The 24-25 girls’ golf season at Manitou Springs High School is starting off with strong ambitions. The team kicks off the new season with a tournament versus vanguard on Monday, April 1. Compared to last year with four players, this year’s team only has two players, making them only able to qualify individually for state championships.
Madi Sharon (12), a student who has played golf throughout her childhood, as well as the high school level, is ready to make the most of her last season at MSHS. “My dad’s a huge golfer, so I’ve been golfing since I was probably four or five,” Sharon said.
Addie Dorsey (10) is a younger golfer that was introduced to the sport by her father at the age of four. After her high school athletic career, she hopes to play golf at a collegiate level. “I have put in a lot of work recently with coaches, but I feel like my biggest strength is keeping my head in the game and just staying focused,” Dorsey said.
While the team may have fewer numbers than previous years, the players are still able to qualify for individual state championships rather than as a team; with this being the case, the overall resources for the players remain the same. “If any sport can be small, it’s golf, because everything is individually scored anyway,” Athletic and Activities Director at MSHS, Cameron Jones, said.
With a smaller program this year, it is in the interest of the players to support each other. “It’s kind of sad that we don’t have enough to qualify as a team, but I think we’ll do fine because we have each other’s best interests at heart, ” Dorsey said. “I’m always willing to help Madi, and I think she would do the same for me too.”
The golf tournaments often take the entirety of the day to complete, and players spend a lot of that time with their opponents on the course. “What I want to leave with the people I play with is that this is a fun experience, and that even if they’re not playing good, or I’m not playing good, that it’s just fun,” Sharon said.
As the season begins, the main thing that the players are able to control is their mindset towards each other as well as the game. “You have to just row with the flow,” Jones said.
