Meet Head Golf Coach Rick Silva '78
Personal Background and Experience at TC
Q: Can you share a memorable moment or highlight from your time as a student-athlete at TC? What drew you to the sport you played as a student athlete?
Rick Silva: I started playing golf when I was in grade school as my uncle was a club champion up in the Massachusetts area. He got me into golf, and I pretty much stuck with it. A memorable moment from my time at Tampa Catholic was the Division Championship in 1978 when we became champions, beating our arch-rival, Jesuit.
Q: Who were some of your most influential coaches or mentors during your time at TC? How did they impact you?
Rick Silva: Coach Broadbelt and Coach Lindsay were my most influential mentors. They were just great down-to-earth coaches who held everyone accountable for being great. Their guidance and support have had a lasting impact on me.
Transition from Student to Coach
Q: What inspired you to pursue coaching after your playing career?
Rick Silva: I have always coached in my adult life, whether it be softball, baseball, golf, or a few other sports. I enjoy sharing my experience and expertise with younger generations and watching them grow into athletes and maximize their ability.
Q: How did your experience as a student-athlete at TC influence your decision to return as a coach?
Rick Silva: I remember the days back in high school—playing sports, hanging around the gymnasium, and having fun. It felt great to return almost 46 years later, but this time as a coach, and relive those moments while guiding the new generation.
Coaching Philosophy and Approach
Q: What core values or principles do you emphasize to your players now?
Rick Silva: I emphasize honoring the game, treating the competition with respect, respecting the game and its challenges, and practicing the greatest sport in the world, golf.
Q: Can you share a specific coaching philosophy or strategy that you developed based on your experiences at TC?
Rick Silva: In golf, you have to train both the physical and mental aspects of the game. Good golf play decision-making can prove to be better than the actual physical performance. This philosophy is something I developed during my time at TC and continue to emphasize as a coach.
Impact and Goals as a Coach
Q: What are some of your proudest moments as a coach at TC so far?
Rick Silva: It’s very early in my tenure as a coach, but so far, many of my players and mostly their parents have made very positive comments about the things I am doing and the program I am building.
Q: How do you hope to impact the lives of your student-athletes, both on and off the field/court?
Rick Silva: I hope to develop them into great athletes, maximize their talent, and help them become great people both on and off the field.
Reflections and Advice
Q: How has TC changed since you were a student, and how has it stayed the same?
Rick Silva: What has stayed the same is the big commitment to being excellent and successful as a student and student-athlete. What has changed is that there is a lot more background information involved and courses on health and safety, which is a good thing. My first visit to what I knew as the Crusader Gym was surprising—I thought I was in the wrong gym because it is now a state-of-the-art, first-class facility compared to how I remember it as a student.
Personal Insights
Q: What do you enjoy most about being part of the Tampa Catholic community again?
Rick Silva: The people are great, the programs are great, and coaching the young kids to be great feels very good.