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COMMITTED TO COLLEGE / ALUMNI

MEET SOME OF OUR ALUMNI 
“It has been a pleasure to coach junior golfers from when they just pick up a club for the first time to when a player decides to make that commitment to take their game to the Collegiate Level. I have learned as much if not more from my students as they have learned from me. I am proud to have been their coach at one point or another or since day 1 until today. Congrats to all of you for your hard work and dedication to improving your game! “- Chris Smeal, PGA and Founder of Future Champions Golf

 

  • Courtney Hooton – Harvard
  • Chloe Belle Hooton – Harvard
  • Texie June Petchel – UNLV
  • Nahum Mendoza – SDSU  (PGA Tour Latin America Tour, Played in the Palmer Cup)

  • Jonah Texeira – USC  (Semi-Finalist US Amateur Championship)
  • Ryan Odom – CSU San Marcos (Mulitple College Victories)
  • Otto Vanhatalo – SDSU
  • Bobby Gojuangco – USC (Assistant Coach at USC Mens Golf)
  • Danny Ochoa – USC
  • Stephen Watson – Cal Baptist  (Multiple College Victories)
  • Tyler Moore – U of A
  • Haley Moore – U of A (Made winning Putt at 2018 NCAA Women’s College Golf National Championship)
  • Jessica Mangrobang – Gonzaga
  • Cara Barker – Texas Tech
  • Timmy Davis – Emory
  • William Wells – TSU
  • Maddelyn Zack – Oakland University
  • Daniela Martinez – Central Oklahoma
  • April Ranches – SDSU
  • Skyler Hong – ASU
  • Griffin Tso – Chapman
  • Carlos Kim – Lehigh

  • Garrett Cypher – SDSU
  • Stacey Rayo – CSU San Marcos
  • Kathleen Crossley – Point Loma Nazarene
  • Carter Pool – San Jose State
  • David Watson – Central College
  • Sean Hickey – University of Rochester
  • Luis Calderon – CSU Northridge
  • Tavit Garabedian – CSU Northridge
  • Gianna Waddy – CSU Monterey Bay
  • Cecelia DeMatteo – Tulane
  • Sydney Cozier – Claremont Mudd Scripps
  • Charlie Magruder – Gonzaga
  • Kevin Cline – CSU San Marcos
  • Glennon Waters – Navy
  • Eric Peng – WestPoint
  • Jennifer Peng – Yale
  • Caitlin Farley – Cal Poly Slo
  • Mikayla Fitzpatrick – Xavier University
  • Zihao Jin – SDSU

  • Eliza Lozano – Regis University
  • Annika Espino – University of Albany
  • Monica Matsubara – Northwestern
  • Leo Oyo – SDSU  (AJGA Wyndham Cup Participant)
  • Angela Ding – Lehigh University
  • Jack Geise – St. Bonaventure  (Collegiate Winner)
  • Waverly Whiston – Tennessee
  • Nicole Whiston – Tennessee
  • Joey Vrzich – Pepperdine, University of Nevada Reno
  • Matthew Mendes – UCSD
  • Jackie Garcia – IWU
  • Shane Muldowney – UC Davis
  • Brooklyn Van Bebber – University of Montana
  • Justin Vrzich – Cal State San Marcos
  • Andrea Gomez – UC Davis
  • Yuki Moriyama – University of Oregon
  • Daniel Kim – CSU San Marcos
  • Blake Petchel – Cal State Fullerton
  • Jaycie Stewart – Dallas Baptist
  • Stephanie Heimler – Eastern Washington
  • Gilda Castellanos – CSU San Marcos

  • David Brewer – Williams College
  • Catalin Yturralde – Williams College
  • Mia Hernandez – Cal State San Marcos
  • Franchesca Garcia – Menlo College
  • Eric Doyle – Oregon
  • Hannah Jugar – University of Redlands
  • Ivanna Montemayor – Gonzaga University
  • Cole Wilczek – Odessa College
  • Venecia Zaia – UNC Asheville
  • Mariana Rosette – Portland State
  • Kelly Chinn – Duke University
  • Rose Baral – UAB
  • Alex Kopenhaver – University of Texas at Tyler
  • Kaila Higgins – Chapman University / CSU San Marcos
  • Crista Izuzquiza – University of North Carolina
  • Una Chou – University of British Columbia
  • Meghan Royal – University of Arkansas
  • Melanie Reyes – Biola University
  • Inigo Izuizquiza – UNLV
  • Annika Yturralde – Creighton University
  • Rei Harashima – UC Irvine
  • John Vrzich – Sierra Nevada University
  • Carissa Freeman – Cal State Los Angeles
  • Isabella Ranches – Long Beach State University
  • Easton Phillips – Central Michigan
  • Phillip Yturralde – Central Michigan

