The Coach Casey Classic

In 2022, our community lost Casey David Schaftlein, a

bright, compassionate young man whose greatest gift

was lifting others up.

Friends, family and younger kids often called him

“Coach Casey.” It wasn’t a joke or a nickname given

lightly. Casey had a natural way of encouraging people,

believing in them when they struggled to believe in

themselves, and reminding them they mattered.

Whether through a conversation, a laugh, or simply

showing up, Casey helped people feel seen, supported,

and capable. Being called “Coach” was a quiet but

powerful testament to the kind of person he was.

Casey loved music and pursued that passion

wholeheartedly, graduating from the Lexington

Recording School and beginning to build a promising

career in a Louisville recording studio. But Casey was

also living with bipolar disorder. Like so many individuals

and families, he encountered a mental health system

that too often makes it difficult to find consistent,

compassionate, stigma-free care.

His family fought fiercely to help him, navigating

systems, searching for answers, and doing everything

they could to support the son they loved so deeply.

Their experience revealed painful gaps that no family

should ever have to face alone.

Out of that love, and in honor of Casey’s life, his family

created The Coach Casey Classic Golf Scramble. This

event is more than a fundraiser. It is a reflection of their

devotion to Casey and their determination to transform

heartbreak into hope.

The Coach Casey Classic will be held on October 9,

2026, with proceeds benefiting NAMI Louisville, whose

free education programs, support groups, and advocacy

help fill the gaps that too often leave individuals and

families feeling alone. Through this event, Casey’s

legacy lives on.