Jessica Porvasnik Earns LPGA Tour Card

October 1, 2024October 1, 2024 Bobby BolinLeave a comment

Jessica Porvasnik is a big fan of the year 2024. The former Highland High School and Ohio State University golf standout already has a rather significant list of accomplishments, but now she can add two more huge life events to that list. In August, Jessica tied the knot and married her fiance Sam. Within a month of that momentous occasion, she received notice that she had officially earned a spot on the LPGA Tour.

The moment Jessica found out that she had earned her card is immortalized on Instagram. “How do you guys know that?” Jessica asked in the video. A simple response: “Math.” She had mathematically made the jump every female golfer dreams of and she had not even thought to check into it. “I was like ‘what?'” she explained. There were three events left in the season and she still had some work to do to earn fully exempt status, but one thing was certain: Jessica Porvasnik would be playing on the LPGA Tour in 2025.

Jessica has an untraditional story of her rise in the sport of golf. She was never exposed to the game and her parents were not golfers. “I started kind of late, at age 12,” she said. “I played many other sports and was really into softball. I was visiting my aunt in Battle Creek, Michigan and she suggested we take a golf lesson together.” The pro who gave the lesson was impressed. “Hey, you’re pretty good.” That was all it took. Jessica’s aunt helped her find out that the Highland golf program had a middle school club team. She joined that and made it a point to play with her grandfather every Sunday. Her sister Alicia also picked up the sport around the same time.

Jessica was able to make the Highland varsity team as a freshman. “It was a lot of fun,” she recalled. “It was a family atmosphere for me. It made my game get better just because of the competition. I grew to love the game and loved being with them.” Her best high school memories are the same as pretty much any high school golfer you ask and they include being big into flamingos, singing on van rides, and the camaraderie of the team. One of her goals was to win the individual state championship and she was able to accomplish that goal her senior year. “That was really cool,” she said happily.

It didn’t take Highland golf coach Mary Becker long to know Jessica might be on a different trajectory. “I began to believe that Jessica was a special kid after her freshman year,” Coach Becker explained. “She came back as a sophomore and made a huge jump. Just watching her development, passion and hunger to learn more and more about golf, and how to become a better player was something you saw in her every day.” Going to Ohio State was the right decision, according to Becker. “I was super excited for her to choose Ohio State to play her college golf. Number one, it’s a great national level program with great resources and facilities. Number two, after getting to know coach Hessian from OSU, I knew it was the right choice. She played on the tour and had a track record of developing tour players, which made her program a great fit for Jess.”

Jessica ended up having a stellar career at Ohio State, where she won the Big Ten Tournament her freshman year as an individual while the Buckeyes won it as a team. They ended up winning the conference three of her four years there and also made it to Nationals three of those seasons. After graduating with a degree in finance, Jessica knew she wanted to pursue her golf career. She committed herself and was happy to have more time to dedicate to improving her game. “I could now spend my time focusing on golf, fitness, and nutrition,” she said.

Jessica turned pro in the summer of 2017, right after her graduation. She continues to show appreciation for her coaches from Ohio State, who have been extremely supportive of her and have even caddied in some of her events. She went through LPGA Q-School to try to earn her tour card that fall but did not make it through the first round. She faced similar results the next two years. But she continued to play in state opens and on mini-tours. In 2020, she played on the Women’s All Pro Tour, which had an incentive where the top five on their money list got to skip Stage 1 of Q-School. With her struggles getting through Stage 1, this was exactly what Jessica needed. She won the first event on the WAPT and then the tour shut down due to Covid. “The year was a wash,” she explained. She didn’t back down and was able to get into the top 5 in 2021. In fact, she finished first overall on the WAPT and was able to get status on the Epson Tour as a result of her Q-School performance.

2024 was Jessica’s third season on the Epson Tour. She ended up finishing strong in most tournaments she played in. She had two second place finishes and six top 10s on the Epson Tour. If she finished in the top 10 overall she would receive a full card and 11 to 15 would earn her a partial card. When she found out she had mathematically qualified for the LPGA Tour with three events left, she still had a little work to do. She finished third in the next event to solidify a top 10 finish. With one event left on the Epson Tour, Jessica is sitting in third place and is ready to start making plans for her 2025 season on the LPGA Tour. “It hasn’t quite set in yet,” she said. “I think it will after this last event (at Indian Wells in Palm Springs).”

Jessica is very excited to live the LPGA lifestyle. “I can’t wait to see new courses and travel. I look forward to seeing new places. That was exciting with the Epson Tour. I got to visit a lot of places I had never been to. I can’t wait to see the new places on the LPGA Tour.” She is also excited to visit some of her host families and friends she has made along the way. Many of them still stay in touch and are following her journey.

Jessica has some experience on the big stage. She qualified to play in the 2014 Women’s US Open at Pinehurst. She did not make the cut but still mentioned that it was a great learning experience. She Monday qualified to get into the LPGA event at Toledo at Highland Meadows, where she did make the cut, and at the Pierce Silk Tournament in Virginia. “I haven’t met a lot of people yet,” she said. I’m looking forward to the new journey, meeting new people (she mentioned Nelly Korda), and seeing familiar faces.”

Jessica is ready to face the challenges of being on the top women’s golf tour in the world. There is a lot that goes into being a professional golfer that many people don’t realize. She is currently working on sponsorship deals, finding an agent, and getting a caddie. “I typically pushed (the bag and cart) myself or had my dad, husband, family, or coaches caddy for me,” she explained. She also knows that she needs to constantly work on her game. “I’m still asking people ‘Can you give me a lesson?’ and I am still taking a ton of lessons,” she said. “Your first year on the Epson Tour you are learning the ropes: Pro-Am parties, being in the Pro-Am, etc. I look back and hope my first year on the LPGA Tour will be easier.” She knows that she needs to get advice and continue to ask questions. “Where do I stay? What hotels do you recommend. I didn’t use a lot of the resources on the Epson Tour and it was a learning process. You don’t have a lot of time on the LPGA Tour. You need to perform to keep your card. Going out and asking questions will be huge so I don’t go out and face too many challenges.”

Asking questions is so important. Jessica wanted to remind that to junior players and high school golfers who are looking to make it big one day. “When you are a freshman, be outgoing,” she explained. “Ask the seniors questions. You need to be outgoing and ask questions because it will only help you.” She continued to explain what has worked for her. “The game is growing so much. There are a lot more female golfers right now. Give it your all, stay patient out there: PATIENT AND POSITIVE. It’s a grueling sport. You will have it one day and you won’t have it the next. Stick with it and have fun. That’s the key. I’ve always loved the game. There’s always something to bring me back in and give me that itch. I need to be out there. Most importantly, dream big!”

Jessica also offered some words of wisdom to parents and coaches of young golfers. “Don’t push too soon. I’ve seen a lot of parents make that mistake. If you keep pushing them they are going to get burnt out. Take a step back and be very supportive. They have got to want it themselves. My parents didn’t push me because I had the drive. They would drop me off at the golf course early and pick me up in the evening. I’d spend the whole day there.”

