James Franks is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Higley High School for AZPreps365.com

After first watching his son, Colton, first play golf competitively at 7 years old, Higley High School golf coach  Ted Horn is preparing to send Colton off to Minot State University in Minot, North Dakota, to play on the university’s golf team.

The Higley senior is preparing for his next chapter two years after winning a state championship in 2019. 

Colton started to learn how to play golf at a young age.

“When he was 3, we gave him a set of plastic clubs with a plastic ball and it was just fun to watch him hit in the house and hit in the backyard,” his dad said. 

As Colton and his dad were playing together throughout Colton’s youth, Ted first got a job at Higley High School as a football coach. Just before Colton was set to start school at Higley, Ted noticed the potential opportunity to mentor his son. 

“I can see his talent and where he might go if we pursued it through golf,” Horn said. “So a couple of years later, the golf job opened at Higley High School and I jumped on it and kind of tried to build up the program and get my feet under me, try to learn the ropes.”

Colton embraced the opportunity to learn from a close figure in his life. 

“I was excited,” he said. “I've always loved having my dad as a coach. He's not just a coach. He's always been there during my hard times.” 

When Ted and Colton are representing the Knights on the golf course, they are not the only father-son duo on the team. Assistant coach Jamie Nielsen and his son Josh are the other pair. 

The Nielsens have been a part of the Horns' life. Josh and Colton met at around fourth grade.

Jamie Nielsen has watched Horn mentor the golf team for a significant amount of time. 

“He is laid-back and doesn't try to get too much in the kids’ heads,” Nielsen said. “Golf is very mentally draining and challenging, so he has a good way of when they are having a bad round or even just a bad hole to get over, he’d get over on the cart and just talk to them and get them loose again.”

After Colton submitted his recruitment information to the NCSA (Next College Student Athlete) website, Minot State University sent him an offer to play for its men’s golf team. 

Colton is preparing to make adjustments once he arrives on campus. 

“Getting to that next level, I'm playing with the best of the best from that state or even that region,” he said. “I think it'll help me grow as a player and as a person.” 

One of the other adjustments Colton said he will have to make is getting used to the climate of North Dakota after living in the dry heat of Arizona for most of his life.

As Colton prepares to leave for North Dakota in the fall, both he and his father look back before the next journey begins. 

“When I got the chance to coach him, It was a lot of fun,” Ted said. “Coaching him and his friends at Higley High School, it was fantastic.”

“My dad always taught me to never give up,” Colton said. “He helped me realize that it's OK to make mistakes. It's (about) how you bounce back from those mistakes.”