Golf

10/12/2023

Four of the Wilson Girls Golf team in order: Esmerleda Manilla, Isabella Boy Jackson, Kierstan Russel, and Kimberly Braddy

Sports are about progression. While winning is always the goal in sight, improving oneself plays a highly important role. Following the Girls Golf season, the team was interviewed to find one shared thought: Betterment.

Almost every player on the Wilson Girls Golf team agreed that they had improved drastically. Isabella Boy Jackson (Junior), one of the main players that the team pointed to, commented that she had enhanced her golf skills. A pre-season interview revealed that she was focused on accomplishing the task, but was not as confident in herself as her team. Several players mentioned that Isabella had become an almost entirely different player from last season, stating that her drives were on point. Another player on the team that teachers and teammates pointed to was Esmerleda Manilla (Junior). Esmeralda has proven herself to be one of the best on the team, though it did not come naturally. In an interview, she commented that her skill came from practice. Manilla entailed the previous season where her drives and puts had improved dramatically since. Like an athlete should, she also acknowledges hardships. Esmerleda’s latest championship game against South and West Florence revealed to her that there will always be a struggle that she plans to overcome. 

While the team’s top players felt confident, the new additions were thrilled themselves. Kimberly Braddy (Sophomore), a first season player, made great progress towards establishing her legacy.  In the post-season interview she appeared proud of herself and those around.  The team had also made sure to mention the coach, Nicholas Yock, and his dedication to this season. “He was always there to help,” Esmerled commented in an interview. The team praised their coach, stating that he was never shy to give them advice to help them improve. 

In a post-season report, the Coach included several records that the team had broken. The team’s strokes were up by 57 this year, with the lowest score in their regional tournament being 453. The statistics align with the players’ testimonies on improvement. As tradition, however, the team will have to bid farewell to a player graduating: Lotte Behrins (Senior). Coach Yock declared her a key player to the team, someone who will be difficult to replace.While the team may have not won a title this year, the Girl’s Team had still broken important, personal milestones. 

The Boy’s Season begins in the spring, stay tuned for pre-season articles and interviews. 

Written by Ryan Watkins | Golf Writer