SAVANNAH, Ga. – In the world of collegiate athletics, the path to leadership often takes unexpected turns. For Chris Kamys, the Head Golf Coach at SCAD Savannah, the journey to the helm of the program began with a secret application and a leap of faith.
 
Now in his sixth year at SCAD and his third as Head Coach, Kamys has transformed the program through a philosophy rooted in responsibility and accountability. Whether he is navigating the relentless three-quarter competition schedule or shaping the lives of student-athletes, Kamys remains focused on excellence—both on the greens and in the classroom.
 
The Path to the Hive
Kamys' entry into coaching is a story of serendipity. While working as a golf instructor, he began coaching collegiate players, which sparked his initial interest in the field. However, his official start at SCAD came via a surprise move from his wife, who applied for the assistant coach position on his behalf without his knowledge.
 
"I'm here because of Amanda Haverstick," Kamys notes, crediting the former Head Coach, [and current Director of Athletics at SCAD], for taking a chance on him. Since then, he has moved from Assistant Golf Coach to Head Coach, deeply embedding himself in the SCAD community.
 
Coaching Philosophy and Culture
To Kamys, the role of a coach extends far beyond technical instruction; he views his primary responsibility as molding and shaping collegiate athletes. His leadership style is defined by:

• Athlete Responsibility: Ensuring players take ownership of their performance.
• Accountability: Holding the team to a high standard throughout the year.
• Adaptive Culture: While core tenets remain the same, Kamys subtly shifts the team culture annually to accommodate new personalities.

This approach is yielding historic results. Kamys is particularly proud that the current team scoring averages are the lowest they have ever been from top to bottom. His impact on the conference has not gone unnoticed, as the women's team won the 2026 Sun Conference Championship and he was named the 2025 and 2026 Sun Conference Women's Coach of the Year.
 
Balancing the Grind
The life of a golf coach is a year-round commitment involving recruiting trips, emails, meetings, and constant travel to events. Because the team competes across all three academic quarters, Kamys emphasizes the challenge of keeping the team focused over such a long duration.
 
To maintain balance, he relies on a personalized approach to leadership. "I get to know their personalities and that gives me an idea of how hard to push," Kamys says, ensuring that competitiveness never comes at the expense of student-athlete well-being.
 
Quick Hits

• One person who influenced your career the most? My college soccer coach
• Favorite movie or TV show to unwind with? Seinfeld, Gladiator
• What's your hidden talent? Dad Jokes
• Favorite book or podcast? Golf Digest
• Coffee order? Black
• Cats, dogs, or neither? None
• Early bird or night owl? Early Bird
• Favorite sports movie? Rudy
• If you had a walk-up song, what would it be? Down with the Sickness-Disturbed

Looking toward the future, Kamys has his sights set on one specific milestone. When asked which accomplishment means the most to him, his answer was simple: "Our next National Championship".