JWCC Prairie State Profile: From golf course to broadcast booth, Macomb’s Keene remains focused on community impact

MACOMB, Ill. — Justice Keene always understood golf to be an individual sport.

What he has come to embrace and relish is the team aspect of the game. When you’re playing alongside golfers you respect, trust and have a bonafide bond with, the team result becomes as important, if not more, than the individual score.

“That’s something you learn as you progress through high school,” said Keene, a junior on the Macomb boys golf team. “Not only are you playing for yourself, but your score matters.

“As you’re coming down the stretch, you never know when that score is going to be needed. I think it’s really fun to get out there and compete. I love it and I enjoy it every time we go out there.”

He’s been a part of some special moments. The Bombers qualified for the Class 2A state tournament last fall, shooting a 309 on the first day at Illinois State University’s Weibring Golf Club and missing the chance to play the second day by two strokes.

Keene would like to add another memorable moment this fall.

“The goal is to tee off on the last day of the season with five other teammates of mine,” Keene said. “You never know, maybe we can even bring home some hardware.”

He may even get the chance to tell all of Bomber nation about it.

Keene is the director of the Bomber Sports Network, a live-streaming service dedicated to highlight Macomb athletics and community events. It has allowed him to create a resume and broadcast portfolio unmatched by most 16-year-olds and an insight into how to impact a community on a variety of levels.

Keene discussed his golf game, the Bombers’ season and his blossoming broadcast career with Muddy River Sports Editor Matt Schuckman for this week’s Prairie State Profile, brought to you by John Wood Community College:

Q: What do you like about how the golf season is going?

A: I like how we may not be a fully loaded, superstar team, but we’re able to do little small things that make a big difference in the end. I think our chemistry is really high again this year. We’re six brothers who work really hard and just enjoy the process. We’re getting good results, and sure, there are little things after every tournament you’re going to have to work on. We’re working hard and improving every day.

Q: What does it mean to this group to carry on the Macomb golf tradition?

A: My freshman year was Braden Duncan’s senior year and Jack Lockard’s senior year, and to kind of grow up in a sense around those guys — as a junior high kid coming out to watch those meets — what an experience. Then going to state last year for the first time for me, what an experience. I really hope come October we get to experience that again. What a great feeling it is teeing off in October at Weibring Golf Club and getting your name announced on the first tee.

Q: The state tournament really is a different atmosphere, isn’t it?

A: Absolutely. We play Weibring two or three times on the schedule and a good handful of us played it in the summer with the Prep Tour and things like that. Nothing lives up to how it is in October. The atmosphere is unbelievable.

Q: How did you get involved with golf?

A: My mom (Andrea Roudebush Keene) was a really good player in high school, and she played Division I golf at Southern Miss. She served as the women’s golf coach at Western Illinois University for a handful of years (2001-05). So there was a strong family influence there, and I just fell in love with the game. It’s just competition. I love getting out there competing. 

Q: What’s it like to come from a family that is so involved in athletics?

A: I don’t think there is a free night ever in this family. Obviously, I grew up in the gym with my dad on the sideline. (Zach Keene coached girls basketball at Rushville from 2003-05, Carthage/Illini West from 2005-12 and Macomb from 2012-21). My mom was right there, too. It’s the greatest privilege in the world. Post-golf, it’s running to games to go broadcast. It’s such a privilege to have a front row seat to anything Bomber athletics and just athletics in general. It’s a privilege for me to sit front row and get an open look at athletics on a different perspective than other 16 year olds.

Q: What piqued your interest in broadcasting?

A: I’ve always kind of been around it. I was around you at games all the way back to the Carthage days. Chris Duerr always being there and Keith Yex right there had an impact. Then coming to Macomb, we had Kip Jones and there was always a sense of welcoming. There’s a really good picture as I look back. It’s of me with a headset on and my dad getting interviewed by Kip Jones. It’s just a phenomenal picture. Everyone has been so willing and open. It caught my attention. And it’s really about getting other student-athletes recognized. It’s really cool to think we get to bring coverage to kids who deserve it and work really hard for it. It’s always been something I’ve been interested in. Seeing firsthand growing up all the little things all those individuals would do impacted me.

Q: To have the encouragement and backing of the Macomb administration to broadcast Bombers sports has to be inspiring, right?

A: It goes back to Dave Bartlett when he was the AD. He was retiring my seventh grade year and that was the first time I was handed a microphone with him basically saying, “Have at it.” Coach (Steve) Horrell took over my eighth grade year, and to be able to have his support is amazing. He’s always calling me and helping me. During the (COVID-19) shutdown, he was open to doing interviews and little things. There isn’t a better feeling in the world to have the backing on anything I do or any decision I make all the way from our superintendent Dr. Patrick Twomey to Coach Horrell to our principal Scott Sullivan. It’s support all the way and it’s a great feeling to have that.

Q: Is it safe to assume broadcasting is something you want to pursue post-high school?

A: I hope. I haven’t made a full decision yet, but I think it would be an unbelievable career. Any job I can have where I’m able to be part of the community is important to me. On the weekends, I try to make sure I’m out and about, whether it’s doing something with our elected officials or serving with different projects or being at games. I just love being out in the community. I really hope it could be a career someday, but I don’t know what the future holds yet.

Q: Your focus isn’t solely on sports. It’s about community, isn’t it?

A: Absolutely. For example, this weekend I was in Colchester doing a parade. I love to meet people. I love having people come up to me and say, “Hey, you’re the broadcaster, aren’t you?” I love our community. The community has been so open and driven about every little thing. Being in a small town like Macomb, everybody knows everybody. They’ve always been open. I love doing small things for our community and being a part of all these projects. Anything we can do to make Macomb and the surrounding areas a better place, I’m all for it.

Q: What’s your favorite moment to date that you’ve been able to broadcast?

A: That’s a really tough question. There was a time, I think it was sixth grade maybe, I was sitting next to a radio announcer when my dad was coaching the girls basketball team here and they were playing Monmouth. The final score ended up being 100-89, which was the sixth highest combined scoring girls basketball game in Illinois history. I announced the 100th point on the radio. That was really fun. Going to the state basketball tournament and doing some online things has been really cool. Probably to date, doing a full game, it was probably last fall’s playoff football game. Sure, the outcome wasn’t what we wanted, but the atmosphere of October football doesn’t get much better. Murphysboro had a great crowd. For being 5 ½ hours away, there was a really good crowd for us. Making that trip down and eating at 17th Street Barbeque, it doesn’t get better than playoff football.