Even those that are not planning to become LPGA pros can really benefit from learning the sport, according to Jessica. “This is a great sport to go play in the business world or go make a bunch of connections. Having a lady in your scramble who plays from the red tees is a huge advantage!”

Coach Mary Becker sums up Jessica’s story perfectly: “Hers is a great story of perseverance and hard work, never giving up on her dream. I could not be happier for her.”

We would like to offer our utmost thanks to Jessica Porvasnik for taking the time to talk about her journey. We wish her the very best and we are really excited to follow her on the LPGA Tour this coming season!

Siena Maschke, 2023 State Champion

April 1, 2024 Bobby BolinLeave a comment

The ultimate goal in high school golf is to have the opportunity to be a state champion, whether it is as an individual or as a member of a championship team. Imagine working for four full seasons to accomplish that goal only to show up to the Ohio State Golf Club feeling terribly sick. Then overcoming that to beat a field of the best players in the state to win the individual State Championship. This is the story of how Siena Maschke, a senior at Laurel School in Shaker Heights, was able to persevere to become the Division 2 individual state champion in 2023. This is also the story of how Siena transformed herself into a top level competitor, a great teammate, and an amazing individual.

The story starts in a very unlikely place: Asia. “I was traveling to Hong Kong with my dad when I was about three,” Siena recalled. The family came upon a driving range and Siena started hitting golf balls. That was the beginning of something special, although not immediately. It wasn’t until she was about six years old that she ever made anything out of golf. Siena ended up joining the First Tee program where she learned the fundamentals of the game and the life skills that have proven to be the ultimate reward that comes out of the game of golf.

Siena did not play golf competitively much before high school and did not get off to the greatest start in her high school career. “I shot a 112 in my first tournament at Lake Forest my freshman year,” she explained. She knew she could do better and looked up to a very successful teammate for help. Jami Morris, who won the Division 2 State Championship as a sophomore and is currently playing golf at Penn State, became Siena’s motivation. “I was inspired by how focused she was,” Siena added. “At first I was intimidated but I became encouraged by what she brought to the course. She showed me what it took to be a state champion.” Following Jami’s leadership by example, Siena continued to work on her game and received some fantastic experience during her freshman year, where Laurel ended up finishing third at the State Tournament and she carded respectable scores of 84 and 85. Jami won the individual tournament once again.

To get to the State Tournament in 2023, Laurel needed to improve over the year. Even with Siena at the top of the lineup, Laurel did not have high external expectations for the season. “We had the same team coming back from last year,” Siena explained. “Four of our top five players were seniors. We had classes together and were friends off the course.” Siena maintained a positive outlook and made sure that her teammates picked up on it. She is very outgoing on the course and would do just about anything to pick up her teammates, whether it was shouting to them in the next fairway, giving them a hug at the end of the round, or shedding actual tears when a teammate had a great round. “Once they saw their improvement, they were encouraged,” Siena said. That improvement was massive. Laurel’s team score at their second event of the season, the Lady Explorer Invitational at Lake Forest, was 404, which put them 16th in a field of 18, albeit some of the top teams in Ohio. At the District Tournament at Good Park Golf Course, Laurel shot 359 to sneak into the third and final qualifying spot for the State Tournament by two strokes over Southeast.

Siena’s individual run started strong in 2023. She received a “coming of age” moment in the Ohio Women’s Open at Scioto over the summer, where she actually finished ahead of Jami Morris, the player she looked up to in high school. She won the Ohio Girls Golf Foundation tournament at Avon Oaks before the high school season started, then won tournaments at Twin Lakes and Pine Hills (in a scorecard playoff). She then lost her swing midway through the season. “Coach (Marti) Hardy and my mom were both telling me it was okay if I didn’t win states, but I was so determined.” Siena worked hard to overcome the adversity along with her coach, Joe Meglen. “He was like my therapist,” she recalled. “I worked on skills, but also mental game and breathing strategies.” She was able to put everything back together and played her best golf when it mattered the most. The State Tournament was on the horizon.

“I haven’t really told anyone else this but I was so sick during the State Tournament,” Siena said. “I went through four bottles of Robitussin. It was at the point where other players were reminding me to take medicine.” She toughed it out for the first day and shot a fantastic score of 70. She was greeted by hugs from her teammates. She was also starting to get attention from other players, parents, and coaches. “I was shocked people knew who I was,” she remembered. High school golfers don’t typically have much experience with sleeping on a lead, because most tournaments are only one day affairs. Siena had a two stroke lead over Garaway’s Sammi Miller going into the second round. “I told myself to stay focused. Don’t get too happy, too upset, and stay stable mentally.” It was a little tougher day and Siena ended up with a 73, but it was plenty enough to earn her the individual title. She ended up winning the State Championship by seven shots over Eva Lim from Columbus Academy and Avery Thompson from Hebron Lakewood. Siena offered this advice as to how she ended up being a State Champion: “Golfing every single day, taking lessons, playing in more tournaments, and learning how to play the golf course are how I did it.”

Siena had many positive things to say about the teammates she was able to play alongside during this magical ride. Fellow seniors Jade Gladue and Liliana Embrescia were the two most improved players from the previous season. “They both showed huge improvement which led to our team success,” Siena said. Every team needs that team player that everyone likes to be around. Stella Kronstain, another senior on the team, was that player according to Siena. “She is one of my best friends,” Siena added. The team will now be in the hands of current sophomore Elizabeth Weingart, who Siena predicts will be their future number one player. “She is my little sister at school. We’ve built a really good relationship and she has improved a ton on the golf course.” Siena is hoping to pass down the State Championship pedigree to Elizabeth.

There is another relationship that Siena treasures and will continue to embrace as she moves on in her golf career and personal life. Marti Hardy, a Spanish teacher, has been Laurel’s golf coach for over twenty years and has seen the growth and development of many talented players and exceptional people. “She opened so many doors for the team and myself,” Siena said. “She is 75 years old and although the golf is a lot, she wants the camaraderie. It keeps her young.” Coach Hardy is a fixture at Laurel. She will take her players out to lunch or dinner, go to school plays and athletic events, write recommendations, and most importantly, provide snacks on the golf course. She also understands the game very well. “She knows people have bad days. She’s always encouraging,” Siena said.

It goes both ways. Coach Hardy was extremely complimentary of Siena, both on and off the golf course. “I would call her genuine,” Coach Hardy explained. “The ways she treats her competition and teammates makes her a great role model. She has been mature since 9th grade. Siena is one of the easiest kids to coach because she came in ready to go.” Coach Hardy bragged of Siena’s respect for her opponents, ability to overcome mistakes, and care for her teammates, coaches, and the golf course. “She is confident without being cocky,” Coach Hardy added. “She is social on the golf course, which helps her not be nervous and not get rattled.” She also bragged about Siena’s role at Laurel, where she is a straight A student, class president, and well liked by her peers and classmates.

Siena will be attending Denison University in the fall and will be playing on the Big Red’s golf team. “Coach (Lauren) Grogan has a drive to win a National Championship and I want to be a part of that,” Siena explained. “I was originally so against being in Ohio but I visited Denison and kept going back, like four times. The community and coaches were interactive and they were the only school that remained engaged. I had lunch with the team and it was like we had always known each other.” She plans to possibly study global commerce and/or psychology.

