By Mike Pearson
FightingIllini.com

Thousands of heart-warming stories have counteractively emerged over the past 13 months to help clear away the dark clouds that comprise COVID-19. The Fighting Illini men's golf program has one, too, and its story's silver lining just might evolve into a sixth consecutive Big Ten title.

This tale draws a circle around a trio of Illinois golfers who transformed their relationship from mere teammates into one of an Illini brotherhood.

It all began on the afternoon of March 12, 2020, when Illini coaches and administrators were charged to deliver the news to their student-athletes that, by edict of the Big Ten Conference, their respective sports seasons were being immediately concluded. Athletes were advised to leave campus, without delay, and return to their homes across America.

However, for Illini golfers Adrien Dumont de Chassart of Villers la Ville, Belgium, and Jerry Ji of Hoofddorp, Netherlands, it was a significantly more complicated situation. Climbing into a car and returning to their families' homes simply wasn't an option. Their parents were literally thousands of miles away in Europe. Furthermore, American government officials hadn't yet clarified what restrictions were going to be assigned to international travel.

"Since Jerry and I were the only international players on the team, we didn't really know what to do," Adrien remembered. "Since we were new and we didn't have any news about the travel regulations, we were kind of scared that we wouldn't be able to come back (to Champaign) by September for the beginning of the (2020-21) school year."

Because all campus facilities were being closed, Coach Mike Small and athletic department personnel arranged for Ji to be re-assigned from his campus dorm to the apartment that Dumont de Chassart and then sophomore Tommy Kuhl (pronounced COOL) shared in Champaign. There, the threesome was told to quarantine.

Kuhl, whose family lived in Morton, Ill., agonized and sympathized about his teammates' dilemma.

"With Adrien and Jerry being from overseas, I knew it was going to be very difficult for them," he said. "Everyone was going home to their families, but they were stuck here. They couldn't leave. They couldn't practice. They couldn't work out. I eventually went home to Morton. It was a week or two into the quarantine when I came to Champaign to bring Adrien something.

"I told them, 'My parents would love to host you guys. I only live an hour and 15 minutes away. We'd have access to workout facilities and my parents would cook great meals for you guys … just being together would be a lot of fun.'"

Ji and Dumont de Chassart conferred with their parents, accepted Kuhl's invitation, and moved their belongings to Morton.

Kuhl's parents, Mike and Michele, welcomed their son's friends with open arms.

"I had told my husband that I hoped that if Tommy was in that situation overseas that someone would step in and help him," Michele said. "As parents, you worry about your kids. That's a lot for a teenager to navigate. I worried about what kind of meals they were eating, so the 'mom' in me kicked in. I wanted to take care of them."

Adrien, Jerry and Tommy then implemented a strict schedule for themselves.

"They were still going to school," Michele said, "so the three of them became very regimented. They woke up early to work out. After breakfast, they did their schoolwork until about 1 o'clock, then they'd go to our garage where we have a (hitting) net and a putting green. They would practice for several hours."

In the evening, the family gathered together to watch TV and movies or to play board games.

"We would often play trivia, even though I'm not good at that," Adrien said. "I think I got one correct answer during the entire time I was there."

What was expected to be a week-long visit extended to a month, and then two.

"From my perspective, we had four kids in the house (including the Kuhl's older son, Pete, then a senior member of Wisconsin's golf team)," Michele said. "We went through a lot of food. I fed them very, very well. They were part of our family. I made them do chores. I just treated them like I do my own kids. They had to vacuum and dust and change sheets and do some of the laundry. Having Adrien and Jerry here was really good for Tommy because it gave him a little bit of normalcy. They definitely motivated each other. It was good for my older son, too, and now he considers Adrien and Jerry to be good friends. It all worked out."

"Staying with Tommy's family was a cool way to experience American culture," said Ji, "especially for me coming from an Asian family. The Kuhl family hosted Adrien and me like their own children, so I'm really appreciative for that. For them to take us in for that long was really awesome. We created a great bond together with the whole Kuhl family. It was just a really cool experience."

By the end of May, Adrien and Jerry were allowed to fly home to their parents' respective homes in Europe.

Mike Small has bestowed a special title upon Tommy Kuhl's parents.

"Mike and Michele were MVPs in allowing those two young men to live with their family," Small said. "Adrien and Jerry got more of an appreciation for the American way of life. The Kuhls are just normal Midwestern people and they got to experience the family's friendliness. It really solidified Adrien and Jerry's love for the university and made it more personal. The three families all grew closer together. Tommy's parents have been really instrumental and we're very grateful for that."

Adrien, Jerry and Tommy are now focused on this weekend's Big Ten Championships at Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel, Ind., where the Illini are seeking their 11^th team title in the last 12 conference meets.

"We all love the challenge of winning for the sixth time in a row," Dumont de Chassart said. "Our one goal is to win. We'll show up and do our best."

Ji concurred, saying, "Because of the trust that we on the team have for each other, we know that if we all hit our standards we'll be able to win any tournament that we play. We're going treat the Big Tens like any other tournament."

Kuhl echoed his friends' sentiments.

"We've put in the work all year and we're gaining momentum," he said. "The biggest thing about playing well at Big Tens is to stay in the present, to not think too far ahead, and to just take it one shot at a time. If we hit our standards, we will come out on top."

Small considers the conference tournament as the season's most important weekend.

"The Big Ten Championship is the one that's remembered," he said. "It's the one they give rings for and it's the one that goes in the record books. For all they've gone through, it's important to leave a legacy for these kids."