| Golf has new strategy for successful year (3/08) | | Print | |
| Written by Lauren Quirarte | |
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This year’s boy’s team is off to a roaring start. After a disappointing season last year and the loss of two key players, class of ’07, Anurat Rojanapairat and Michael Didneo, this year’s team has posted the two best team scores in any round played: 225-316 against Burton and 221-265 against Galileo.
“We have five returning players who are now more experienced,” senior captain Edward Chen said. Second-year golfer sophomore Sam Berry plans on contributing, “a lively spirit and good score,” he said. This year’s team of 11 players is a mixture of veterans and rookies. With the addition of a new coach, band teacher Mitchell Wagner, and under the management of coach Colonel Douglas Bullard, the team is “a lot more structured,” Chen said. Former coach, Lee Silverstein took medical leave last year, leaving Bullard coach for the rest of the season. Wagner started to coach this year after athletic director Rob Ray asked for teachers who would be interested in coaching, Wagner said. “And I told him I would do it.” Last year after loosing two regular season matches to Wallenberg, the Cardinals made it into the semi-finals, but lost in the first round to Washington. “We fell apart last year mainly due to pressure from the playoffs,” Chen said. “We’re more organized now and have a set schedule.” Wagner has developed a schedule for the team so they would become more prepared. “Last year it was more of a do it yourself practice,” Berry said. These improvements have already helped jump start the year as they beat Burton and Galileo. “The guys did a good job of executing our strategy,” Wagner said. Part of their strategy is to use math and geometry to play the course. “It’s kind of old school,” Wagner said. “Tiger Woods’s golf is to hit the ball far, but for high school we strategize.” To strategize, the boy’s pick a hole, look at how far it is, the shape, any danger surrounding it, and then formulate the strategy to shoot par. “We use math and geometry to figure out the yardage and angles of the course,” Wagner said. Because the golfers are not allowed any assistance from Wagner during their matches they choose which club they’ll use and at which angle to hit from. This year’s goal, Wagner said, is to win the city championship and play at the NorCal championship. “If coach Wagner helps us we’ll be able to get better, do well and win,” Berry said. The team practices every Tuesday and Thursday at 4p.m. at Harding Golf Course, rain or shine. “The weather is no biggy,” Wagner said. “Golf is all about playing within the elements of nature.” Come cheer on your boys’ golf team at 3 p.m. on April 7 at Lincoln Park Golf Course against Burton High School. |
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