Siena Maschke is a baker, a chef, a crocheter, and a knitter. She is the editor of the Laurel School magazine, “The Voice”. She is a school ambassador and is part of the “Look Up to Cleveland” Leadership program. And most importantly, she is a State Champion Golfer and an amazing mentor and role model.

Isabella Goyette and Paige McKendry, Highland Superstars

March 23, 2024March 23, 2024 Bobby BolinLeave a comment

When Isabella Goyette and Paige McKendry graduate from Highland High School in May, they will go down as one of the top duos to have ever played together in Northeast Ohio. Their accomplishments speak for themselves. The Hornets won the Suburban League each of the four years that Isabella and Paige played there, they won their Sectional tournament all four years, and they qualified for the State Tournament each one of those seasons, finishing in fourth place twice and fifth place twice. Isabella was the Suburban League Player of the Year twice and finished on the All-Suburban League First Team all four years. Paige was on the First Team three years and the Second Team her freshman year. There are enough awards between the two players to take up an entire database. But having the opportunity to speak with both Isabella Goyette and Paige McKendry, it immediately becomes apparent that their achievements on the golf course come second to how amazing they are as people. Neither of them will ever discuss their awards, honors, and accomplishments, but they will be the first two to speak highly of their coaches, parents, mentors, and teammates. And that is what makes these two players special. Young, up-and-coming players wanting to make an impact on the Ohio golf landscape would do well to model themselves after these two players, because the sport will be better for it.

Paige and Isabella both started playing the game when they were very young. The McKendrys lived right behind the 16th green at Briarwood Golf Course in Broadview Heights and Paige could be found out on the course with her parents from a very early age. She did not take formal golf lessons until she was in fifth grade but was ready to play varsity golf from the moment she stepped on the course for tryouts her freshman year. She just didn’t know it yet. “As a freshman, I was just hoping to find a spot on JV,” Paige remembered. “I had no idea what high school golf was like.” Paige never ended up playing on the JV team because she made the varsity team from the first day.

Isabella was also really nervous for tryouts her freshman year. Her older sister, Alessandra, was already on the team and Isabella was not sure what to expect. She had been taking golf lessons since she was five years old and had been playing at Westfield Country Club with her sister and father her entire life. “I was just trying to take it all in,” she said about her first day of tryouts. “I needed to get introduced to it and needed to figure out what high school golf was like.” She was probably the only one nervous because it was pretty apparent to everyone at Highland that she was going to make an immediate impact. Highland coach Mary Becker was part of everyone in this scenario. “They were involved in our middle school program,” she said. “Both girls stood out there and in getting to know their families, it was apparent that everyone, girls and families, were all in when it came to committing to development.”

It did not take long for either Paige or Isabella to figure out high school golf. They both became immediate factors on one of the top teams in Northeast Ohio. Highland was in the middle of an impressive run where they already had several conference championships and were becoming a mainstay at both the District and State Tournaments. The two jumped right in and never looked back. “The team kept getting better each year,” Paige said. “We had the same roster my first two years, then (after a couple changes) years three and four we had the same players both seasons.”

Isabella mentioned that having many different personalities mixed together on the team really helped them grown. Paige described her teammates as beautiful and unique. “Everyone has things that make us tick,” she added. Players like Kavya Chada, Kendall Sprutte, and Avery Albright brought the Hornets the depth they needed to be dominant. There was one other player that both Paige and Isabella mentioned that really changed the mindset of the team from the time she showed up to tryouts as a freshman two years ago: Elizabeth Coleman. “Elizabeth is so positive,” Isabella proclaimed. “It’s always sunshine and rainbows with her. She helped us overcome issues of pessimism and negativity. Helping people when they are down brings us all up.” Paige described Elizabeth as bringing “light and positivity” to help the whole team mindset. “She has been a leader since her freshman year,” Paige added. The team will fall into Elizabeth’s hands as she enters her junior year along with Avery and Kendall. Other players that will bring depth to Highland’s 2024 squad include Elizabeth Chester, Gabby Witschey, and many other players. One of those is Caroline McKendry, Paige’s younger sister, currently a sophomore. “We’re best friends in life,” Paige said happily.

Isabella was fortunate to have the opportunity to play with her sister for her first two years. Alessandra Goyette had an extremely accomplished career at Highland and was part of the generation that started the current dominant run the Hornets have been on. “I didn’t realize how special it was until she was gone,” Isabella recalled. “We had always been best of friends, and very competitive. When she went to college it was the first time I had to live without her. She was really a wonderful role model in golf and life, mainly just how she handled things.”

Both Isabella and Paige credited their success to many role models and supporters throughout their careers, but the names they both mentioned were Highland head coach Mary Becker and assistant coach Doug Snelling. Both players were in Coach Becker’s physical education class in middle school. Paige described Becker as patient and respectful. “She takes time to get to know each player,” Paige added. “She was always there when I needed her. She is smart and knows what she is talking about. She is a mentor who gives the team the right mindset. She is a wonderful person.” Paige said that the biggest lesson she learned from Coach Becker was that “being on a team isn’t about yourself, it’s how you fit into the team.” The dedication it takes to be on a team and the ability to improve your game are two other lessons Paige took from her coach. Isabella described Coach Becker as “one of the most determined people I’ve ever met. I have so much respect for where she has taken the team.”

Senior year is always emotional, especially for two players who had been together through three straight years of continued success. “It was not too different,” Isabella mentioned. “But it was definitely more special.” She added that it was her last season with her teammates and that she remembers it for a few new tournaments that made the year special. “We went to Oakland Hills in Michigan and that was a really fun experience,” she said, also mentioning the Terlesky Invitational at the Lake Club. Paige realized that every tournament they played in would be the last time they were at that course. “I knew it would be different,” she said. “It would definitely be a little bittersweet, especially being my last time playing competitive golf.”

Paige is planning to attend Bowling Green State University in the fall, and while she will not be playing on the school golf team there she does plan to continue with the game by trying out for the club team. She will be majoring in BGSU’s THEM program, which includes Tourism, Hospitality, and Event Management, and minoring in Entrepreneurship. Isabella will be continuing her golf career at Kent State University. “They were the first school and the best school to reach out to me,” she explained. “I really made good connections to their coaching staff and loved their facilities.” She will be majoring in Fashion Merchandising.

Young players can learn a ton about golf from listening to Isabella and Paige explain the game. They both really enjoy the fact that high school golf is an individual sport in a team environment. “I love how golf is different from any other sport,” Isabella explained. “I definitely love the individual aspect as well. It starts with the team aspect but as you go further it becomes more of an individual sport. I like that you can focus on yourself and play your own game, which is mentally challenging, but someone else on your team can also pick you up.” Paige agreed. “There is individuality in golf, it’s very unique,” she said. “I’m not a very competitive person externally, but I am very competitive with my own self. 90 percent of the game is mental and it’s a challenge to overcome that. But as a teammate you have to be there for your team. There are no days off.” Paige mentioned that she struggled with putting coming into her freshman year. “I was a bit of a hot head when I was younger. But I turned that into a positive mindset. I became more patient and willing to forgive myself.” She became the top putter for Highland her sophomore and junior years.