***Sorry if our staff forgot anyone! Please message us! info@futurechampionsgolf.com

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Success Stories & Testimonials

Dear Chris,

How can Rida and I thank you and Antrone and Future Champions Golf for being one of the main ingredients in helping Carissa get a scholarship to play golf in college. It was around 2010 when someone told me that you had started a golf program for Juniors. At that time, both Erica and Carissa were involved in softball, and I wanted them to get involved in golf as well. So, I found out where you were located at Stadium Golf and went down there to pay you a visit one night. Carissa was eight and Erica was seven. I told you I didn’t know if they would like golf and was worried about spending money on clubs for them both. I don’t know if you recall, but you said “let me see if I can find some clubs somewhere”. The very next day you sent me an email informing me you had found some. So, I scheduled lessons with you for the girls and when we showed up you gave each one of them a set of what looked like brand-new junior golf clubs and bags. And then they started lessons.

So, they would get lessons with you individually and have fun with group lessons with Antrone playing goofy games down on the putting green. Then they started playing in tournaments.

As time went on and the girls got a little better you suggested that we go to the Las Vegas tournament because it was a lot of fun. And you were right. We stayed at the Casino, went to a show, ate a nice steak one night, and made a short family vacation out of it. From then on, we have gone to Phoenix, Santa Barbara, Palm Desert, and Temecula. We made these tournaments short family vacations, more than just playing golf. Without Future Champions Golf Tournaments, these vacations would have never happened.

As you know, both girls were outstanding softball players and Carissa actually won Defensive Player of the Year as a freshman playing shortstop. However, she seemed to be improving all the time at golf and getting better little by little with your teaching and encouragement. I’ve always told people how I am impressed that you can give a lesson and take just one or two things from that lesson and fix her swing. You make it simple and understanding which is one of your strongest attributes.

With your help she made CIF all four years and this year won Player of the Year for the Grossmont High School School District. She missed going to Pasadena this year as one of the 12 individuals by one stroke. The one course she played on she had never played before, it being a private course, but many of the other school districts got to play that course and were familiar with it because that course is designated course that those leagues play on.

The coach from Cal State Los Angeles, Rida and I are impressed with, and I think she will find their schedule exciting as well as traveling to hotels and playing with a new group of girls. Again, because of you, Antrone and Future Champions Golf you made this possible.

Carissa will be seeing you shortly for more lessons after Thanksgiving.

As John Wooden said, “The coach is first of all a teacher” and a GREAT teacher you are.

Thank you, Mitch and Rida

“Chris Smeal has been my Coach since I was 6 years old! Along with my younger sister Isabella who has also been with Coach Chris since she was 5. We are 15 and 11 now. He was just so welcoming to myself and my family and he has an amazing connection with kids. I was so shy and quiet when I was younger but he always made me feel comfortable and I was always so excited and happy to come back and let him teach me. Golf has been a new adventure for my family and I and to be honest we had no idea what to do or what to expect, but Chris has guided us through this process and still is! My game wouldn’t be nearly this improved without the great teaching and philosophy of Chris Smeal and we are so thankful! Most importantly Chris genuinely cares about the improvement and development of our skills along with how we grow and develop into respectful and successful adults. He not only teaches us the fundamentals of the game, but also the life lessons that can be learned through playing this game. Chris really is the man and he can improve your golf game with every lesson! He keeps the game fun and has mastered the art of being a motivating but never too serious to be around Coach! He absolutely does wonders and is the number one golf instructor around!” -April R

Bobby Gojuangco FCG Member since age 10 Now plays for USC College Golf Team

Bobby Gojuangco
FCG Member since age 10
Now plays for USC College Golf Team

“I don’t know if we ever told you how much we enjoyed Tyler playing on your tour. The competition was instrumental in his making the UCSB golf team. Thank you and you staff for everything.” –Alan Zaentz

“Thank you for your putting lesson. Those 30-Minutes have allowed me to shoot numbers I haven’t imagined. I shot two 67’s in one week aincluding my 9-Hole low of 30. Thanks.”
– 
Bobby Gojuangco

