CARTERVILLE — It's an incredible sight to watch a young man's dream come true.
Brendan Lewis' dream came true today at John A. Logan College with the stroke of a pen.
Lewis — flanked by his parents, Randy and Jill, and with his hall of fame coach, Tom Ferris, watching over his shoulder — signed a national letter of intent to play Division 1 golf at Belmont University in Nashville, Tn.
"I didn't want to give up my dream," Lewis said after signing. "Now, my dream has come true."
His mother explained that at age 12 or 13, Lewis wrote a list of "dreams" he had for his life. One of them was to play golf for a university.
But the path toward his dream did not lead straight from high school, he made a two-year stop at John A. Logan College.
"I really felt like if I played at John A. Logan College I could improve my game and maybe have a chance of playing Division 1 golf," Lewis said. "With the help of Coach Ferris — what he has taught me and how he has promoted me as a player — here I am signing to play at Belmont. It's a very good day for me."
Randy said John A. Logan College "has been a great place for him (Lewis)." He noted that his son is motivated and works hard and that that — coupled with the experiences at Logan — brought him to the point of a dream coming true.
Lewis has nearly a perfect grade point average, one B in his college career. Ferris says Lewis is as committed on the golf course as he is in the classroom.
"This is how dreams come true," Ferris said. "When a young man or woman puts their whole heart into something, great things are going to happen. And a great thing has happened here today" with the Lewis signing to play at Belmont.
Greg Starrick, Logan's athletic director, couldn't agree more.
"This young man is going to a really, really good school," Starrick said. "This type of success is reason for everyone at the College to be proud."