Coach Mary Becker founded the girls golf program at Highland and has been the only coach in the program’s history. She had nothing but praise for her two graduating superstars. “Paige not only loves playing golf, but strives to play the game well,” Coach Becker said. “She has a great understanding of where her strengths are, and plays to them on the course. Whenever she doesn’t perform to her expectations on the course, she works her tail off to make corrections. Whether it is getting extra lessons or extra range and practice green time, she is determined to play the type of golf she knows she can.

Regarding Isabella, Coach Becker stated, “Isabella is an amazing golfer. She now owns a majority of the te Highland High School Girls Golf individual performance records. A couple of great things I will always remember about Isabella are her steady demeanor on the course, and how other players love playing with her. Not just other top players, either. She makes everyone she plays with feel at ease.”

Paige McKendry and Isabella Goyette are both once in a generation players who are ambassadors of the game of golf. We would like to wish them both the best of luck as they continue their academic and athletic careers!

Spotlight: Who Is Sherry Du?

June 12, 2023 Bobby Bolin1 Comment

This article is used with permission from the Hudson Explorer School Newspaper and Ellie Davis. The original article can be viewed by clicking here.

By Ellie Davis, Hudson High School Class of 2024

Sherry Du, a junior here at Hudson High School, is an incredibly talented student and an even better friend, teammate and just person in general. According to her peers, she is driven, kind, hardworking, hilarious, thoughtful and someone they know they can rely on no matter what. She is taking and has taken some of the most rigorous AP courses at Hudson, has been a varsity golfer since freshman year and is involved in a plethora of extracurricular activities both in and out of Hudson. The most impressive part about Du is that in the face of everything she does she is incredibly personable and has been described as “a really good friend” by her coaches and peers alike. The purpose of this article is not only to highlight Du and the amazing things she does, but also to portray her perspective on her life and everything that she does so people can understand the answer to the question: Who is Sherry Du?

It is no secret that Du is an excellent student, golfer and musician, but exactly how many activities is she involved in? Du gave a list consisting of golf, Spanish Honors Society, National Honors Society, Science Olympiad, which Du happens to be a Vice President of, Hudson Orchestra and the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra (COYO). Du spoke enthusiastically about all of these activities and it was clear that she truly cares about and enjoys being a member of all of them. Something Du mentioned specifically about golf is that “it has been really fun and definitely a really great experience for me getting to meet all my amazing teammates.” Du is a three-year varsity golfer for Hudson and according to head coach Mr. Bolin, she is “a positive role model not only for her peers but for younger people as well.” Du also specified that she spends about four hours in Cleveland every weekend as a part of COYO, and that in her spare time she likes to practice her violin because according to Du, “if I don’t I’ll get yelled at.” This casual remark, aside from showcasing Du’s amazing sense of humor, is a great example of how dedicated she is to always doing her best.

So, how exactly does one go about managing a life as busy as this? A life like Du’s can be incredibly challenging and demanding, but as Du has gotten older she has gotten better at managing her time so that she may succeed in everything she does. “I would definitely say that time management, in and of itself as a skill that I’ve acquired, has definitely been one of my biggest challenges. Especially during my freshman year and early parts of my sophomore year, I wasn’t really effective with study techniques and that gave me a lot of grief and caused me to lose a lot of sleep.“ For Du, overcoming this challenge was a big part of her early high school career because “sometimes it meant not spending so much time on certain activities in order to prioritize others in order to have a balance of how well [she] was doing in everything overall.“ Finding the study techniques that work best for her has allowed Du to take on more and be successful in everything she does. Additionally, if Du could give one piece of advice to a freshman it would be “learn your study techniques first, and always prioritize your sleep over everything else.“ Doing these things herself has enabled Du to manage her busy schedule and still stay sane while doing it.

In order to truly understand who Sherry Du is, it is important to hear from someone who knows her well and can speak to her abilities, especially in golf. When asked to describe Du, Mr. Bolin, her golf coach, said that “Sherry is one of the most driven, motivated people that I have ever come across – and it’s not just on the golf course. It seems like anything she puts her mind to she excels and exceeds at. It’s honestly incredible how good she is at everything she does.” Mr. Bolin, or Coach Bolin as Du knows him, has coached her for three years and said that not only has her golf ability continued to improve, but also her confidence as a teammate and leader. “I think Sherry realized that she had potential in a lot of things, and I think her growth has been in deciding where she wants to utilize her talents.” Mr. Bolin also thinks that “she came with a wide range of abilities, and she’s done a really great job determining which of those things she is going to use for her future when it comes to selecting a college and career.” As her golf coach, Mr. Bolin understands and sees the amount of potential Du has, as well as her ability to continually grow in something she is already fantastic at.

Mr. Bolin also looks forward to Du’s upcoming golf season and thinks that she “has the potential to have a fantastic senior year on the golf course. I’m excited to see her senior year because this is the culmination of everything she’s been working towards, and I think both individually and as a team we have the ability to do some pretty cool things this year.” Last year Du almost made it to States, and this year both she and her coach look forward to trying to make that goal a reality. Du is an incredible golfer, but it is her qualities as a leader that set her apart from the rest. These qualities are what her coach looks the most forward to seeing this year and says that “it has been really awesome to see Sherry jump into a leadership position on the team whether it’s running our social media account or setting up practices in the weight room.” Past seniors have done an incredible job leading the team, and Mr. Bolin thinks that Du and her fellow seniors are doing an amazing job “taking the baton” from them and living up to the high standards they set.

By now it is clear that Du is an amazing student and golfer, but according to Bolin “what a lot of people overlook is how good of a person she is. She is a really good friend. She is reliable. She’s always there when you need her and she’ll go out of her way to do something for someone else.” Du credits her parents as her biggest inspiration and reason for who she is today. “Apart from that, I think there have always been a couple of teachers who I think have been really inspiring, and my teammates have always been a big inspiration for me. I think they show me what a leader should look like.” It is these people, Du believes, who have inspired her to be the person she is today and helped her continue to be a person they can be proud of.

Who is Sherry Du? She is everything that has just been said and so much more. She prides herself on being someone her peers can look up to, and she continues to find inspiration in those around her. She is a phenomenal student, stellar golfer, show-stopping musician, incredibly supportive friend and all around good person that anyone would be extremely lucky to know.

Spotlight on Natalie Kostalnick, Strongsville High School

May 30, 2023 Bobby BolinLeave a comment

Natalie Kostalnick from Strongsville High School is a Student Scholar Athlete with a 4.3 grade point average, the Greater Cleveland Conference Golfer of the Year for the past two seasons, and a future veterinarian who is already shadowing at some of the largest clinics in the Cleveland area. If those accomplishments and aspirations were all that made Natalie who she has become, it would be an amazing story. But there is more.