“Celia is taking Alex down for his last lesson today. I just wanted to thank you for working with him the past few years. You’ve been a great coach as well as example for him- he always quotes you when we’re out playing. He’s really grown a lot with his approach to the game. In fact we think you should move to Dallas as well. We’ll definitely be looking up the FCG tournaments in Texas. Please pass along our best to Antrone. He’s a true professional as well.” –John W. Kopenhaver

Mr. 59 - Al Geighberger Players meet at 2012 FCG World Championship

Mr. 59 – Al Geighberger
Players meet at 2012 FCG World Championship

“Avery did it. She won player of the year for the Phoenix Spring seaon. After we saw you for the chipping and pitching lesson she took first place in every tournament that followed. She said “thank you Chris” during every round. Austin shot his personal best last week. He broke out of the 80’s and shot a 79. He came back from a triple and a double bogey on the front 9.” –Andrea and Ron

“Thank you Chris! He is very excited and we are very proud of him. I am thankful that we found Bryan a good coach. It was very important that I found a coach that is very passionate and truly cares about there students and their progression. Bryan may have told you but prior to you he had a handful of lessons because I didn’t think they truly had his best interest. You truly have it all from what I see. Thank you!” –Karl Dreis

“Thanks to you and FCG it helped me reached one of my goals which was to play college golf! I hope all the best!!!” -Spencer Soosman

“Great programs and tournaments for aspiring golfers! Our daughter just won the Girls All Star Division 2 day event at Woods Valley Golf Club in San Diego! Her experiences with this Tour have helped her gain confidence and she has really improved her game, so much that she was recruited to play on SDSU’s womens golf team in the fall! Thanks Chris and all for all you do for the kids!” –Debbie Lynn

“Rei has been taking lessons from Chris for 4 years! Chris has been not only a great instructor but wonderful mentor. He doesn’t just teach how to swing, chip and putt. He teaches kids how to be mentally strong on the course and to have fun.”

My son says, “coach Chris is so cool and makes golf so much fun! Chris has a magic that he can fix things right away.”

“My son is improving his game and has been in Junior World for three times. Mostly, we are happy that he enjoys playing golf so much!”

“Thanks to Chris! He is the best coach!!!”

“I started playing with the Future Champions organization in 2010 as fifteen-year-old. I opted to play in this organization because they had longer courses which would better prepare myself for collegiate golf. In 2010, the organization was very new, making me one of few girls playing in my age group. Those few girls that I played with ended up becoming my golf group of friends. We would practice together as friends and compete as friends. I am still very close friends with some of these girls that endured the early stages of FCG with me. Future Champions provided me with many opportunities over the years; ultimately providing me with the skills to play Division 1 golf at Portland State. I have since moved back to San Diego and am now an Assistant Pro at Fairbanks Ranch CC, as well as a coach for the FCG Junior Academy. The opportunity to coach side by side with Chris Smeal has opened my mind to new techniques and a different teaching perspective. It is such a pleasure to work with the kids allowing me to give my knowledge of the game and the experience they have to look forward to, to them. They are the one’s going to grow the game and Future Champions has allowed me to grow myself as a junior and now to teach and facilitate growth from the juniors today.” Alyssa Waite

“Before we moved in San Diego and met Chris Smeal in January 2012, my 12-year-old son Zihao had experienced 5 coaches since he started learning golf when he was 6. After one year of learning from Chris, I have realized his strengths and value when compared with my sons’ former coaches who are all good coaches in one way or the other. Chris has combined almost all of the others’ strengths. I feel in my heart that he has REAL passion, constant endeavor and enough seriousness in helping his students and digging out their potential. His teaching method is practical and insightful, never boring students or losing students confidence and inner self by comparing their swing with other famous pros’ swing in every detail. In addition, he himself is a competitive player and still plays tournaments nowadays. This makes him offer fresh, practical tournament strategies and better understandings to advanced junior tour players. He keeps thinking and writing various articles and tips for players, sharing his wisdom in the game of golf. He also has a positive learning attitude, keeping in attending PGA seminars and making sure he acquires the most advanced knowledge in this industry. Furthermore, he sharply observes the individual characteristics of his students, then teaches and communicates with them accordingly. Most importantly, he cares about the integrity of his students’ long-term development and stresses the importance of balance, guiding them to develop well as a whole person not merely a golfer. In sum, he is the best combination coach for advanced junior tour players in our experiences so far. My son has improved much in many aspects, and will continuously learn from him for sure.”
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