#Legacy

“Legacy, Legacy, Legacy, Legacy. Black Excellence, you gone let’em see." – Jay-Z

Legacy. It’s the family business passed down involuntarily or through the actualization of one’s maturity becoming fact. Its personal items, property or cash, willed to you after the advancement of angel wings. It’s the priceless heirloom wedding ring, ready to board the next love train. Better yet or simply stated, legacy is – generational wealth. But to understand the association of generational wealth to the aforementioned legacy, your hands and mouth must commit to the backseat, allowing one’s eyes and ears to night watch purpose, destiny and favor. Because it’s not what you’ll get, but what you got and without the comprehension of what you got, you’ll always yearn for how to get what you think you don’t got. Did you get that? Now I assure you, this is not the fluffy life story of a hard-working citizen turned professional athlete, later becoming Santa Clause to inner-city kids giving him a side-eye like, we know you aren’t real, just hand over the gifts. It’s better and bigger than that. Therefore, let this fictional tale of a father’s investment into his son’s investment be your investment of empowerment. Here we go….

“When you’re ready, you let me know.” – Ronnie Brunson (Rodney's Dad)

“I don’t really want to get involved with this Dad. This game is not for us,” 14-year old Rodney Brunson boldly spoke to his Dad. Greeted by a hand that in his words, “slapped the daylight out of him,” along with words of disappointment, young Rodney realized the embarrassment it caused his Dad. A high profile golfer showed up. He was asked and paid to give young teenage Rodney golf lessons, and there he stood with a daring show of skepticism and disinterest. All this time, childhood afforded Rodney plenty of Saturdays to watch his Dad golf with his buddies. He rode in the golf cart, witnessed exceptional super-Dad golf swings and shots, and sometimes on a par three course, was shown techniques on how to take a shot or two. Yet when his father felt the inkling to pass down his tradition and love of golf, the epic fail was overshadowed by – football. “Nah….I like football, I don’t want to play no golf,” Rodney echoed into the universe. Yes, football was Rodney’s thing, his mind was made up and tunnel vision untroubled. Little did he know when dinner was served, he would eat those very words. Time quickly progressed since the famous showdown between father and son at the golf course on North Carolina Central University’s campus, and courtesy of his love for football, Rodney landed an athletic collegiate scholarship to Greensboro’s prestigious HBCU - North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. Majoring in Agricultural Educational, Rodney explained the blueprint for his success. “I came into my major with a hope and aspiration of pursing a teaching job on the educational side, teaching agriculture or working in the private sector in the business of agricultural.” And so it was written. Aggie freaking Pride. The conclusion of Rodney’s collegiate studies and football career landed him in the Midwest – Indiana to be exact – where after completing two successful summer internships, he landed a job with the United States Department of Agriculture for Soar Conservation Service. Maybe he was right all along. Maybe young Rodney did the right thing. Just maybe.

“Golf is the only game where you call a penalty on yourself. There is no one out there on the course but you,” – explained Rodney, breaking down the concept of golf. As I listened attentively, my aim or eagerness to figure out how such a horrible break-up in the eighties, resurfaced in the nineties, and now in the new millennium can be explained with a distinct certainty. But wait, how could he break down such a concept to me when he clearly loved America’s favorite macho sport? Eight years working for the government in Indiana came and went, but time graciously led Rodney home. The time capsule on hand takes us back to the late nineties. Favor landed at his feet, and Rodney accepted a teaching position back home in North Carolina. At the same time in his excitement to teach, he watched the rise of a young black professional sports figure. Tiger Woods was his name and considerably being the greatest golfer of his time, was his game. Not only did Tiger create a buzz in the homes and hearts of Americans, but our sleeping giant awakened; he was motivated and intrigued by Tiger’s overall groundbreaking success. Because of this, Rodney realized the legacy of what his father embedded in his brain and readied himself to move forward with playing golf: his first order of business - purchase golf clubs. As a former athlete, Rodney understood the competitive nature of sports, so in order for him to surpass his physical play of golf versus his knowledge base, key critical decisions had to be made. “If I’m going to get better at this game, I need to surround myself with people better than me,” he explained. If you add up the fact that Rodney took lessons, embraced the company of people who played better than he did and lastly, sought the advice of his first teacher - Dad – it’s pretty safe to say, Rodney was serious about his new love for golf. The best part to all of this is, after five years, he didn't perfect the game, his style of play became his own and he got better. Such adjustments also strengthened the bond between Ronnie Brunson and Rodney Brunson; now the two could enjoy a Saturday playing golf together. “I would say out of the years I played, if I compare the game of golf to any other sport – baseball, basketball, football – those games reveal character, but the game of golf exposes it.” What had golf exposed about our prodigal son, Rodney? There I sat on my couch, listening to Rodney explained with such profound detail how to play golf. His voice even perked up when he talked about the time he played on a par seventy-two course and shot two under. If your scratching your head about now, simply put, it took less shots to get the golf ball in the hole over the entire course. Seventy-two swings were needed, he only shot seventy. Yes my arm is tired thinking of it too.

