×
×
homepage logo

Young BEA girls golf squad anxious to get started

By Staff | Mar 30, 2014

Golfers left to right: Olivia Stewart, Ashley Petersen, Mateja Lane, Natalie Fellows and coach Carol Weerts. Front: Athena Thompson, Claire Jordan, Gabby Weerts and Malarie Scholtes.

The Blue Earth Area girls golf coach Carol Weerts spends her mornings as a BEA middle school physical education teacher, her afternoons in Winnebago teaching elementary students physical education and returns to Blue Earth to coach her golf squad.

Similar to Weerts, her team this year will be all over the place as well but in regard to the age difference.

According to Weerts, this team will be young and only have five players with varsity experience.

“We have one junior, one sophomore, two freshmen, two eighth-graders and six seventh-graders who do not have any varsity experience,” she says. “It will be a rebuilding year. We will work on the basics and perfect the swings while we are practicing inside.”

This will be Weerts’ second year with the team, after previously spending seven years coaching girls tennis and helping assist the boys tennis squad.

“I played golf in high school and really enjoyed it,” she says. “It’s a great sport which takes patience and great hand-eye coordination.”

Weerts participated in four State Tournaments herself. Her best result was a fourth-place finish her senior year.

The girls started practicing last week in Pemberton Auditorium; they hit balls into nets on Tuesdays and Thursdays, while the boys golf squad takes Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays because of the amount of players.

“It is definitely a disadvantage not being able to get outside and hit balls,” Weerts explains. “It is nearly impossible to determine how well a shot is when you hit into a net five feet in front of you.”

Something unique, which coach Weerts offers the golf program is that she has had a bus license for the past three years.

“If we have a match at the same place the boys do, I will pack them all in a bus and we will go together,” she says. “For me, one of my most memorable experiences in high school was the bus rides to the matches. It builds great chemistry.”

Last year the girls advanced to the Section meet in New Prague thanks to a second place showing in their Sub-Section Tournament. However, they did not have any players qualify for the State Tournament.

Leading the team will be returning varsity starter Natalie Fellows.

“Natalie will be looked upon to provide some leadership and quality scores for us,” Weerts says.

Also returning from last year includes: Signe Olson, Olivia Meyers, Ashley Peterson and Malarie Scholtes.

Other BEA golfers on the squad this year includes:?Olivia Stewart, Mateja Lane, Athena Thompson, Claire Jordan, Gabby Weerts and Serina Wirth.

Waseca, St. Peter and New Ulm will be the Bucs’ toughest competition this year, according to Weerts.

“Our conference has some tough teams,” she says. “I want these girls to have fun most importantly, but still give their best effort.”

Weerts is anxious to get the season started, but admits some of her players need to step up.

“I hope some girls can improve throughout the season and give us some solid scores,” Weerts says. “Golf is a mental sport and I want to teach them to have a quick memory and focus on the next hole.”