If you meet Coach Al Bialek, you won’t forget him. Coach Al has a larger-than-life personality, greeting people with a huge smile and big voice. He loves golf, loves working with kids and is TGA’s lead instructor of the year for 2020.
Al is a proud veteran who served four years in the Navy and speaks often to schools and youth groups about our veterans and their sacrifices. He produced and wrote a documentary with the city of Novi that won a Michigan Emmy award in 2017.
He’s also an outstanding golfer who often breaks 80 and is getting close to shooting his age (74).
Al started working with TGA in 2012. “Working with TGA has been a beautiful journey for me,” Al said. “Watching children learn and develop has changed me to be a better person.”
Our assistant coach of the year has been involved with TGA since 2011, when he attended his first TGA class as an 8-year-old at Leonard Elementary. Ben Rush took many classes at Leonard, plus summer camps and tournaments. As soon as he entered high school and joined the Troy High team, he was hired as a TGA assistant coach.
He quickly impressed lead instructors with his sense of responsibility, his patience and his commitment to the kids. “I’ve definitely grown since I started working with TGA,” Ben said. “I’m more comfortable talking in front of groups. I’ve learned from other coaches. I really enjoy teaching the kids and getting to know them.”
Ben is starting Oakland University this month and looking forward to a career in nursing. And now that he’s in college, he will be a TGA lead instructor.
Congratulations to Al and Ben, who will receive $100 Golf Galaxy gift cards. Here are the previous winners:
2016 — Lead instructor Nick Lico, assistant Jennifer Kowalczyk
2017 — Lead instructor Ari Siegel, assistant Mike Mercier
2018 — Lead instructor Nick Bruce (TGA’s national coach of the year), assistant Emily Lin
2019 — Lead instructor Evelyn Kensicki, assistant Brett Pawlowski