Since 2016, Natalie has worked to raise over $25,000 to donate to Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus working for a non-profit she started called Drive Out Child Cancer. “There are kids who cannot get out of their hospital rooms for days or even months to do the things they love,” Natalie explained. After playing in a tournament at Ohio State, Natalie and her father made it their mission to raise money for those individuals who need it the most. “I went to the local bar that my family eats at and cleaned bar stools and bar rails. I made $100 and came up with my own $150 more.” She became the first person to donate money to Nationwide that way and decided she could help even more, leading to the beginning of her nonprofit. She mentioned that it has been hard to get the fundraising going since the Covid pandemic, but she is working hard to get it back on track.

Natalie Kostalnick started playing golf at the age of eight. The story began at Mr. Divot’s Sports Center in North Royalton where she was watching her sister hit softballs at the batting cages. “I was not talented enough to hit a softball,” Natalie recalled, “so my dad sent me and my mom to grab me a cut down shaft golf club. And now I’m 10 years into playing the sport.” She started playing in tournaments shortly after that and realized that she had talent when she started to see her name appearing at the top of those leaderboards.

As soon as Natalie stepped on the golf course her freshman year she immediately became the number one player on the team. “I was horrified to play on the team,” she said. “I was going to be the youngest one with some of the best scores. I was definitely intimidated. But there was nothing to worry about because they all welcomed me without any hesitation.” One player that had a huge impact on Natalie is Madison Gilbert, who is one year ahead of Natalie and a recent graduate who will be attending Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. “We were in elementary school together,” Natalie said. “She is the person I would run to when we had to pick partners at practice. When we have conversations she always listens and gives me the best advice.” Those conversations range from golf to traditional teenage girl talk. “I am very sad to see her leave this year but I know she will go on and do AMAZING things at Miami. Everyone needs a Madison!”

According to Strongsville coach Kevin Weir, “Natalie has changed the culture of our program and has turned it into a contender each year.” They won back-to-back Greater Cleveland Conference Championships in 2021 and 2022, with 2021 being their first in a decade. Natalie led the Mustangs to the District Tournament her freshman year by shooting an 83 at the Sectional Tournament at Sweetbriar Golf Course and followed it up with an 83 at Districts at Ellsworth Meadows. The Sectional Tournament was moved to Springvale Golf Course in 2021, a move that helped Natalie take her game to a whole new level as her 74 helped Strongsville finish in second place. Again, she performed well at the District Tournament at Brookledge with an 82, earning a top 20 finish. She matched her 74 at Sectionals this past season. Natalie knew that she had played well, but was not sure exactly how well. “I did not keep score in my head. When I heard I shot 74 I was honestly surprised. My game felt good but not that good.” It was that good. Natalie finished tied for second place overall in the tournament and her team advanced to Districts yet again.

The weather worsened for Districts at Brookledge in 2022 and high scores were common all around the golf course. Natalie was disappointed with an 89. “The temperature was everywhere,” she said. “It’s hard to play with multiple layers.” That was not meant to be an excuse because other factors were at play. “I also think that nerves got the best of me,” she added. “It is hard to play with the top players in your area and keep that off your mind. It’s much easier said than done.” She is already looking at it as a learning experience.

Natalie is also very happy to share what she has already learned and her experiences with her younger teammates. “I try to give advice (not only golf), try to help them with the game, and I am just always an open ear to help them with anything,” she said. She has had a huge impact on one player for sure. The number two player on the Strongsville varsity team is Hannah Lee, a talented up and coming junior who has some serious golf skills. “It’s amazing to see the golfer and the person that she has become in the last two years,” Natalie said proudly. “I hope I’ve taught her a few things before I leave next year.” What are some of those things? “I try to help her out as much as I can, like reminding her to not four-putt at least once a round,” she responded with a smile. “We know each other’s attitudes and know when we need to be consoled and when to leave each other alone.” Some teams struggle with building chemistry, but because of Natalie along with her past and current teammates, Strongsville is not one of them. “I am very lucky to have such a tight knit team,” she explained.

Coach Weir agrees that Natalie has been a transformative influence on his program. “Natalie has completely changed who Strongsville Golf is as a program since she has been a freshman,” he explained. “Natalie is a natural leader and has shown it since day one.” He added that she is the player who keeps the rest of the team on the same page, and has been doing it since she was named a captain as a sophomore. Coach Weir added, “She communicates with the team as needed during the offseason and makes sure everyone is doing okay on and off the course during the season.”

Coach Weir mentioned that one of the keys to being successful in high school golf is using the summer to improve. Between the end of the school year and the beginning of August, the time typically goes by very quickly. Natalie tries to simulate the rigor of the high school season when she plays over the summer. She typically plays in well over ten tournaments and gets out as often as possible to get practice rounds in. There is one key aspect to all of the practice and competition. “I make sure that I am prioritizing having fun,” she said. Some of the most fun that many junior golfers have over the summer is at the Hudson Junior Invitational, which takes place toward the end of June each year. Natalie was fortunate enough to receive an invitation to play in the Hudson Junior last summer. “It was hard with my dad not being there because he was out of town, but my friends came out to watch,” Natalie explained. “It was also nice to get paired up with one of my friends (Isabella Paez from Magnificat) for the first two rounds.”

An amazing quality shared by the talented high school golfers in Northeast Ohio is how they are able to excel on the golf course while still having a huge impact on their respective communities as well. Natalie Kostalnick is another fine example of a top tier golfer whose impact reaches far beyond the fairways and greens. Coach Weir put it perfectly: “She has the biggest heart and is truly willing to do anything for anyone.”

Spotlight on Alexandria Vardon, Firestone High School

March 22, 2023 Bobby BolinLeave a comment

“I love golf. I love the game. And it’s the people that make it that way.”

These are the words of Alexandria Vardon, a senior at Firestone CLC in Akron and the top player on the Falcons girls golf team. She is a future engineer, a district qualifier in golf, an example to young student-athletes, and is wise beyond her years. She has already experienced success on the golf course and knows that her attitude toward the game will help her experience success in much bigger ways.

Alexandria Vardon lives and breathes golf and is passing the message along. She remembers getting a set of golf clubs from her father at a really young age and started learning the game at the First Tee of Akron not too long after. “I owe it all to my coach, Jimmy Beers,” she explained. “He has seen my game develop and he is the reason I play.” Alexandria knew that she enjoyed the game when she joined the PGA Junior League with Beers as her coach. She realized that she could have an impact on girls golf at that point, but did not realize how much of an overall impact she would have. Alexandria, along with other first tee standouts Raygan Hoover and Reese Latta from St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, would often play and volunteer with the First Tee of Greater Akron. While helping at a clinic not long before the Covid pandemic, a girl participating in the clinic made it a point to single out Alexandria. “She’s my favorite coach because she’s the only girl here!” the young lady exclaimed. A thirteen year old Alexandria was humbled, but it was at that point she realized just how important she was to others. That young player still attends matches just to watch Alexandria and the Falcons play.

