is proof enough of his dedication to the sport and to himself.
“I’m in pain 24-7,” he said. “My legs are, so I’m just out here playing.”
His coach for the Panthers, Fred DiChiara, is in awe of Andrew.
“It’s difficult for him to walk 18 holes,” DiChiara said. “He does not complain. He always has a smile on his face.”
While Andrew might not be the best golfer on the William Tennent team, he does have the qualities of a leader.
“He’s up here (at Five Ponds) all the time,” said DiChiara. “He works his butt off.
“You can see it doesn’t come easy. It’s hard work. He’s got to be careful with his balance.”
According to DiChiara, Andrew has something that the coach has seen in several of the golfers on the team in years past.
“I give a lot of credit to other kids,” the coach said. “Colin Walsh graduated three years ago, and he was a worker.
“He passed it on to Stephen Skiba, who graduated two years ago, who is a worker, and they passed it on to Andrew. I’m hoping that Andrew will pass it on to other kids.
“That’s what you need from teams. There is a lot to be said for the legacy that athletes leave.
“It’s not just on the scoreboard or on the record book. It’s the stuff like work ethic and attitude.”
Andrew doesn’t consider himself handicapped or special.
“I wouldn’t say special, no,” he said. “I’m just out here playing golf.”
However, as DiChiara tells it, he is special to more than just his teammates and his coaches.
“Other kids have reacted great to him,” DiChiara said. “I remember once where he was playing over at Yardley on a hot day; a kid from Pennsbury was playing with him.
“I checked in on Andrew about the fourth or fifth hole. I said, ‘How’s it going?’ And the kid from Pennsbury piped up in a very nice way and said, ‘I told him I’d carry his bag too if he wants me to.’
“We ended up playing them five or six days later. Andrew hit a nice shot and I told him ‘Nice shot’ and the kid from Pennsbury, the same kid, goes ‘He’s gotten better in a week.’
“You can see other kids root for him. It’s contagious. Other coaches see what Andrew is like and they’re rooting for him too.”
Andrew is hoping to attend West Chester University after he graduates from high school. He is aiming at become a teacher.
“I want to go to West Chester,” he said. “I want to teach. I’m going to try (to play golf), but I don’t know if I’ll make it.”
According to DiChiara, if he doesn’t make the team as a player, the coach should look to get him with the team in some capacity.
“I’d love to see him around sports teams one way or another because his attitude is so great,” DiChiara said. “If I were a coach, I would want him there helping out, just to show other kids how inspiring he is.”
While Andrew is a member of the Tennent team, his golf game is not perfect. He, like just about all golfers, has some flaws in his game.
When asked what the best part of his golf game was, he said his putting. His worst: distance.
“I think (cerebral palsy) hurts his distance,” said DiChiara. “I think he’s maybe getting 75 percent of the distance of other kids.”
And, while he is allowed to use a pushcart, he still walks the course carrying his bag.
“There’s not a lot of difference from carrying it,” said Andrew.
Asked if that was a macho thing, he laughed and said “Yeah.”
DiChiara has a favorite story about Andrew playing a round at Tennent’s home course of Five Ponds.
“He was walking up to the ninth hole and adjusting his bag as he crossed a bridge,” DiChiara said. “The bag shifted, and he lost his balance and literally fell into the creek. Some clubs spilled out.
“One of the things I really remember is we had a kid on the team who had struggled in school with behavioral issues. He’d really matured. He was sitting next to me on the hill, and he sprinted down before I even saw what happened. He went down to help Andrew. That’s what Andrew brings out in kids.
“I went down, he brushed himself off and I asked him a couple of times if he was OK. On the last time (I asked), he sighed and said, ‘I deal with this every day.’ That’s the only time I’ve seen him a little down. He’s making the decision every day to have a great attitude. He wants to live a full life and no excuses.
“It makes you think about when you think you are having a bad day and you see him and think (to yourself) ‘Hey moron, you have nothing to complain about. If this kid can handle what he’s handling, you can handle what you’re dealing with.’ He’s just a super kid.”
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