It was over. Superstar golfer Scottie Scheffler had just tapped in the putt to win the Masters Tournament for his second time by a dominant four strokes. Just days before Scheffler secured his victory, Pinewood girls basketball Head Coach Doc Scheppler found himself in one of the most iconic venues in all of sports: the one and only Butler Cabin, where winners of the Masters are crowned their green jackets. As he set foot inside the tan brick cabin, he was overwhelmed with nostalgia as he saw the classic fireplace lined with green shrubbery. His face immediately beamed with pride, as he now stood in the same room that the most legendary golfers of all time once set foot in.
From April 11-14, Scheppler had the privilege of watching the Masters live in Augusta, Georgia. Scheppler had always watched the Masters growing up as a kid, but he only ever experienced it on television.
A ticket to the Masters is one of the hardest things to get your hands on. Augusta National is a very exclusive golf course for which only a select group of people have the ability to buy tickets. Scheppler was only able to attend the event after months of planning with his high school friends, most of whom he met through basketball.
Scheppler has been on the coaching scene since 1977, and his experience as a coach has varied a lot. He spent the first 17 years of his career coaching boys basketball at Burlingame High School and Capuchino High School. During that time, Scheppler also coached a variety of other sports, including badminton, volleyball and baseball at the elementary and high school levels. Scheppler arrived at Pinewood in 1995, and since then, he has led the girls basketball program to six California Interscholastic Federation, 14 Central Coast Section and 10 Northern California titles.
Considering Scheppler’s long, illustrious coaching career, it’s no surprise that he’s also fostered lifelong relationships with the players he’s coached and the people he’s worked with. Because of all his unique connections and honorable reputation, Scheppler is rewarded with opportunities like attending the Masters from time to time.
“I know a lot of people because I’ve been coaching for a long time,” Scheppler said. “There’s just so many relationships you have and that’s the beauty of playing sports.”
From the thrilling atmosphere of a jam-packed basketball gym to the classy setting in Augusta, Scheppler was stunned by the beauty of the golf course after seeing it in person for the first time.
“There was not a weed on the course, not a speck of garbage on the course,” Scheppler said. “It was immaculate. It’s unbelievable.”
Similar to the maintenance crew at Augusta, Scheppler’s meticulous and detail-oriented coaching style is a large reason for his success on the basketball court. Yet another reason for Scheppler’s success is the support system he has around him. Even 50 years after graduating from high school, he still speaks to his high school friends and basketball teammates almost daily. Those same individuals he talks to on the phone everyday are the very people who accompanied him at the Masters. Although the seven-hour flight to Georgia wasn’t something Scheppler was accustomed to, he wouldn’t trade his experience in Augusta for the world.
“It was an unforgettable experience,” Scheppler said. “My favorite moment was seeing the joy on all of my teammates’ faces when we were in Butler Cabin.”
