24 Oct 2016 Spurlock’s game honors loved one

by Katie Kemp

By the time he graduated high school, Ryan Spurlock had already made something of a name for himself as a golfer. The Maumelle native has won 15 events on the Arkansas State Golf Association Junior tour, six times in the junior PGA and once in the United States Junior Golf Tour.

Spurlock has played the game since he was about 9 and grew up to love the sport. “I started playing with some of my buddies around for something to do,” said Spurlock. “If we weren’t fishing, we were playing golf, and that’s kind of how I started to play the game.”

Now playing as a freshman at Arkansas Tech University in Russellville, Spurlock is ready to collect even more titles. But golf has become much more than a game to him — it’s become an outlet to honor a loved one.

Spurlock’s mother, Andrea Epperson, was killed in a car crash on May 13. The accident happened just days before Spurlock would graduate from high school. He and his mother were close, and she was highly supportive of his golf career. The accident occurring at such an important moment in Spurlock’s life made the loss particularly difficult for him.

“She was my best friend, my rock,” said Spurlock. Unfortunately, Spurlock experienced a lot of loss during his senior year — two friends and the athletic director also passed away.

Though he feels the weight of these losses, Spurlock has used his sport as a way to honor the people he loves. In the tournaments since his mother’s passing, Spurlock has remembered her by wearing her initials, AEE, on his cap. While he says it has been more difficult to play without his top supporter cheering him on, Spurlock feels he now plays with more purpose. He won the first tournament he played in after her death.

In the beginning of his college career, Spurlock points to this “something extra to play for” as his motivation to strive to play better. He is looking forward to the increased level of competition and travel opportunities that college golfing offers.

When he isn’t golfing, Spurlock gives back in a number of ways in the Maumelle community. He was heavily involved in the Special Olympics throughout high school, dedicating time to take handicapped students on field trips and using a class period each day to play various sports and provide activities for students with special needs. His favorite part of his participation in the organization was seeing the kids smile.

He is also an active member of New Life Church in North Little Rock. His church family has been supportive in all he has been through in the past year, and he even plays golf with some of the church’s leaders.

Spurlock understands that individuals can be defined by the way they respond to the difficult seasons in life. He’s determined to grow and make himself better through this challenging season.