After six years of collegiate golf, playing four of them in Keaney Blue, Brandon Gillis has traded in his clubs for a clipboard.
Gillis was named assistant coach of the golf team at the University of Rhode Island back on Sept. 14, staying with the team where he had his most success throughout his career.
In his time as a Ram, Gillis compiled 10 top-five finishes, on top of two wins at the Carpetbagger Classic in 2021-22 and the UConn Invitational at Greathorse in 2022-23. Along with that, Gillis was named Atlantic 10 Golfer of the Week four times, as well as a two-time A-10 All-Conference selection.
Although he is still in his first month of coaching, Gillis is happy with how the process has gone so far, and is pleased with the progress he has made.
“It’s been a great change of pace,” Gillis said. “It’s a little bit more busy which I don’t mind at all, I really do like it so far. We’ve got a nice group of guys, only three returners and four freshmen, so it’s been nice getting to know some of the freshmen, and just helping them along the way [as much] as I can.”
Through his career, G
illis had the idea to coach after graduating in the back of his mind, but the idea did not come to fruition until this past summer.
“[Coaching] wasn’t set in stone by any means,” Gillis said. “But I had kind of mentioned it to coach [Burke] and he didn’t promise me anything. But I think how I conducted myself the last couple of years in the program, played a major role in me getting the job.”
Coaching your former peers is always something that is tricky to operate, and going from friend to superior is a dynamic that is not common in collegiate athletics. Head Coach Gregg Burke is pleased with how Gillis has handled the transition so far.
“The good news is we have four freshmen, and only three players who played with him, so that’s step one,” Burke said. “[Gillis] was tremendous in the team meeting, I gave him the option and he would like to be referred to as ‘Coach Gillis’.”
Burke also recognized how the transition has affected Gillis’ closest friends, as the change has affected them as well.
“He and Bryson [Richards] are like brothers, he and Aidan [O’Donovan] are incredibly close to the point where Brandon has caddied for him in major tournaments,” Burke said. “But they’ve all called him coach. I warned him ahead of time that he would cross a bridge from player to coach faster than they would.”
However, Gillis was not surprised by his teammates’ receptiveness.
“It really hasn’t [been strange] because we had previous talks over the summer time about the relationship changing from player to player to more coach to player,” Gillis said. “I think I did a little bit of coaching while I was on the team to some of those guys, so it’s nothing really new to them in that sense. What has been a little strange is hearing them call me coach Gillis, but I’m sure I’ll get used to that over time.”
In his years at URI, Gillis and Burke have grown very close. Burke has even described Gillis before as “like a son to him”. Gillis believes that bond has only grown stronger since joining the coaching staff.
“[Our relationship] changed a little bit, and it also hasn’t changed much at all,” Gillis said. “I think we’ve actually gotten closer… There were a lot of things that I didn’t agree with as a player that now that I see from the coaching side of things, I’m starting to really see how that was the case.”
Now halfway through his first month on the coaching staff, Gillis has a goal on his mind for his impact on the program: He wants to impact younger players as much as he can.
“[College golf is] a totally different animal from junior golf,” Gillis said. “A lot of junior golfers, [including me], coming out of junior golf you expect to come right out and dominate and be the guy. But a lot of times it’s not the case and it’s hard to cope with, but I think once you figure out your way around college golf you can become one of the top players. But it takes a bit of learning and I’m hoping to help the guys with some patience in that learning curve.”
Gillis, Burke and the rest of the golf team are back in action on Oct. 15 when they travel to Milford, Connecticut to compete in the Sacred Heart Fall Classic.