Girls golf season nearing the end, but Lady Giants journey is just beginning

TIFFIN – The season is near its end, but the journey is just beginning for Ross’ girls golf team.

The road ahead will be long and frustrating – but such is the nature of the game. However long the journey will be, however, the Lady Giants can take comfort in knowing the first step, now behind them, is also the hardest.

Thursday, Ross concluded its regular season at Tiffin Columbian, with a 197-254 loss. But the result, as has been the case all season, is been secondary to the process. Because when your team is learning the basics of the game, like how to grip the club or hitting the ball off the ground, wins and loses aren’t relevant.

The Lady Giants golf team is comprised of just four girls – the minimum required to register a team score. All four are just sophomores and three of them never played the game prior to the season’s first practice.

When a program is starting from scratch, team and individual goals are much more focused on the big picture rather than the here and now.

“My philosophy is to get these kids to love the sport that I love,” coach Nicole Kulasa said. “This is a lifelong sport, you can play for the rest of your life.”

“Right now I have the opportunity to teach these girls the proper way to play and teach them the etiquette they need.”

Due to being the only Lady Giant who began the season with any golf experience whatsoever, Shelby Level is the team’s grizzled veteran by default. She has been Ross’ lowest scorer all season and has helped her teammates remember golf is not a game to be mastered easily.

“All of us sometimes get frustrated when things don’t go our way, sometimes we just have those days,” Level said. “Overall, I think we’ve all stayed pretty patient with it. We know it’s not something you can just go in and play and automatically shoot better.

“People play for years and years before they get good at it. I think everyone realizes that and we’re ok with that. We’re not like, ‘Oh no, we’re going to lose again,’ we’re learning how to get better.”

Mekhia Williams had been a volleyball player. But, as a child, she used to accompany her father to play golf and decided it was time to give the game a try.

It’s hasn’t always been smooth sailing, but Williams has seen progress in her game.

“I think I am making progress, especially in my putting, that’s one thing I’ve struggled with,” Williams said. “I’m doing better in that area and I’m taking one step at a time.”

One step at a time is what all the Lady Giants are doing. The challenge is great, and goes beyond just learning the rules and subtleties of the game. Ross’ lady golfers are doing it all while on course, competing against teams with players who’ve been involved in the game for half their lives or longer. Doing so requires not just patience but perseverance.

“I think it’s the hardest part, trying to make all your shots and, if they’re bad, you just have to keep going,” said Sarah Widman. “It’s challenging not scoring as good at Notre Dame and St. Ursula and stuff, but I believe by our senior year we’ll be right up there.”

But, when shots veer out of play, or a putt sails wide of the hole, the Lady Giants have each other. They’re there for one another because everyone is fighting the same battle. They share their struggles and when one hits a good shot, it’s a small sign of encouragement for everyone.

“It gets frustrating at times but we have an awesome coach and she is always really encouraging toward us,” Grace Britt said. “We’ve all gotten really close over the course of the year and we’re really supportive of each other.”

In their final match of the season, Williams shot a 61, Widman 62, Level a 64 and Britt shot 67.

Their season will likely come to a close Wednesday at the sectional tournament at Sycamore Spring Golf Course in Findlay. Every girl on the team plans to continue her development in the spring and summer next year. Kulasa is looking forward to seeing what happens when the work the Lady Giants have put in, and will continue to do so, finally pays off.

“We’re looking toward their senior year,” Kulasa said. “By their senior year, we should be able to win the championship. That’s my goal.

“Next year, my goal is to start cutting down (scores). …We’re the only ones who will have everyone returning. Everybody else is going to have some new people. By their senior year, we should be able to compete the St. Ursulas and the Notre Dames.”