Alexandria took the confidence and humility she gained from that special moment with her straight into high school. She was so committed to Firestone CLC that she planned to play on the boys team because they were not expecting to have enough numbers to even field a girls team. In her freshman year, they were able to get enough interest to revitalize their girls program and by her sophomore year they had a new coach who was immediately invested in the program. Jon Bozeka, still at the helm of the program, looks to Alexandria almost as if she is one of his coaches. “Alex has a really tough job revitalizing the program,” he said in respect to his top player. “Her success is laying the groundwork for the future of the team.” Coach Bozeka speaks highly of Alexandria’s amazing work ethic, meticulous approach to the game, and most importantly, her leadership, which he describes as her greatest asset to the team.

Alexandria did not just walk in one day and determine that she was the team leader. “It just happens,” she explained. “It’s about who rises up and fills in where they need to.” She uses the offseason to get the “vibe” of the team and works hard to set an example for the other players to follow. “My teammates are newer to the game but they have passion for it,” she said. “We all enjoy each other’s company.” Firestone is in a great place, returning all their players from last year’s team, including three seniors. That staying power is also a testament to Alexandria’s leadership. “It’s amazing to see how the program has grown,” she reminisced. “We went from having to scrape six players out to having nine total.”

Coach Bozeka is very aware of the difficulties being the best player and team leader can bring. “It is tough to be a leader in golf because you still need to be there for teammates regardless of how you play,” he explained. “Alex is able to do that. The little things she brings have rubbed off on the other players. She is the first on the course and the last to leave. We have a lot of beginners. Alex manages everything and takes it in stride.” After she is finished playing, usually in the first group, she makes it a point to go back to check on her teammates and make sure everything is going well.

Golf is a microcosm of so many aspects of life. Alexandria plays golf the way she lives and her personality is on wide display on the golf course. “Great players grind in tough situations,” Coach Bozeka said, referring to her gritty effort at the District Tournament last fall. By all accounts, Brookledge Golf Course in Cuyahoga Falls played exceptionally difficult last October. Alexandria got off to a rough start and shot 52 on the back nine, her first nine holes of the day. Even though she knew qualifying for the State Tournament was out of the picture at that point, she settled in and because of her determination she ended up with a more than respectable 42 on Brookledge’s front nine. It was the round that got her to Brookledge that had people talking, however.

The Sectional Tournament at Fox Den Golf Course in Stow is typically one of the most competitive sectionals in the state. Highland, who seem to punch a ticket to Columbus every year, was the unquestioned best team at Fox Den. Nordonia and Hudson, both of whom respectively had one of their best teams in school history, each looked to have a good chance to get out. The final spot looked to be a battle between Walsh Jesuit, North Royalton, and Streetsboro. Firestone knew they would have a tough time advancing out as a team but Alexandria was also up against some pretty talented individuals from non-qualifying teams. Alexandria got off to a good start. “The first drive was a good one, and that set the tone.” She played well on the front nine, shooting a solid 43, and continued at a steady pace. Alexandria and Coach Bozeka both knew there was a chance for her to advance. The pressure was on. Nobody in recent memory from Firestone had ever advanced to the District Tournament. Alexandria had that in the back of her mind. On the 16th hole, a short par four, Alexandria hit a great approach shot and knocked in the birdie putt to put her in great shape to advance. That approach shot was the key. It took the pressure off and let her coast in to the clubhouse with confidence and a final score of 83. “That’s what separates her,” Coach Bozeka reiterated, “When a big shot is needed, she makes the shot look easy. She responds late in the round when the pressure is rising.” Athletes refer to this phenomenon in many ways: the “it” factor, being clutch, stepping up under the spotlight. No matter what it is called, it’s pretty clear that Alexandria Vardon possesses it.

Alexandria’s 83 looked like it would last, but that didn’t stop the jitters during the wait after the round, which any golfer will tell you is the most difficult part of any tournament. “It was a wonderful day,” Alexandria recalled. “I knew I played well. I was on the edge of my seat for 45 minutes. It was the longest day of my life.” It was now out of her control and many things were happening at once. North Royalton came in with an excellent team score and beat out both Walsh Jesuit and Streetsboro. That was bad news for Alexandria because Annie Stencel from Walsh Jesuit shot an 80 to all but guarantee herself one of the four individual qualifying spots. Alexandria had beaten all five of North Royalton’s players. There were several good players out on the course still and it got even more nerve-racking when Emily Lamb from Shaker Heights came in with a 79. Alexandria continued to wait but by the end of the day, nobody else came within three shots of taking her spot. She ended up with the third qualifying spot and Lauren Iannetta from Eastlake North took the final spot with an 86, winning a tiebreaker over Walsh Jesuit’s Annie Cors.

Alexandria Vardon had become the first female golfer at Firestone in this century, possibly ever, to qualify for the District Tournament. Districts is a different animal and that experience will be crucial to Alexandria’s progression. It was not a great day at Brookledge, although the front nine provided a lot of positive points. The six hour round was grueling and her group never did quite find a rhythm. The takeaways are extremely important as Alexandria hopes to have a chance to tackle Brookledge again. “Shot making was important,” she explained. “It’s a tournament of perseverance.” Her goal is to get back there her senior year and take the next step. There will undoubtedly be another quality field descending on Brookledge in 2023 but Alexandria has a very good chance to be in the mix yet again.

Not many golfers have played even nine holes under par. Alexandria accomplished that feat on August 29th of 2022 in a match against Canton South at Mud Run Golf Course in Akron, carding a one under par 33. “I’m not a very long hitter,” she mentioned. “So I have to make up for it on and around the green.” That she does and her continuous improvement is evidence. Alexandria plans to play over the summer on the Northern Ohio PGA Tour and will still be around the game of golf working at Portage Country Club when she is not playing. Her goals for 2023 are high and include shooting consistently in the low 80s, breaking 80 for the first time, and hopefully having a chance to play golf in Columbus in late October at the State Tournament. Off the course, Alexandria is planning to pursue a degree in chemical, aerospace, or mechanical engineering. She has qualified for States and Nationals in the robotics competitions the past two years. She also is a member of the International Baccalaureate.

Alexandria loves golf for a few reasons. “The fact you are outside is great,” she explained. “And that pure shot that keeps you coming back.” Her favorite part about playing in Districts was how it reminded her of playing in the summer. “I played with Madolyn Kost (from Kent Roosevelt) and it was so much fun. That was when I knew that I made it.” Alexandria Vardon definitely has made it both on and off the golf course and will be a force to be reckoned with her senior year.

Spotlight on Mati Zines, United High School

March 4, 2023 Bobby BolinLeave a comment

The date was October 14th, 2022. The place was the first tee box at Ohio State University’s Gray Course. A junior from a small high school in eastern Ohio stood on the tee ready to represent her school and her community. The pressure was nothing new for Mati Zines. She stuck to her routine, took the club back, swung, and followed through. She began her journey to shooting 81-80 at the State Tournament and finishing tied for 11th place overall out of 71 competitors on the biggest stage in Ohio Division II Girls Golf.

United High School is not big, encompassing a total of about 530 students. Many schools of similar size struggle fielding teams in smaller sports, such as golf. When Mati started at United her freshman year, the school did not have a girls golf team and she was still fairly new to the sport. Mati had to join the boys golf team and figure out high school golf while being thrown into the deep end. Fast forward to 2023, Mati will be entering her senior year having established herself as one of the top players in the state and having helped build a fully functioning girls golf program at United High School. It hasn’t been a long journey, but the rewards have been plentiful and impactful.

