While girls golf at Barstow has never been a large athletic program, the team this year is especially small. There are only two players on the team: Esther Cheng ‘23 and Izzi Osman ‘24. Despite this unique situation, both members hold a positive outlook on this season.
Cheng, who has been on the team since she was a freshman, actually feels that the smaller team has helped build camaraderie.
“It’s easier to develop friendships like this because then you can kind of single each other out and just talk to each other one-on-one,” she explains. “So, in a way, I feel like this can develop team spirit just by starting small.”
Because golf is an individual sport, team members often don’t interact with their teammates during practice. Additionally, players golf separately with other people from different schools during games, as compared to team sports. Thus, having less people on the team may allow for closer bonds to be built.
The smaller team has also proven to be helpful during practice. Cheng and Osman practice four times a week at Minor-Park Golf Course and the Hallbrook Country Club, completing drills to improve their putting, swings, and other skills.
Osman comments that they “definitely move at a faster pace.” This is Osman’s first year on the team, and she is relatively new to the sport. Although her passion and focus is ballet, she is having fun with the sport and recognizes the benefit of the two-person team.
Cheng agrees that a smaller team is more efficient. In previous years, “[We] had to wait for everyone to tee off and wait a longer time for other people to finish. By the time it was your turn, your focus was kind of off,” she says. “But now that there’s only two people, it’s a lot easier to concentrate and think about your next move, rather than wait for other people.”
The smooth practices have been aided by the guidance of Fritz Gabler, the new coach for the girls golf team. Coach Gabler, who is also the Middle School Director of Athletics, replaced Krista Kuhl, the coach for the 2021-22 season. Although Coach Gabler did not play golf in college or professionally like previous coaches, both Cheng and Osman greatly value his instruction.
“He’s a great coach,” says Osman. “We haven’t had many practices yet, but his instruction has been helpful.”
Cheng also notes that Coach Gabler has done a great job securing times at the golf courses for the team to practice.
However, even though the golf courses are close to Barstow, it can be difficult to make it to these practices on time. “The parking lot [at Barstow] is crazy right now. If we’re trying to make a tee time, it’s really hard to get,” says Osman.
Having a practice site off-campus is unique to the golf program and could be a reason why there is decreased membership; golf is one of the least accessible Barstow sports. Not only does golf require a special practice area, but clubs, golf balls, and other equipment can be quite expensive. Additionally, there has been very low student body turnout at the games. Although most sports face this challenge, the fact that all golf matches are played outside of the Barstow campus can make it difficult for students to come out and support the team.
Furthermore, unlike some of the larger programs at Barstow like soccer and basketball, girls golf receives little recognition. Because it is rarely featured on BTVN and other Barstow outlets, there is decreased knowledge of it.
To address this problem, Cheng and Osman plan to make announcements about the golf team during Upper School Meetings and send out emails to encourage people to join.
But more than recruiting more people for the team, the two are focused on having a fun season and just improving their skills.
“Golf is one of the underrated sports, but it’s actually fun and builds a unique community,” says Cheng. “It’s great to play on a team because you can encourage each other, point out things, and give each other advice. I’m just looking forward to enjoying golf as a senior.”
The first tournament is on September 6th at the Lakewood Oaks Golf Course. More information about the team’s schedule can be found through this link. The B-Line staff wishes the best to the girls golf team this season!
