Congratulations to the Saint Ursula Academy girls varsity Golf Team. The team won the District Championship October 9 and Weatherwax Golf Course in Middletown. The team heads to the State Competition in Columbus, OH on October 17 and 18.
Previously, the team won the Sectional Championship September 29th at the Walden Pond Golf Club. Carolyn Markley was medalist with a three under par 69 and helped the team move on the Districts.
The team also captured the GGCL Golf League Championships at Weatherwax Golf Course in Middletown on Tuesday, September 9. Players include:
Carolyn Markley
Katie Frey
Meredith Weidner
Ramya Chandrakumar
Isabel York
Kathleen Doherty
Kaitlyn Gray
Anna Kelley
The team is led by 2013 GGCL and Ohio Southwest District golfer of the year Carolyn Markley. The players now focus on post-season play and have their eyes on State.
A recent story on Cincinnati.com explains that experience is on their side as they move forward. An excerpt of that story is below.
Led by reigning GGCL and Ohio Southwest District golfer of the year Carolyn Markley, the Bulldogs hope that the experience and maturity that they have demonstrated so far this year carries over into the postseason.
“They showed a lot of grit and determination,” said head coach Mark Hannahan. “They had bad holes, but they played better afterward. They showed me maturity and they maintained their mental equilibrium.”
With seniors Markley, Catherine Frey, Ramya Chandrakumar and Meredith Weidner, the Bulldogs have a core of veterans who have learned from their mistakes. More importantly, they have learned how to better handle their mistakes and bounce back quickly.
“Two or three years ago, they may have gotten nervous or upset if things didn’t go their way,” said Hannahan. “Now, they accept and worry about what’s in front of them instead of what’s behind them. There’s not much I have to say or do.”
That steadiness has been evident this season. The Bulldogs are undefeated in conference matches and 10-1 overall. The seniors have worked on their swings and short game and have learned to shoot out of a jam.
“I’ve learned to play with more maturity,” said Markley, who has committed to play for Michigan State University. “Now when I’m in trouble, I’ve learned how to get out of it in one shot.”
The seniors are also generous with their knowledge. All four seniors were part of the fivesome that represented the team at state a year ago. They are happy to share their experience with their younger teammates.
“It’s great that we have four seniors to pass wisdom down to the underclassmen. We want them to play well under pressure,” said Markley. “We have great team chemistry this year. We can pick each other up after a bad hole or a bad match. It’s a lot of fun.”
This may be a year for St. Ursula to make history. They have the veteran experience and leadership.
Most importantly, they have the maturity to learn from their own mistakes and make necessary corrections on the fly. That makes their coach’s job much easier.
“One of the pleasures of coaching a high school sport is getting to see young people grow up before your eyes,” said Hannahan. “They become more patient and thoughtful about what they’re doing.”