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Penn State football NIL golf tournament announced, set for April

nate-mug-10.12.14by:Nate Bauer•01/30/24•

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Penn State head coach James Franklin isn't expected to golf, but will mingle with supporters at the program's inaugural NIL tournament in April. (Credit: Ryan Snyder | Blue White Illustrated)

Penn State head coach James Franklin revealed early in his tenure with the Nittany Lions one particularly enduring quality from his life away from the football field. Enjoying time with his friends and family, though usually distracted by the program even while on vacation, another sporting activity never caught his interest.

He did not then, and does not now, enjoy the game of golf.

“I really don’t have a whole lot of other hobbies or interests. A lot of guys golf. I’ve golfed maybe 25 times in my life and 18 of them I think took place in the summer at Washington State,” Franklin said in April 2014, just months after his hiring. “They had a tour across the state where you did golfing with fans and boosters and alumni.

“That’s never been something I like. I don’t have a whole lot of patience. Four hours for one thing is not something that I enjoy. And I want to slam the clubs and break them in half and throw them in the lake. So it’s not really my personality yet.”

Penn State Football Golf Tournament announced

Monday afternoon, Happy Valley United’s announced Inaugural Penn State Football Golf Tournament will include an appearance from Franklin anyway. 

Set for April 29 at the West Shore Country Club in Camp Hill, Pa., Franklin will headline the event to meet with donors and supporters of the program. He’ll be joined in the effort by other members of the Penn State football coaching staff, as well as Nittany Lion lettermen, both past and present. 

Pricing details for the event have not yet been made public, with a Tweet announcing that “ticket and sponsor details” would be coming soon. However, the event is set for an 11 a.m. registration with a noon shotgun, culminating in a 5:30-7:00 p.m. reception. Proceeds will go toward supporting Penn State’s NIL Collective, which provides financial support to current Nittany Lions.

NIL push continues for Nittany Lions

The announced event serves as the latest push to improve the program’s NIL standing, to which Franklin has pleaded to take an aggressive approach since its inception. Weighing in most directly last July, Franklin urged the program’s supporters to put their efforts and influence behind the Nittany Lions’ NIL endeavors.

“Every game week we call for our #107kstrong. TOGETHER we are locked in, committed & show the tremendous power of the Penn State Community. We need EVERYONE locked in on being 1-0 in the NIL race. There is power in our #750kLivingAlumni & we need everyone to take PRIDE & COMPETE NOW. Let’s do this together Nittany Nation. Donate to @HappyValleyUtd & help us compete TODAY! #WeAre“

More than a decade on from his comments about the game, Franklin left the door open for a change of heart to golf.

“Maybe 30 years from now, I’ll embrace that,” he said. “But, I don’t really have a whole lot of other hobbies. I love music, I love my family, and I love what I do for a living. And I’m usually able to combine all three because I’ll have Pandora going in my office, and my wife and kids will come to have lunch with me at the office, and I do my job.”

https://x.com/HappyValleyUtd/status/1752382047438729579?s=20

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