“I only got into golf in junior high,” Mati explained. “I started playing golf a lot later than most girls my age.” It wasn’t until the end of her freshman year that Mati realized she had a bright future in the game. “It was Columbiana’s coach, Bob Hall, who was the one to mention it to my parents,” she said. With Coach Hall’s recommendation, Mati started working even harder on her golf game and began competing in tournaments outside of the high school season. She gained skill, experience, and confidence by competing in Youngstown’s Greatest Golfer league and the Northern Ohio PGA Tour.

Mati went from being the number five player on the boys team to the number one player on the newly formed United girls golf team in 2021. “I was super happy to finally have a team my sophomore year,” Mati said. They only played a handful of matches that year but it was the first time in the history of the school that they had enough players to field a girls team. Mati also had a really successful sophomore season as she reached the District Tournament after firing an 87 at the Pine Lakes sectional.

Success as a sophomore led to a huge confidence boost for Mati. She knew that she had the ability to compete at the highest level and now she just had to demonstrate it as she entered her junior year and remained as the leader of United’s squad. The team played a full schedule in 2022 compared to only a few matches the previous year. Although they competed independently, they were able to play in the Eastern Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament, which featured local opponents Columbiana, East Palestine, and Southern Local. Mati easily won the tournament shooting an 84, twelve shots above the nearest competitor, and the United Golden Eagles finished in second place behind Columbiana. She had momentum going for her as the Sectional Tournament approached.

At Sectionals, United came up short as a team from advancing but it was a great day for Mati Zines. Her round of 80 was good enough to earn medalist honors and easily propel her to the District Tournament at Sable Creek. The round at Districts had a little bit of everything. “It was a roller coaster of emotions to say the least,” Mati recalled. “I started off well the first 8 holes, but that all changed on the 9th hole.” A triple bogey to finish off the opening nine could have ruined the day, and would have for many players. Mati was able to get her emotions back in check and made par on the 10th hole. She then faced a problem that would not have even been an issue before 2022 and had to make a very difficult decision.

The Ohio High School Athletic Association made live scoring mandatory at any OHSAA tournament starting in 2022. Players now had access to leaderboards whenever they wanted to check. That new wrinkle left a lot of players with another decision that could affect their mental game. Should they check the leaderboard to see where they stand? “My coach doesn’t like it when I check the scoreboard,” Mati said. “But curiosity always kills me.” She felt that it would be better for her to know exactly where she stood. It proved to be the right choice in that circumstance. “I knew that I was in the top three when I got to the 18th hole,” Mati said, giving her the assurance she needed. “I was nervous because I was afraid I might get excited and have a another hole.” She didn’t. Mati finished the back nine at Sable Creek with an even par 36, giving her a total of 77 and putting her in a tie for first place, which earned her a spot at the State Tournament in Columbus. She had to still break a tie with Abbie Retherford from Ravenna, who also shot a 77, but by that time it didn’t matter. “When I heard there was a tie, I didn’t really mind,” she explained. “I was just happy I got to State. That might have helped me play loose.” She birdied the 11th hole to win the playoff. “Plus, it was fun to play with Abbie for those two holes.” Sable Creek did not play easy during the District Tournament, which made Mati’s (and Abbie’s) round that much more impressive. There were only four scores in the 70s and nine scores in the 80s from a field of 69 golfers.

Most players and coaches will say that the District Tournament offers the most difficult test of the high school season. Getting to the State tournament probably brings out more pressure than even playing in the State Tournament. Columbus was a great experience for Mati Zines as she played consistent golf on her way to the 81-80-162 for a tie in 11th place. The memories that come from OSU’s Gray Course are even better. Mati smiled as she explained her favorite: “My swing coach, Joe Allen, promised me if I made it to State he would caddy for me during my practice round. Well, he didn’t account for the fact that it was going to be windy and cold during the whole weekend. So he had to drive all the way down to Columbus to caddy for me in the wind and cold. But even if it was cold and windy, and I didn’t play as well as I would’ve liked, I still had a good time.”

One of the best things that younger players can learn from Mati is to set high, yet attainable goals, and more importantly, to keep pushing yourself toward even higher goals. After achieving her first goal of making the team at United, she decided that making Districts as a sophomore would be the next step. She was able to achieve that and the new goal was to get to Columbus her junior year. After getting to the top of the mountain, it begs the question: What’s next? And the answer, of course, “Now that I made it to State, I have newer and higher goals for myself.”

Mati plans to play golf at the next level. She is enjoying the college recruiting process and the search for the perfect fit. She made sure to emphasize that academics will always be the priority but she definitely plans to play golf when she finds the right place. In terms of golf, she feels most comfortable with her irons, especially from 120 yards in. She has a solid short game but also knows that any golfer can improve that aspect of their game. When asked about her favorite feeling on a golf course, Mati said that there are two. “The first is when I get a birdie, especially on a par 3. I believe getting a birdie on a par 3 is the hardest birdie to get. You can’t get bailed out with a long drive, you have to be accurate with your irons, and make the putt.” Her second favorite feeling really brings out one of the great aspects of girls golf in this area: meeting new people and making new friends. “My second favorite feeling is playing with girls like me and being able to have fun while playing. It definitely helps me do better. Each player golfs differently. Some have to be completely focused on their shot, however, I wear myself down focusing all the time. It’s nice to talk to new people and connecting with them while also giving your all to your game.”

Mati has made good friends through the game of golf and tries to stay in touch as much as she can. “Samantha Calderone (Warren JFK) is someone I met two years ago through Greatest Golfer, and we found out that we are more like each other than we first realized.” Another is Shaylee Muckleroy from West Branch. “We were on an AAU basketball team before Covid, but didn’t get to know each other very well because of the pandemic. When we golfed together, we realized that we had already met. I got to play with her during a match and Sectionals, which was awesome.” Mati really enjoys playing with players who have similar interests or a similar style of play to her.

One unique aspect of Mati’s golf journey is that she gets to take it with someone who is really close to her. Stacey Zines, Mati’s mother, is the girls golf coach at United. “It’s nothing new,” Mati explained. “I’ve had both parents be my coach my whole life.” She played basketball, soccer, and softball when she was growing up. And, as is the case in many similar circumstances, Mati’s parents may be just a bit tougher on her than the other players. “They have high expectations for me because they want what’s best. In golf, my mom is supportive of me and loves coaching my team. She kept repeating how easy our team was to coach, so I’m glad we weren’t too much trouble for her.”

Stacey Zines is very proud to be able to coach her daughter. “Being a teacher in the school district where she attends, I have had the opportunity to coach Matilyn in many different sports and activities (Academic Challenge),” she explained. “Mati works hard, has a great attitude, and understands the difference between me as a mom and me as a coach. Her dad has also been her coach throughout youth and now high school softball so the whole family has had a lot of experience with different roles we play.” She loves being able to have a front row seat to everything Mati accomplishes. Coach Zines also explained how golf has impacted Mati’s life. “She is very even tempered on and off the course. With that being said, she is a totally different person on the course than off. She likes to meet and talk to new people she meets while playing golf. She is more outgoing on the course than in other areas.” One area that Mati continues to excel at is the classroom, which is where her mother/coach is most proud of her. “In school she definitely maintains her focus. Academics are very important to her so she takes school very seriously.”

