By James B. Ewers Jr., Ed.D
President Emeritus
Teen Mentoring Committee of Ohio,
What makes a champion? Are there traits that separate them from us? They have an insatiable and undeniable will to win. The thrill of victory is an expression that all champions know well.
Andre Springs had the characteristics for being a champion. If you have any relationship with the game of golf and HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) then you know who Andre Springs is.
Legend is a word that comes to mind when you think of him. “Dre” as his friends call him started his golf journey when he was six years of age. Most boys when they are that age don’t think about the game of golf.
Springs began his quest for greatness in Charlotte, N.C. His uncle worked at a driving range and Springs tagged along with him. He said, “I started picking up golf balls, and after a while I started hitting them near my house.”
This sudden appeal became a lasting appeal. “Dre” was a self-taught golfer. His drives in the fairway, his chips out of sand traps and his putts on the greens came from watching others and taking advice from his oldest brother, Robert Springs.
Andre has always believed when you get knocked down that you don’t stay down but you get back up again. He didn’t make the golf team when he was in 7th or 8th grade yet that didn’t stop him. He still practiced and wanted to get better.
He played golf at West Mecklenburg High School in Charlotte, N.C. His coach and golf observers saw that Springs had the “it” factor. He had the physical talents, but also possessed the mental toughness to become a successful golfer. They were right as he became the captain of the golf team in his 12th grade year.
In talking with him, he has a wonderful combination of self-confidence and humility. Golf is an individual sport so having those qualities helped him to improve.
Springs, because of his golf talents, became the talk of his high school. College coaches started to pay attention and would attend his golf matches.
The Springs household and neighbors realized that a star was shining right in their neighborhood. Articles in newspapers were written about him and people began to recognize who he was.
Springs received a full scholarship to play golf at Fayetteville State University in Fayetteville, N.C. His talents and skills on the golf course grew by leaps and bounds. Springs said, “I had other scholarship offers however my sister was already attending FSU, so I wanted to attend there as well.” As he reflects now, he realizes that going to Fayetteville State University was a defining moment in his life.
He won the CIAA (Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association) golf championship as a freshman. By any barometer, that was a huge accomplishment. While there, he was a part of team championships as well. He was also golf captain during his sophomore, junior and senior years along with garnering MVP (Most Valuable Player) honors. He graduated with a degree in physical education and a minor in biology in May of 1979.
Months later, he became the golf coach at Livingstone College, an HBCU in Salisbury, N.C. His poignant yet simple explanation was that he wanted to help young men become successful. During the period of 1979-89, coach Springs and the Livingstone College Blue Bears won 4 CIAA Golf Championships and were one of the premier golf programs in America.
After a stint as the general manger of golf courses in Cleveland Ohio, he returned to LC as the golf coach in 2010. He also became the athletic director in 2012. During a seven-year reign, the Livingstone College golf team captured 3 CIAA championships, made 5 NCAA appearances and in 2022 was the number one golf program in Division II among HBCUs.
Coach Springs has received 6 coach of the year awards and is in 8 halls of fame. Included in them are inductions into the CIAA Hall of Fame and the National Black Golf Hall of Fame. Along the way in his esteemed career, he was the head teaching pro at the Birkdale Golf Course in Charlotte and once served as the caddy for famed golfer Arnold Palmer.
He is the special assistant to the president at Livingstone College and the golf coach.
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