2020 Senior Spotlight: Calvin Dillon

By Andy Brown
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Updated: May 18, 2020

Andy Brown / Louisburg Sports Zone

Louisburg Sports Zone will be running senior spotlights through April and May everyday (Monday through Friday) in an effort to honor seniors who had their seasons taken away due to the spread of COVID-19.

Today was supposed to be the day Calvin Dillon and the rest of the Louisburg golf team took to the course for the regional tournament, as they tried to qualify for their second consecutive state tournament appearance.

It was supposed to be the next step in Dillon’s quest for a fourth state medal and a shot at his – and the school’s – first state champion in golf. Dillon was one of eight seniors on the team this season and they were ready to go out with a bang.

“I couldn’t wait for this season to start,” Dillon said. “We all felt that we could punch another ticket to the state tournament and compete at a high level. With it being our senior year, we were extremely excited for one last season.”

Instead, Dillon can only be left wondering what could have been. There would be no chance at a fourth state medal, or a shot a state title – there would be no 2020 season.

The pandemic that is COVID-19 made sure of that as spring sports around the country were cancelled. The opportunity to not be able to compete with his teammates again was a tough one to swallow for Dillon and the rest of the Wildcats.

“A state title was my goal this year,” Dillon said. “Realistically, it’s been my goal every year. I am very happy to have three state medals, and I was ready to have one last go at the state tournament. To not get another shot at it is tough.

“It’s obviously hard. The cancellation of your last and best semester of high school is hard to cope with. But I know that there is more to this life than high school and its activities, although it is disappointing. Ultimately we are on this earth to glorify and serve God. He has a purpose for everything that he does and we need to put our faith in him.”

Golf has been a big part of Dillon’s life since he was young and it has showed during his play in high school and in summer tournaments. With his three state medals, Dillon is the most decorated golfer in Louisburg High School history.

Dillon won a regional title last season and is a two-time Frontier League champion. He has won 17 of the 28 high school tournaments he competed in, and last summer he won the Kansas City Junior Match Play Championship and had a top-10 finish at the Midwest Junior Championship.

His golf career certainly hasn’t ended as he signed with the University of Central Missouri earlier this month and he hopes to play in more amateur tournaments over the summer. It is a sport that helps him put those day-to-day worries behind him.

**Louisburg senior Calvin Dillon had already won three state medals and was ready to help the Wildcats to another state tournament appearance.**

“I have played golf for almost all my life,” Dillon said. “My dad put a club in my hand when I was a toddler and it’s been all downhill from there. I played in my first tournament when I was seven years old. Golf is a massive part of my life. A lot of my day to day schedule revolves around golf. Whether I’m happy or sad or any mood in between, I can always find joy on a golf course.”

Dillon experienced a lot of great moments playing for the Wildcats. Even with all the tournament wins and state medals, there is one moment that will stick with him forever.

“I have made so many good memories with this program and with the golfers in the Frontier League,” Dillon said. “I would have to say my favorite, however, was on a weekend match with Coach (Barry) O’Brien, Drake Varns and Garrett Rolofson. Drake and I were matched up against coach and Rolo in a best ball game at Metcalf Ridge. Drake and I were up by one with two holes to play. The 17th hole at Metcalf was about an 185-yard par 3 that is slightly uphill. Coach threw a dart in there to about six feet and started talking a little bit of trash, about how him and Rolo were about to come back and tie us. The other two hit their shots, neither of them landed on the green. I ended up hitting a four hybrid which was tracking right at the stick.

“As soon as I hit it, I had a feeling it was going to be close, if not in. As we were driving up to the green, Drake says to me, ‘I think that’s in.’ We proceeded to walk up to the hole, and sure enough, I had hit a hole in one, which meant Drake and I had won the match. Coach and Rolo were pretty irritated, but it provided a good laugh for Drake and I.”

Other than golf, Louisburg Sports Zone also had a chance to catch up with Calvin on how he has been coping with an early end to his senior year and some of his other interests. Here are his responses from the rest of our Q&A.

LSZ: What have you been missing the most during this time away from everyone?

CD: I’m missing my friends at school and being able to see my girlfriend. You take for granted the day to day activities you experience and how much fun they actually are. I can’t wait to see and talk to everyone once this all settles down.

LSZ: What is your most memorable moment as an athlete or in school, and why?

CD: My most memorable moment was probably when I signed to play golf at UCM. It was great to have all my friends, coaches and family with me at that moment. The donuts were pretty nice too.

LSZ: What is your favorite activity/hobby outside of sports and why?

CD: My favorite hobby is playing ping pong. Our administrators put together a 64-person tournament that was a lot of fun. It was a good way for Mr. Hinkle and Mr. Holloway to connect with us students. Now we have occasional weekends where someone invites a bunch of guys over to hang out and play ping pong.

LSZ: I know you are planning to go to Central Missouri to play golf next year, but how have you been working on your game during this difficult time?

CD: Fortunately, there are a few golf courses still open. When you call to make a tee-time, they have you pay over the phone so there is no money being physically exchanged. Also, they have the holes raised so no one is touching the flagsticks or reaching into the hole to get their ball. I choose to walk so I don’t have to touch the steering wheel of a golf cart, although every cart is being sanitized and washed thoroughly after every use.

LSZ: What accomplishments that don’t involve athletics are you most proud of and why?

CD: I would say my greatest accomplishment is probably maintaining a 4.0 GPA throughout high school. We have one semester to go and I hope to hold on to my 4.0. I think it speaks to my hard working character in the classroom and out of the classroom.

LSZ: What do you think would be something that a lot of people don’t know about you?

CD: Something that people probably wouldn’t know about me is that my favorite Christmas gift last year was a bottle of Freddy’s fry sauce.