MUNCIE, Ind– After the recent retirement of Men’s Tennis Coach Bill Richards, Men’s Golf Head Coach Mike Fleck is now the longest tenured head coach at Ball State.
He has served in this role for 27 years and just signed an extension to remain head coach for the foreseeable future. Fleck is appreciative of the time he has spent at the helm.
“It’s an honor and a privilege, and I can't envision being anywhere else,” said Fleck.
One of the biggest lessons he has learned over the years is to build bonds with his players and form that sense of community.
“You have to gain the trust of the young men and kind of create what I feel we’ve created, which is a family environment, and allow these young men to be comfortable in our culture,” Fleck explained.
Sophomore player Gavin Hare said it was Fleck’s leadership abilities that swayed his decision.
“In the recruiting process, he lays out everything you wanna hear as a recruit,” said Hare, “He’s gonna help you get better not only as a player but as a person, and I value that a lot.”
Fleck has won numerous awards as a head coach, including two-time MAC Coach of the Year and MAC Champions in 2024. However, for Fleck, it’s not just about on-field success; it’s also about creating those lifelong bonds with players.
“Getting a wedding invitation to a young man's wedding or getting a notecard or picture that they just became a father, you know, that is the biggest satisfaction of what we are doing,” said Fleck.
Being a Ball State Alumnus, Fleck has now spent a considerable amount of time in Muncie and cannot imagine being anywhere else.
“It’s home, I love the place. I’m a grad, and my wife has two degrees from this place. We’ve been in this community a long time. This is what we know, and this is where we wanna be,” said Fleck.
You can catch Coach Fleck and the Men’s Golf team in action at the “Put Me In Coach Invitational” at the Delaware Country Club, Oct. 6 and 7.
Contact Jalen McKissic with comments at jalen.mckissic@bsu.edu.
