- Emma Radick
Swinging For The Stars: Kilbourne's Girls Golf Team
Over the past few years at Kilbourne, the Girls Golf team has grown immensely and was noticed by many during their numerous victories such as beating Thomas and Scioto, and being the top team in their OCC matches. Coach Jon Baird, Captain Sofia Mosser, and player Sullivan Wise were interviewed about the team and what has helped them throughout the season and past few years.
When asked about the team's growth, Mosser said that “[her] freshman year, there were only six girls, and it was hard to be a top team . . . but because we have grown so much, we have greatly improved!”
The Coaches hope that girls continue wanting to join the sport, and, according to Baird, the plan for next year is to have “anywhere between 16 and 26 [players] . . . probably a Varsity squad as well as a JVA and JVB.”
While the sport is on the rise, the players mentioned that one unique thing about the team is how many people had never played Golf before joining the team. Wise mentioned that she had been around the sport for her entire life; however, she had never played on a team. On the other hand, Mosser “had not ever played Golf” before joining the team, but “was not the only freshman with no experience.”
With the sport rapidly gaining traction “in central Ohio and the nation, the quality of girls Golf has gotten a lot better” which created a new level of competition girls in Golf had never before experienced, according to Baird.
Because of the accuracy and technique needed to play Golf, and many of the girls never having played before, practice is a vital part of their routine. Taking place at the driving range, the girls “typically start out by practicing putting and chipping, followed by hitting balls at the range” all of which allow for them to grow as players and feel more confident going into their next matches," Mosser shares.
Wise touched on how the technique of Golf is not the only challenge the girls have to overcome, saying how for herself, “the biggest thing [she] had to adapt to was the mental part of it” and that having to understand that even if she was having a bad game, she had to adapt and keep going.
Besides the large number of girls and practices helping to improve technique, the players noted that a large amount of the success they have experienced is due to the distinctive dynamics between the girls. Coaches have supported this by choosing their Captains and making sure they know that “as a captain, part of [their] role is trying to encourage others [making] sure that everyone feels welcome” despite their skill level, which was said by Mosser.
Wise supported this idea by adding that, “although Golf is a very individual sport, the team is always rooting for you.”
As the season ends, the team will say a farewell to their many seniors, such as Mosser, however, the future is bright for not only the WKHS Girl’s Golf team, but the sport as a whole. Coaches and players have extraordinary plans for the girls, and with the improvement they have already made, the school can’t wait to see what they achieve.
