The girls golf season ended on a good note, but there was someone by their side the whole time and it was Jered Hellman, head coach of not only the girls golf team but also the boys. Hellman became the coach three years ago and has been the head coach since then. Hellman shared what inspired him to become a golf coach in general.
“My inspiration started in the summer of 1987, the day I was dropped off at Westside Basketball Camp,” Hellman said. “It was my first time in Omaha, and my family was going through a difficult transition. We were moving from Lincoln, the only home I’d known, and my father, struggling with alcoholism, had lost his job. My mother was doing her best to hold things together for us, but the strain was heavy. Each day in June, my dad dropped my older brother and me off at Westside’s front doors on his way to his new job, and that experience changed our lives.”
He also added how this led him to wanting to give back to the community of Westside.
“The coaches and camp counselors at Westside—especially Coach Tom Hall and Larry Morrisey and a 17-year-old D.J. Rezac—took us in as if we were family,” Hellman said. “My brother, who would go on to start on the team, and I, just a skinny 6th grader, felt loved, welcomed, and part of something much bigger. We didn’t know it then, but this was a turning point. Westside became our home in every sense. Over the years, one of my older brothers and my younger sister met their spouses at Westside, and their children eventually graduated from Westside as well. Westside’s coaches and community truly reshaped the course of our family’s lives, and this is why I coach today. I want to give back in the same way Westside gave to me, and if I can impact even one athlete the way those coaches impacted us, I will have done my part in saying thank you.”
A player on the girls golf team, sophomore Chloe DiPrima is one of the star players on the team and had a great season this year. She helped carry the runner up victory at state this year and she explained how her relationship is with coach Hellman.
“My relationship with my coach is, I would say stronger than most athletes and coaches’ relationship,” DiPrima said. “He is always there for me and has always respected the way that I play golf.”
Every coach is different in the way they approach their teaching. Coaches play a role of building character for their athletes and in shaping them into the athlete that they are. Hellman explained what values he prioritizes in his coaching.
“I prioritize hard work, dedication, and love,” Hellman said. “I want my athletes to love the game, to be passionate about their sport, and to understand that success doesn’t come without effort. I encourage them to set goals, work tirelessly, and know they are valued and appreciated for their dedication. Beyond the game, I expect our athletes to be leaders—in the classroom, on the course, and in our community. Hard work is essential to achieving our goals, and I’m proud to say we have athletes who embody this. Their dedication is reflected in our success.”
A coach influences their athletes’ development in their sport and DiPrima expressed how Hellman influenced her development as a golfer.
“He mostly has influenced me to let me know that it doesn’t matter what just happened, and to only play my game and listen to myself,” DiPrima said. “He is a constant supporter of telling me that I am amazing and I can accomplish great things.”
Being a coach can leave some memorable moments throughout every season. Being with the same group of athletes creates cherishable memories and Hellman shared what has been his proudest moment as a coach so far in his career.
“When I first became a coach, my biggest goal was to win a State Championship,” Hellman said. “That dream started when I watched my oldest brother’s Lincoln East Basketball team lose in the State Title game in 1985, and it grew from there. I knew Westside hadn’t won a basketball state title since 1980, and our team came close during my last years on the basketball staff. But it’s been the journey with our golf programs that has given me my proudest moments. Our boys’ golf team, which hadn’t won a title since 1989, achieved back-to-back championships, with the last one coming after an incredible comeback. Our girls’ team also finished as state runners-up in one of the most exciting finishes I’ve witnessed.”
He also added how not only the wins at the tournaments are special, but also the people on the team.
“While these accomplishments are special, what I’m most proud of are the young men and women graduating from our programs,” Hellman said. “They’ve given their all to our team and are now making a difference in their communities, whether they continue playing golf at a high level or pursue new paths. Many have returned to the area to ensure their children have the same incredible Westside experience. Seeing this cycle of success and commitment makes me prouder than any title could.”
Athletes remember moments with their teammates, but also have key memories with their coaches. DiPrima has had two seasons with Hellman, but shared some of her most memorable moments that she has madewith him in those two seasons.
“I’ve had a couple memorable moments with him that happened last year and this year, Last year I made a putt at districts to help our team secure first place in a playoff and I looked over to see Coach Hellman and my dad hugging,” DiPrima said. “It is very emotional for all of us. Another time was at state this year when I had to make a putt on the last hole to help our team secure second place at state tournament and I made it and the first person I went over to hug is Coach Hellman.”
Usually athletes have a couple coaches in their career as an athlete. DiPrima explained what she thinks is unique about Hellman compared to other coaches she has had previously.
“I think that Coach Hellman is unique because he cares about us more than just players,” DiPrima said. “he cares about who we are as people. He is always there for us if we have a rough day and I really appreciate him.”
To play a sport or to coach it you have to enjoy what you do. Hellman shared what he enjoys most about coaching.
“For me, it’s the relationships,” Hellman said. “After over 25 years of coaching, I’ve seen that when athletes know you care about them—truly care, beyond just their performance, they will give everything they have. They become more dedicated and resilient, thriving even through the challenges of being a student-athlete. I’m also grateful for the assistant coaches who have become part of my family’s ‘circle.’ They’re people I can lean on, who care about my family, and who support me through everything. The relationships I have with other coaches at Westside are equally important to me. Coach Jernigan and I played football together in the ’90s, Coach Simons graduated with my sister and has excelled as the basketball coach, and Brian Nemecek, one of my mentors, was the one who gave me my first opportunity as a head assistant. These friendships and professional bonds have enriched my life and fueled my passion for coaching.”
