Panther Prints | Issue 2 | December 2019

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14 • Sports PESHPRINTS.COMPutting in workHow golf team plays on greenby Sonali Menonhether it be scorching hot, bone-chill-cold, or stormy with tempest-lev-Wingel winds, a group of students perseveresthrough each season. Unlike Texas’ ever-changingweather, the golf team isevergreen as they work throughout theyear practicing, training and conditioningto perform at their best and earn morestate wins.The girl’s division got the ball rolling,placing second at the Lovejoy InvitationalTournament, with junior Collin Waterhouseand junior Meagan Winans earningaccolades by finishing third placein the Fall District Preview on Nov.19, as well as placing fourth at the6A State Preview Golf Tournamenton Nov. 17. Additionally, recentgraduate Libby Winans placedfirst at the 2018 UIL Girls 6A StateChampionship. Despite all theseaccomplishments, the golf team faces achallenging predicament.“[It’s frustrating when people say] golfisn’t a sport,” sophomore Shivani Schmulensaid. “I was probably even one of thosepeople who were like, ‘Oh, it seems soeasy!’ because you see it on TV and theprofessionals make it look really easy, butafter you go to the range and you actuallytry, it’s a lot harder than it looks.”The amount of behind-the-sceneswork that goes into being a successfulmember of the golf team largely goes unseen.The team’s practice schedule spansthe entire week with on and off days,depending on what division a player isin. Many players also take additional privatelessons outside of school to improvetheir skills.“It’s a very tedious and time-consuming[sport] to practice,” senior Lara Hollandsaid. “You have to have extreme precision,and you have to align it, and you evenhave to read the way that the ball is going“[Golf is] really spiritual, actually. It’s not justa sport for old men who ride around in golfcarts. It’s so much more.”-Golf player and senior Lara Holland“to roll on the grass and into the hole.”Students in the golf team play weeklyon the course, sometimes going morethan three days a week to practice.“A lot of people think that [golf] doesn’trequire that much athletic ability,” Schmulensaid. “However, I just think that it’s sohard to constantly remember everythingthat you have to do in order to have thatperfect swing, and even then it may not beperfect.”Unlike some other school sports, theSenior Lara Holland practices her drives and swings as sheprepares for her next practice at the school fields Dec. 3.Photo by Sonali Menongolf team has both a fall and winter season.To keep up with the constant activity,players must dedicate time andcommitment in order to stay on the teamand perform well. Holland, for example,dedicates an average of 14 hours a weekto the sport.“I practice as much as possible becauseit truly is a game that if you skip a day ofpractice, you’ll see it,” Schmulen said. “It’sthat precise, [so] you have to keep workingat it.”Even though players practiceand compete individually, the teambelieves they still maintain a familialbond due to the amount of timespent together.“It’s a very personalized sport,but you get really close to the peoplein your group,” Holland said.This year, the golf team hopes togrow closer and express their love for thesport by working hard and earning moreUIL points at the six tournaments theyhave scheduled this school year. However,the accolades are not the driving factor forthe golf team as they have built a connectionto both their sport and to each other,according to Schmulen.“[Golf is] really spiritual, actually,”Holland said. “It’s not just a sport for oldmen who ride around in golf carts. It’s somuch more.”
@PESHPRINTS Sports • 15Striving for stateBasketball pursues year-long goal of successby Ethan Johnsonor boys and girls basketball, the sea-never stops. The day after theFsonteam’s final game in March, they areback in practice, working toward the newseason in November. From offseasonrecovery to preseasonworkouts, the team is alwaysimproving their craft.Boys basketball head coachMatt Wester believes his teamis a special one, and afterstarting their season 5-2 as ofDec. 2 that there are factorssuch as experience — witheight seniors returning to theteam for their final season —and athleticism that separatehis team from most others inthe district or even the state.“They’re good kids that arevery easy to coach.” Westersaid, “Our potential is prettyhigh. I think if we reach our potential,we’re definitely a playoffteam. How high that ceilingis, I don’t don’t really know yet. We haven’tseen a lot of adversity yet. And whenwe respond to adversity, we will knowmore about how high our ceiling is.”Senior point guard Justin Wright feelsconfident in the team and believes thatall the hard work they put in during thePhoto by Sasha SanchezPhoto by Sasha SanchezSenior guard Jaden Clark takes the ball up the court alongside teammates TrippButts and Latrell Goodwin to score against Dallas Spruce High School Nov. 19.East won the game 66-46.offseason will pay off enough to have ashot at going to state.“We compete every single day and[there’s] this positive energy all the time,”Wright said. “We try not to bring anyonedown.”Senior power forward Chloe Regeleanbelieves that the girls basketballteam’s hard work and talentwill separate them fromthe rest of the district.“We’re a team of really hardworkers and we’re gearing up[for] district to show otherteams what we can do,” Regeleansaid. “We have a lot oftalent and a lot of skill that setsus apart, [so] state is a possibilityif we keep working ashard as we have been.”Girls basketball coach JessicaLinson believes her teamis one to pay attention to afterstarting 10-2 and ranking at 15in the state as of Dec. 3.“We’re super hungry andwe’re scrappy,” Linson said. “Ithink we have the ability to getto state, our district is wide-open, butthe first step is to get to [the] playoffs.”
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Panther Prints | Issue 2 | December 2019

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