Mati offers three pieces of advice for younger or newer players:

The main thing is to have fun when you play. If you take yourself too seriously, you’ll never learn to love the sport.
Focus on your short game!
“Drive for show, putt for dough”. I think this is a great quote because it tells you how important short game is. All the best golfers are focused on short game, and I know it can be boring for new players but it is something that will make you leagues better in the future.

Mati Zines will be a player to watch in the Fall of 2023. Look for the girls on the United Golden Eagles golf team to look up to their unquestioned leader and make an impact in Division II girls golf.

Spotlight on Annie Stencel, Walsh Jesuit HS

February 15, 2023February 16, 2023 Bobby Bolin1 Comment

Golf teaches you things you can’t learn anywhere else and it gives you experiences you never thought would be possible. Annie Stencel, a junior a Walsh Jesuit High School, can attest to that. From a very young age, Annie has used golf as a springboard to success both in and out of the classroom. She has developed into one of the top players in Northeast Ohio and someone that her coaches, teammates, and opponents both respect and admire.

Annie’s love for golf started at a very young age. “I was four or five years old,” she said. “My grandpa would come down from Buffalo to play golf with my dad. One day I asked, ‘Why can’t I go with you?'” The next day, she was at St. Bernard’s Golf Club in Richfield with her father, learning how to swing a club. Over a decade later, Annie Stencel was teeing the ball up at Brookledge Golf Course playing in the District Tournament as an individual qualifier. She admits it wasn’t an easy road to get there. “I played in the PGA Junior League and joined a middle school team coached by Greg Jones. I played mostly with boys in those programs.” This experience helped her move her way into individual competitions and prepared her for high school golf. “I was humbled by the talent,” she explained, referring to the Northern Ohio PGA Junior Tour and her OHSAA opponents. She made it her mission to get better and compete with the talented players she met along her journey.

Between her sophomore and junior year, Annie improved her scoring average by over six strokes. This can be attributed to an amazing work ethic and a strong desire to compete. “I always seemed to be paired with Cara (Heisterkamp, from Magnificat) or a Goyette (Alessandra and Isabella, from Highland).” Many players will say playing with the best players makes them a better player. Annie was intimidated at first but has grown to appreciate playing with the best competition. “You get used to it,” she explained. “Cara and Isabella are amazing golfers. They are on a completely different level.”

Playing against the best, paired with a ton of range work, offseason practice, and playing in as many competitive events as she could have all helped Annie build a terrific resume. She broke 80 in an 18 hole event for the first time last summer at Ellsworth Meadows. “It will always have a special place for me,” she said, referring to the highly regarded layout in Hudson. She ended up tying her career best of 79 five times this fall en route to earning several honors. Annie was the Crown Conference Player of the Year and led Walsh Jesuit to the overall team championship. She shot 80 (42-38) at Sectionals to earn the second of four individual qualifying spots to the District Tournament. “Recovery is probably the best part of my game; the ability to shrug it off and play better afterward,” she said alluding to the 2021 Sectional Tournament where she shot 50 on the easier front nine at Fox Den, followed by a 38 on the more difficult back nine. “Some of my best rounds have been after bad starts.”

Walsh Jesuit missed advancing to Districts as a team by a mere two shots last season, something that Annie hopes to change in 2023. “One of my goals is to go to Districts as a team,” she said, embracing the leadership role that she had to take up her sophomore year. This is where she believes that she has grown the most. Walsh Jesuit needed someone to step up as a leader, someone who had the talent, the ability to make teammates better, and to build unity. Nobody expected that role to be filled by someone who barely even spoke early on in high school. “I was very introverted my freshman year,” she openly admitted. “My friends became my friends because they talked to me first.”

Walsh Jesuit had been one of the blue blood programs in Northeast Ohio for years but were starting to see a decline. The Warriors struggled at Sectionals Annie’s freshman year and then lost their top two players to graduation. It was up to her and Annie Cors, whose brother left a very strong legacy with Walsh Jesuit’s boys team. “When I was a sophomore I wanted to make the freshmen feel welcome,” Annie (S.) explained. After a trip to get ice cream after tryouts, a new team leader was born, much more outgoing and much more driven. “I want them to know and understand that this is fun,” she stated. When chemistry develops and role models emerge, success is almost guaranteed.

“One of my favorite feelings on the course is when I watch my teammates do something amazing,” Annie proudly admitted. Of course, “hitting a great shot when a lot of people are watching” also brings her a good amount of joy. As the team continues to build, Annie is trying to start new traditions and continue old ones. Team dinners, offering rides to the driving range, and bringing snacks to events appear to be building that chemistry.

While Walsh Jesuit has not made it to Districts since 2019, they finished one spot away the last two years and are primed to have a very strong team in 2023. The Warriors will return nearly their entire team this fall. Kate Figler, also an important member of the track team, will be the only loss to graduation. Cors will return after another year of huge improvement, shooting 86 at Sectionals, and just missing out as a qualifying individual. “When she’s not golfing, she’s always dancing,” Annie S. said about her talented junior co-captain. Two current freshmen will be instrumental in Walsh Jesuit’s success this year. Annie described Colleen Stadler as an “amazing golfer” who “has a lot of leadership potential.” Stadler burst onto the scene in 2022, having one of the most impressive years of any freshman in the area. She is joined by Gianna Rodenhauser, who also got a good deal of praise from Annie. “Gianna already has a personal best of 88. I was still shooting in the 100s as a freshman.”

Current sophomore Shaunee Miller and freshman Ava Roman bring the energy for the Warriors. “You can hear their voices a couple holes away,” quipped Annie, mentioning how much fun they are to have on the team. Sophomores Elise Miklos, who has won national dance competitions, and Isabel Martin, an extremely talented musician will also look to help the team compete.

Bill Reilly, the veteran coach of both the boys and girls teams at Walsh Jesuit, should have a shot to get the Warriors back to the level where his team was dominant in the mid 2010s. He knows for a fact that he will have the talent and the leadership to make that happen. Coach Reilly knows that Annie will be vital to the success of the team in 2023, “She is a driven leader with a strong work ethic, purposeful daily approach to all endeavors, and a great teammate to all.”

While her journey is still ongoing, Annie shared some words for younger players. “Get started and enjoy the game. It’s something you can take with you the rest of your life.” For their parents, using her dad, Jim Stencel, as an example, “Support your kids through the journey. It’s a fantastic opportunity. I’ve met so many people I would have never had the chance to meet, all because of golf.”

Annie plans to study physical or occupational therapy while playing golf in college. She hopes to make a decision on which school she will attend before the start of the 2023 golf season. “Annie will be a great addition to whichever collegiate program she chooses,” Reilly proudly stated. When she is not playing golf, Annie is busy maintaining a GPA above 4.0, working as the lighting director in school plays, participating in Academic Challenge, and baking cookies, brownies, and other delicious treats.