February 2024 - Perna's Next Level Prep

How one coach uses tough love to get students ready for college golf
Photographs by Charles Cherney

This article appeared in the February 2024 edition of Chicago District Golfer.
To read more Chicago District Golfer stories, head to our article archive.

John Perna, who has operated TPS Golf Academy in Downers Grove since 2010, has helped many of his students to go on to play college golf.

Grant Roscich’s goal since a young age was to play golf in college. He checked that box when he signed with the University of North Carolina. Nicole McGuire decided during high school she wanted to pursue golf. She will play at Washington University in St. Louis.

While McGuire and Roscich took different roads, they share one thing in common in their journeys: Both are students of John Perna at TPS Golf Academy.

Neither McGuire nor Roscich could imagine another instructor helping them reach their desired destinations.

Roscich, of Glen Ellyn and a senior at Glenbard West, started at TPS in sixth grade. He was the youngest student Perna accepted into the program.

“I needed a coach like John who would hold me accountable,” Roscich said. “He’s hard, but in a good way. If you’re not working hard or doing something wrong, he will tell you. I needed that honesty at a young age. He pushed me to get better.”

Meanwhile, McGuire, of Bloomingdale, and a senior at Glenbard North, joined early last year, banking on the academy’s training methods to elevate her skills in a short time.

“The coaches are so knowledgeable in what they teach,” she said. “I trusted they [were] making me the best player I [could] be.”

Tucked in a nondescript industrial park in Downers Grove, TPS was founded by Perna in 2010 with a mission to provide a unique approach to game improvement. He blends state-of-the-art technology with what he calls “team training” that cultivates a competitive environment among the students.

Inside the 3,500-square foot facility are four TrackMan hitting bays, SAM Putt Lab and PuttView. Perna also uses FocusBand, a neurological device that tracks brain activity to help regulate emotional levels. TPS teaches all aspects of the game, but Perna, with an understanding of biomechanics, doesn’t subscribe to any one swing philosophy.

In its first year, all six TPS students went on to play at “Power 5” conference programs. Since its inception, the academy has helped nearly 200 players advance to the college ranks.

(Left to right) Maggie Carlson (No. 1 girl in Illinois, class of ’25), Grant Roscich (No. 1 in Illinois, class ‘24) and Owen Coniaris (No. 1, class ’27) are TPS students. Rankings by Junior Golf Scoreboard.

“The No. 1 thing is our environment, the culture we’ve built,” said Perna, who was named the Illinois Junior Golf Association’s (IJGA) Person of the Year in 2022.

If that sounds like something recently retired Alabama football coach Nick Saban would say, that’s no accident. Perna is a product of team sports, and he prides himself on developing those who play golf into skilled athletes who play to win.

“We focus on process-oriented goals with an attention to detail,” Perna said. “We put them in pressure situations at practice to make them tough because golf is a hard game. Not everything goes right, and we want to teach them how to get through a round.”

Dan Kochevar knows Perna and his story better than most. A former Illinois PGA Teacher of the Year and member of the IJGA Hall of Fame, Kochevar taught Perna while Perna was in high school at St. Viator.

“No one worked harder than John,” Kochevar said. “He was driven and wanted to prove he could be the best. That’s why he emphasizes the mental part of the game. John is really good at putting players in positions where they can succeed.”

Dana Gattone can vouch for Perna’s program, as both a former student and current coach. Like Perna, Gattone was a multi-sport athlete growing up and a late bloomer in golf who went on to play in college at Illinois.

“So many things set him apart from other teachers,” she said. “The biggest is that he’s not boxed in as a traditional teacher. And he’s not worried to tell kids the truth. It’s that communication that clicked with me. I always wanted to know everything as a player, even if it was sometimes hard to hear. I look back on how helpful that was to me.”

When McGuire came to TPS, she immediately connected with Gattone. After less than one year in the program, McGuire cut strokes off her score and turned herself into a marketable player for colleges. She ultimately chose to attend and play for Washington U, an academic powerhouse that took second in Division III last year.

TPS offers students state-of-the-art technology, including four TrackMan hitting bays.

“I looked to Dana as a mentor,” McGuire said. “She provided me with insight and guidance throughout the whole process. I wouldn’t be in this position without her.”

Roscich zeroed in on golf before he entered high school. It was the winter during his freshman year that he consciously pushed himself to improve his game.

A critical juncture came the summer before his sophomore year when he qualified for the U.S. Junior Amateur. Roscich raised his profile again with invitations to the Western Junior in consecutive summers and is the two-time defending champion of the Illinois State Junior Amateur.

Now, he’s off to North Carolina, one of the top programs in the country. The Tar Heels advanced to the semifinals of the NCAA Division I National Championships last season and are considered a favorite to win the title this year. Austin Greaser, the 2022 Western Amateur champion at Exmoor Country Club, is currently on the Tar Heel roster.

“I trusted the process,” Roscich said. “I saw the results, and it raised my confidence. I knew I could play anywhere.”

Roscich is one of three Class of 2024 players heading to the Power 5, along with Tyler Greenspahn (Southern California) and Caroline Owens (Notre Dame). They will join current college players and TPS students Timmy Crawford (Illinois), Sean Curran (Clemson), Katherine Lemke (Virginia Tech), Molly Lyne (Louisville), Mac McClear (Iowa), Caroline Smith (Wake Forest) and John Wild (Oklahoma State) on the big stage.

“We create an environment that stresses self-discovery, is structured and disciplined, is conducive to accelerated learning, one that gives kids a foundation and an opportunity to realize their dreams,” Perna said.

Matt Harness is a Midwest freelance writer who writes frequently on golf.