Fully involved

Erika Brennan
In Division I college golf, coaching philosophy does not typically stem from hours logged in a firehouse. Then again, as Erika Brennan points out, one would struggle to find a more inclusive environment. Maybe it’s why the new Georgia women’s golf coach is so good with people.
Brennan started playing golf as a 4-year-old in part because the golf course is where the local firefighters went when they finished their shift early each morning. Brennan’s father, Mike Danford, was a deputy chief with the Lake Wales (Florida) Fire Department, and Brennan learned much from growing up around that firehouse.
“I just wanted to be around those guys, and they let me tag along and that’s really how I learned the game of golf,” Brennan said. “But the lessons from the firehouse continue to shape who I am. It is a family atmosphere to its core.”

Brennan had been quietly building a mid-major powerhouse at the University of South Florida for the past seven seasons before landing the position at Georgia in May. After former head coach Josh ...