Golf clubs swing through the air as people of all ages participate in the annual Texas HighSteppers’ golf tournament. Silas Potter, a junior football player at Texas High School, played among the crowd and hit a hole-in-one at the tournament. As a result of this impressive accomplishment, Potter quickly received admiration from his team and the other participants. However, he would soon be tasked to make a daring decision.

When faced with the question of whether he wanted $25,000 or a brand-new, luxury motorcycle, he stated cheerfully that he would rather receive the money.

“I’m thinking about maybe starting a business, or even just keeping it and investing it for later,” Silas said. ”I’m not sure, but it’s just an idea right now.”

After receiving the gift, he remained overwhelmingly grateful and satisfied, cheering with everyone around him. Potter notes that he felt exceptionally astonished when he first realized he had gotten the hole-in-one. 

“It was nice, I was really just having fun with my friends and playing around,” Silas said. “[At first], I thought we were just gonna play in the tournament and have fun, [but] I would have never thought I would make a hole in one. I really wasn’t expecting it all, actually. I didn’t know until they told me on the other side, so it was more of a luck thing.”

In recent years, the golf tournament grew more widespread due to its recent rise in popularity amongst the youth of Texas High. Various people come to play a part in the tournament, and look forward to its return each year.

“We started this tournament 4 years ago, and when it was our first year, I was a lot more involved,” Highstepper coach Amber Reynolds said. “Since then, our parent organization took over and truly made a wonderful event. The planning process starts about 6 months out with collecting sponsorships, then we move into advertising team spots as well as raffle prize collection.”

The event attracts a diverse crowd of all ages for game play, entertainment, and genuine fun.

“The golf tournament was a neat experience,” sophomore Thorton Crane said. “This is the second year I have participated, and both years, I enjoyed hanging out and playing with my friends.”

Not only does the golf tournament benefit players by providing them with a fun outing each year, but it also serves as a fundraiser, supporting the HighStepper team and other school events. 

“We use a lot of the money for our contest registration, travel, and meals during the spring,” Reynolds said. “We also budget for costumes for both contest season and spring show.”

This get-together took effort from not only Reynolds but from an entire group of HighStepper team members.

“The HighSteppers were split into 2 groups, an early morning and mid-morning shift. The early morning helped set up and get breakfast for the golfers, while the mid-morning did lunch and clean up,” Reynolds said. “Both groups were also responsible for having coolers of water and sports drinks throughout the course, so our golfers always had cold drinks at hand during their day. The tournament planning is divided up amongst many parent volunteers, and we have a “prize” team who collects and puts together all of the raffle prizes. They try to look at what appeals to the golfers and go from there.” 

Many expressed their enjoyment with the competition and being able to socialize with peers, and Silas Potter hitting the hole-in-one just made it all that much better for everyone involved. Overall, this gathering serves as an iconic part of the school year that fosters school spirit and hope for the years to come. 

“I do plan on competing again next year,” Silas said. “It’s just like a fun tournament to be at, and you can be with all your friends and just have fun and play around.”