Meet Coach Huffman

colby Huffman

MS, CMPC, PGA

Huffman is the Head Men’s Golf Coach at Butler University, and has been designated a Certified Consultant by the Applied Association of Sport Psychology, the international professional organization of sport and exercise psychology, and is currently listed as one of 10 AASP Certified Consultants in the state of Indiana. AASP is the largest sport and exercise psychology professional association in North America that offers certification to its members. AASP certification is a prerequisite to being placed on the USOC (United States Olympic Committee) Registry that allows sport psychology consultants to work with US Olympic athletes and teams. As Indiana’s 2012 PGA Teacher of the Year his Certified Consultant status makes him the only PGA Teacher of the Year in the nation to have also earned CC-AASP credentials.

As a performance specialist, Huffman works with athletes to encourage peak performances at specific times throughout the year. Although there are many specific concepts within applied sport and exercise psychology (e.g., concentration, relaxation, imagery), Huffman’s general goal is to optimize mental skills necessary to perform consistently in training and competition, increase focus, and to help individuals realize their potential. He also provides solutions for unwanted pressure, demotivation (academically and athletically), and/or goal-setting skills.

  • He is one of 6 individuals on an NCAA coaching staff on the national Golf Digest Best Teachers list.
  • He is a sport psychology and golf best-selling author per Amazon.com. Of his three books, Train for Golf Like an Olympian reached #1 on Amazon’s Best Sellers in Sport Psychology and Golf e-Book Lists.
  • His contributions with IUPUI golf have translated into record setting performances for the Jaguars. The teams have shot some of the lowest NCAA scores in the country.
  • Huffman has written articles for numerous publications, including “Teaching Teachers,” featured in PGA Magazine, and was also a featured coach on The Golf Channel’s “School of Golf”.
  • Huffman served as a lead instructor for Hank Haney’s International Junior Golf Academy from 2007-09 while Hank was teaching Tiger Woods.
  • Additionally, Huffman worked with many top-ranked juniors and LPGA standouts who have been ranked in the top-15 in the LPGA Rolex World Ranking. He is the only coach in the world to have developed two Byron Nelson International Junior Golf Award recipients in the same year (2008).
  • He starred in FootJoy’s 2017 “Never Quit” TV commercials and internet marketing campaign, and was featured in Franciscan Health’s 2017 TV commercials.
  • Following his time in college, Huffman spent time playing professionally on the PGA Tour de Las Americas (now the PGA Tour Latinoamerica), Golden Bear Tour, Hurricane Tour and the Maverick Tour, where he competed against many of today’s PGA Tour Members.

Christie Cates

Cates is the Head Women’s Golf Coach for Butler University. In her first season leading the women’s team, the Bulldogs won the 2019 Dayton Fall Invitational, besting the 14-team field. The Bulldogs also placed second at the 2019 Butler Fall Invitational. The campaign was ended by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In her second season (2020-21), Cates mentored Claire Edwards to All-BIG EAST First Team honors and a sixth-place finish at the 2021 BIG EAST Championship. The Bulldogs’ team performance in the second round of the Colonel Classic March 29, 2021 left an imprint on the program’s record book. Butler’s women set a program-record with a second-round team score of 287 (-1), while Edwards’ second-round 68 (-4) also set a Butler record. The Bulldogs also captured the team title at the Lady Jaguar Invitational.

Cates joined the Butler coaching staff prior to the 2016-17 season. In her three seasons as an assistant, she was involved in all aspects of both the men’s and women’s programs. During that time, Lauren Tibbets captured the 2017 BIG EAST title, while both Joey Arcuri (2017) and Patrick Allgeier (2019) tied for second individually in the BIG EAST Championship. In 2019, Butler’s men posted a top-three finish in the BIG EAST Championship, the team’s best finish since joining the conference in 2013.