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Peyton Glenn feature story 2023
David Wilson, FLC Athletics
After graduating from Fort Lewis, Peyton Glenn will move on to the Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Women's Golf Hayden Mangan, Athletic Communications Assistant

From the course to the classroom, how Skyhawks golf has set the stones for the future

DURANGO, Colo. – Confusing, exciting, daunting, and finally are among words many high school students and athletes use to describe their transition from high school to college. For Peyton Glenn, a member of the Fort Lewis College women's golf team, it was simply the first step toward her future.
 
Glenn, a graduate of Westmoore High School in Moore, Okla., was originally scouted to join the Skyhawks women's golf program by previous head coach, Guy Begay. Begay convinced Glenn there was no better place to pursue her degree while getting to play the sport she loved. But little did she know, a change of both scenery and in the ranks of the coaching staff would further widen her horizons.
 
When it came to the big move and a new lifestyle in Durango, however, Glenn was a mix of scared and excited for the newest chapter in her life. "I've always been down for a challenge and an adventure so moving away from home wasn't too big of an issue." Glenn shared. "Starting college was a bit of a change. But the professors were great, and with small class sizes, I had no problems getting the support I needed. Coming from a large high school I was definitely scared to start golf, but once I did, my teammates were nothing short of supportive."
 
Originally scouted by head coach Begay, Glenn had to now gamble with her new and still current head coach, Jim Foltz. Foltz, a 29-year veteran in the United States Air Force who retired as Command Chief Master Sergeant – a rank only the top one percent of Airmen obtain – went from overseeing more than 6,000 Airmen and serving under three, one-star Generals, to assisting the Fort Lewis College and Durango High School golf programs since 2013.
 
"Before I even joined the team, they were competing in the Hillcat Classic in Owasso, Oklahoma. I got to go out and watch and that's where I met Coach Foltz. I forget what hole, but I stepped up to watch with Foltz, and (Kara Tschirhart) sank a hole-in-one. Almost immediately, Foltz turned to me and teased me knowing I was already terrified to join the team."
 
For Glenn, golf was always the sport she loved, but it wasn't until high school she began to carve out a new career path in life: medicine. "Up until high school, I thought I was going to be a pilot and I only thought of going to the doctor for annual checkups. It wasn't until I took my first anatomy class that I really fell in love." Looking for some extra cash at the time like any other high school student, Glenn found and secured an internship that would provide a $1,000 stipend and a trip go to Washington D.C.
 
"From just trying to apply for an internship and make some money I ended up getting to meet practitioners, public health professionals, and see the behind-the-scenes of medicine many people don't." From then on, it was settled; medicine was the future. When Glenn arrived on campus in the fall of 2019 with her new-found passion, she found an unlikely resource in an even more peculiar place, Coach Foltz.
 
Foltz, command chief of the 552 Air Control Wing who retired at Tinker Air Force base in 2009, was known among his fellow Airmen as someone who went above and beyond for everyone – no matter their rank or status. "He didn't just take care of 552 ACW Airmen, he was there for every Airman on Tinker Air Force Base," Col. Pat Hoffman, commander, 552 ACW, shared in his retirement release back in 2009 (Air Force, 552 ACW). "If there was a quality-of-life issue that affected us, Chief Foltz would get the right people together, find a solution, and not quit until the issue was resolved."
 
After Glenn had shared her future occupational desires with Coach Foltz, Foltz knew just the person she needed to talk to: his own daughter, Chantel Foltz. Chantel is still currently in a Ph. D program of her own studying Physical Therapy. Between a coach who is certified in open heart surgery and allowed Glenn to change her practice schedule to fit her needs and his daughter who could relate to her as she completes a postgraduate degree of her own, Glenn couldn't have found a better support system than golf.
 
"Peyton is an anomaly," Fort Lewis College Head Golf Coach Jim Foltz shared. "She's the perfect student-athlete who never gets in trouble, takes to you face to face, and cares deeply about those around her. To me, that is what you need in a profession like medicine, someone sympathetic. Peyton is so thorough that you know she's always going to take care of business. Heck, she did it with golf. She always communicated weeks in advance, and you just don't see that level of maturity and dedication all of the time at a young age. When you look at her caseload between golf, medical school preparation, research, and volunteering, it's just incredible. Even when we are on the road there was one thing I could always count on, her studying."
 
For Glenn, however, life has always been about more than just golf and school: It's about giving back. And for Glenn, it came as second nature. While in high school, through her mom, a teacher at a Title I school at the time, Glenn learned of a precarious situation where many students couldn't afford to check out or buy books from the school's library. "I always enjoyed reading and wanted to find a way to give back. For me, it was the perfect situation," said Glenn. Glenn started the program Pages for a Purpose which provides students with access to books for both personal and educational use. Since its introduction at Westmoore High School, Pages for a Purpose has now gone on to serve three elementary and two high schools in her hometown area.
 
Glenn continued to serve her community even after moving to Durango. Working with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Colorado, Glenn mentored as a big sister during her time at Fort Lewis. Thanks to her guidance, one of Glenn's little sisters through the program was able to receive a full-ride scholarship to a private school. Additionally, Glenn continued to spend her summers and free time volunteering and learning at a few local practices in the greater Durango area.
 
As her final weeks at Fort Lewis continue to wind down, Glenn has just one thing on her mind: the next step. For Glenn, that step lies in the Pacific Northwest and Meridian, Idaho, at the Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine. "I still remember it clearly," Glenn said. "We were in the van on the way back from a tournament, and I get a phone call and told all the girls to be quiet. As soon as the conversation ended, I broke the news, and it was basically a dog pile on me on the bus. All of the girls were so excited and honestly even happier for me than I might have been for myself at the time."
 
Glenn's efforts and dedication to her studies over the years had granted her the unique ability to choose her next path. Glenn also had acceptance letters from prestigious programs such as the Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine, Rocky Vista College of Osteopathic Medicine, and the Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine at Pikeville.
 
While her work ethic, dedication, and drive to succeed have carved out such a prestigious path, Glenn knows she couldn't have done it alone, "Golf has given me an unparalleled experience to learn how to work and compete as a team. In golf the very basic framework is teamwork, and there isn't much in life post-education that doesn't include teamwork. Being a student-athlete has taught me time management, failure, how to take criticism, and how to remain motivated and adapt even though I might not have the necessary skill at that moment. All of these lessons are amplified even more once I get to medical school. I'll be moving into an even more competitive environment with some of the best students from across the country, and golf has prepared me for that."
 
To all her fellow and future Skyhawks, Glenn has just a few words of advice, "You can't forget to live a little, you're only in college once. You don't want to miss out on the friendships and opportunities at Fort Lewis. You can always re-learn something later, but you can't go back and re-live those experiences. You can be both a student-athlete and have a social life, don't be afraid to."
 
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Players Mentioned

Peyton Glenn

Peyton Glenn

5' 7"
Senior

Players Mentioned

Peyton Glenn

Peyton Glenn

5' 7"
Senior