The boys golf team is swinging into action with big aspirations and goals for the season. Head coach Richard Tingler and assistant coach Sherry Butts expect growth from the golfers.
One main goal for the team is to make it to the end of year state tournament up against their toughest competitors.
“We feel like we’re putting together a really good team, like one of the best teams we’ve had since we finished second in the state a few years ago,” Butts said.
The team has plans for improvements in order to reach their goal of qualifying for state.
“No matter what you start off as a player shooting, I want you to improve by the end of the season,” Tingler said. “Whether you shoot a scratch golf, I want you to get better, whether you shoot a 120 you just make improvements.”
Junior Samuel Ramirez lll has been on the team for three years and still has areas of growth he would like to work on.
“Last year I really struggled with putting and chipping, so this season I’m making sure I’m hanging around the putting range a lot more,” Ramirez said.
Not only do they have improvements for playing golf, they also have goals for the athletes on the team.
“What you’ve got to work on to be a good golfer is your attitude,” Tingler said. “You’ve got to learn that you’re going to make mistakes, and you just got to get over it and move onto the next shot and clear your head and start over and get going good again.”
Being on the team doesn’t just mean being a good golfer. Coaches want their golfers to be good people and to develop good traits and strong friendships.
“I know pretty much everybody on the team, so it’s really fun going to tournaments with everybody and hanging around them,” Ramirez said.
Work toward their goals for golf and even their future lives starts now. The season teed off March 19 with their first tournament, the KC Metro Shootout, and they earned third place against nine other teams — Blue Springs, Blue Springs South, Liberty North, Liberty, Park Hill, Park Hill South, Lee’s Summit, Lee’s Summit North and Lee’s Summit West high schools. The overall team score was 454.
