eGundo.com’s mission is to explore the good in Gundo and a big part of the good in Gundo is the people that live here. We recently had the opportunity to talk with Josh Alpert, Founder, Good Swings Happen Junior Golf Academy at The Lakes in El Segundo, to learn more about who he is and why he’s a shining example of the good in Gundo.
What Josh & Good Swings Happen Junior Golf Academy does for kids simply can’t be put in words – it’s priceless. Using the game of golf as a muse, Josh & his crew carries kids on a journey of developing passion, values, and brilliance.
For the past 20 years, Josh has developed a strong value system from a career perspective in raising the next generation of people that are healthy, fun, and respectful – the inherent value of the game of golf preaches those things.
He creates an environment where kids can have fun and learn values at the same time. Any parent who knows Josh will tell you that he leads with “fun.” As Josh states:
where there’s a passion and a love for something, there is a greater opportunity for brilliance
Tell us about “Good Swings Happen”
Good Swings Happen Junior Golf Academy leads year-round junior golf programs out of The Lakes at El Segundo Golf Course. Founded in 2009, our greatest goal is to positively influence our next generation of youth through the game of golf. Whether your goal is to play competitively in high school (and we’ll talk about that in a second) or simply have fun with your friends in a safe and relaxed atmosphere, we have a program for you. Golf is a game for a lifetime when it is nurtured as such.
Why did you choose Golf?
I fell in love with the game initially because it was the environment where I spent time with my grandfather. As a child, I spent a week every summer with my grandparents in the Valley and played golf with his regular group of “old fogies”. It is where I learned about etiquette, respect, patience, competitiveness, and humility all wrapped in a world of fun and games. His group would argue about whether a sandy (par out of a sand trap) was worth more than a barkie (hitting a tree and making par) over cheeseburgers and Arnold Palmers all the while playing literally for nickels and dimes. Quite simply, I fell in love with the culture of the game and the inherent values it teaches. I played golf with my grandfather, I now play with my dad, my brother, my wife and my kids.
I have a passion for teaching the game of golf. Even more so to the young folks who represent our next generation. In a world that is becoming ever increasingly all things instant-gratify, the rewards and lessons that can be taught through this seemingly simple yet marvelously complex game have never been more important. Golf is a family environment, a friend environment, and a work environment. Golf is where we learn to play together, have fun together and compete together all the while respecting the inherent values that the game was built upon. Golf has always been good in Gundo. Now it’s time to focus on making Gundo good in Golf!!!
Tell us about your involvement in the El Segundo community
We lead the instructional aspect of this year’s inaugural Gundo Golf League. A program where Richmond St. and Center St. Elementary students play golf with each other in a Spring program culminating in a season-ending tournament. This program will become a feeder program for an El Segundo high school team that is being put together as we speak. If you have a middle school or high school student who wants to play high school golf in 2019/20, contact me for more details.
If you don’t know what the mental mantras are, you may get the answer from a Center St. student. We are supporting elementary school curriculum with some calming, focused, positive, confident and persistent lessons that we apply in golf, but are taught to be building blocks supporting all aspects of our daily lives.
Tell us something about you that people might not know
I love fishing. Everything about it. The anticipation leading to a trip, the preparation, the hooking the catching and of course the eating. Don’t be surprised if an El Segundo fishing club effort surfaces (no pun intended) somewhere down the line (also no pun intended).
Quick Q&A With Josh Alpert
1. What do you or your team enjoy most about El Segundo?
This one is simple. It is the small town community feel in a big town atmosphere. I have lived all over the South Bay. I chose El Segundo to raise my family and to support the next generation of youth who I share my community with. At the end of the day, it all comes down to people. El Segundo has a whole bunch of great ones…
2. What’s your favorite event in Gundo?
If I must be specific its the 4th of July water balloon toss with my daughter Nicole and Les Eisner. I really think we have a great chance to win this year!
3. Can you share an example of the “Good” in Gundo?
I love that I live in a community where a dog is reported lost and almost simultaneously it is reported found. Where I feel like my elementary school crossing guard is my friend. Where my kids are safe to play, where my kids have places to play and where my kids get a great education.
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See Good Swings Happen in Action
Good Swings Happen
Josh Alpert – (310) 503-5070
400 South Sepulveda Blvd.
El Segundo, CA 90245
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Reviews from Students, Parents, and Professionals
Parent
Josh Alpert has put together a program that doesn’t exist anywhere else. Middle school aged, serious, golfers usually have to wait until they are in high school to be allowed the opportunities that Josh and Good Swings Happen provide. My son’s respect and understanding of the sport has increased and his overall game has improved since working with Josh. We are very pleased with the direction he is taking the youth he works with.
Parent
Josh Alpert is the definition of what golf should be about: passionate, hardworking, optimistic, encouraging, basically everything you need to be successful! Through the Mira Costa golf program we experienced the mental side of the game which Josh has captured through one of his programs. Josh’s commitment and passion is why his students have been so successful. He has truly evolved junior golf in the South Bay!
Professional Golfer
I started working with Josh at the age of 11 or 12. He has really helped my game evolve over the years. Josh teaches sound fundamentals and keeps things very simple, that is what I like most about our lessons.
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