WILBERFORCE, Ohio — For some college athletes, the pandemic stopped them from competing this past year, especially those at smaller schools like Wilberforce University. But that doesn’t mean they are stopping their preparation.

Wilberforce Freshman golfer Isaiah Hinton is working on his game on the range with his coach William Ware III. 

Hinton may be young but he has big dreams. 

“Winning and eventually making it to the pros of course,” Hinton said.

Both are chipping away at their first year in the program that’s been on hiatus from competition due to the pandemic. 

“It was pretty tough because I started and I didn’t have a team at all,” Ware III said.  

When he was hired in July, he had to scramble to get a team together for both the men's and women’s programs. Something very challenging to do with competition suspended until 2022. 

“Competition is what really drives it, continuing to be able to play,” Ware III said. 

Luckily for Ware, reinforcements are on the way. Thanks to a grant from the PGA, Wilberforce is receiving $100,000 to revamp the program.

“It’s really huge and the reason why is because before we didn’t have a lot of funding, so we didn’t know how we were going to different tournaments,” Ware III said.  

The grant has afforded new equipment like bags and clubs and even a simulator for the students to practice year-round, which is inspiring the team to get better. 

“That means they believe in us and I’m gonna give them something to believe in,” Hinton said.  

Ware said Wilberforce is planning to return to competition in the spring of 2022.