A mind is a terrible thing to waste – United Negro College Fund.

Four golfers, one homecoming. For several years it was typical for Rodney and several friends to get together and play golf the Friday going into North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University’s homecoming. It was the perfect picture: four black males, all lovers of golf, all graduates of historically black colleges, and finally all in agreement their yearly gathering could be something bigger. Imagine that, honorably achieved success in spite of the status quo. And suddenly, the what-if shifted to why don’t we just, thus beginning the Brunson Invitational Golf Scholarship Fund. A brotherhood, initially playing golf for their personal enjoyment, wanting to impact the community in such a way that it not only assisted a young college kid in need, served as an introduction to life skills for others. So four golfers jumped to twelve, twelve soon increased to thirty, and thirty turned to eighty. Eighty men, sponsored golf holes and genuine donations shaped by a prominence that when the tournament ends, several college students will have financial relief. The Brunson Invitational Golf Scholarship Fund created itself simply to do that - give out more than 4-5 annual scholarships with funds raised from the tournament to college students. If it’s nothing more than to helping a student eat for the year, purchase expensive books, or pay-off a past due balance, Rodney believes the importance of his organization’s assistance to these students is a step forward to greater progress. You see historically black colleges are losing funding from the federal government, and it’s a slow but steady decrease. The current White House initiative has no interest and it’s blatant – a flagrant foul, not ignited from man-to-man contact, but an entire administration versus the entire collegiate student body; the same students who will one day walk on the moon, engineer the fastest plane and find the cure to not one, but all cancers. So maybe, just maybe if the Brunson Invitation Golf Scholarship Fund will continue their endeavors, other organizations and businesses will catch wind and there will be no evidence of a once ever threat to the diminishing of historically black universities.

“We’re not looking for the next Tiger Woods, we just want to instill life enhancement skills.” – Rodney Brunson

September 5th, 2017. I showed up to the Bryan Park Golf Course with an agenda – take pictures for this story. Upon my arrival and set-up, I heard instruction and coaching, but I saw passion, progression and the future. She stood about five foot three and appeared to be about nine years old. Her look was that of innocence, but her stance made me believe, she got this. Pink pants, beige shoes and natural hair. She could be history in the making, not just with sports, but with whatever she puts her mind to. “Ok now…focus…fix your pose, now swing,” Rodney instructed. Even with the not so good hits, he was careful to always compliment and remind her of what she knows. Keep in mind golf is a sport young black kids aren’t exposed to, simply because it currently lacks the involvement of minorities. Tiger Woods was once our saving grace, but worldly grace don’t last forever. So with the knowledge and love that he has, Rodney used his organization to step in and see to it that our youth secured that golden Willy Wonka ticket - access. “Our non-profit status allows us to reach out to inner city kids and create more exposure, giving them an opportunity to play this game.” Access to country clubs, golf clubs and more importantly life skills. He stresses how a game such as golf teaches honesty, perseverance, focus, respect and it builds confidence. And in times like these, our technological savvy millennials need all of the above. Now it was clearly evident that this young prodigy absorbed everything he taught. I'm not sure how many tournaments she's won or how long she plans to do this, but one look in her eye and it was evident the spark was there. One small spark of enjoyment or happiness in their eye, gives For Rodney, seeing the spark in their eye gives him the green light to know his mission is accomplished. It is for this we recognize Rodney Brunson and staff as pioneers of today and the future. We applaud their endeavor of kindness, giving scholastic dollars to students. We encourage them as they continue building up the educational side and exposure of an unknown sport to a community that currently fights the right to #TakeAKneel. We salute them as their message of hope reaches the ears of millions. and lastly we say cheers to golf clubs, higher education and a legacy that will live forever. #Legacy

Rodney and company established the cornerstone of how their love of golf could help those in need, but Rodney recognized what he’d been expose to as a child – like it or not – could be a tool for the youth of today. I welcome those reading this blog to consider donating time, monetary donations and support for the Brunson Invitational Golf Scholarship Funds.

Contact: Rodney Brunson (336) 457-2372

Brunson Invitational Golf Scholarship

P.O. Box 77773

Greensboro, NC 27417