Girls Golf

Bonding over birdies

Girls golf team talks about the inclusion of one another

Ellie Payne paynenic002@hsestudents.org

Senior Kristi Lilek takes a swing at practice on June 2. Photo used with permission of Kristi Lilek.

The girls' golf team is as close as a family. ey are not split into separate team has helped her improve as a person. She explains the bene ts it has subgroups compared to previous teams. “I feel everyone has become friends, and no one is le out of things,” said JV freshman Tori Klinker. e team also emphasized the fact that they make an e ort to hang out and maintain relationships outside of the sport. “We will go to get ice cream… and the majority of the time a er golf practice, we’ll go get slushies,” said varsity senior Kristi Lilek. ey feel that the positive energy their teammates bring to the table a ects their performance. Head Coach Danny Smith agrees with the team on this aspect. “It’s de nitely been a positive...because they’re all cheering for each other,” said Smith. Lilek also discussed how the given her. “I feel it’s helped me be a leader… and I feel the freshmen and sophomores look up to us,” said Lilek. e underclassmen also feel the e ect of that as said by Klinker. “I feel everyone has become friends and no one is le out of things,” said Klinker. Some members of the team talked about how the golf team has helped them develop as a player. “I feel it has helped me realize it is both an individual and a team sport,” said Klinker. “You can’t blame anyone for your performance, but the performance of everyone on the team matters towards the score.’ Both Lilek and Klinker revealed that they have had a passion for golf starting at a young age. ey both began the sport due to their family's encouragement. “I joined because I have played golf for a long time,” said Klinker. “My dad wanted something to do with my brother and I, so he chose golf.” Lilek gained con dence from joining the golf team in high school, but golf in her family goes back two generations. “My grandpa was a really big golfer, and so was my uncle,” said Lilek. “My mom signed me up for golf, like little camps or lessons, which were on Tuesday nights.” Coach Smith discussed why he decided to coach the girl’s golf team. He has been coaching girls golf for 12 years and has played recreationally for 35 years. “I love golf, I was already the assistant coach for the boys, and I felt it would be a great transition for me to jump in and try and help build the Fisher’s Tigers girls golf program,” said Coach Smith. e girls' golf team will always be excited for when Coach Smith will do a cartwheel every time they get a birdie. e girl’s golf team will go to sectionals on Sept. 19, 2022.