Complaints about the opening of Matea Valley High School have been constantly and conspicuously voiced by both students and parents alike. Comments such as “I do not want to leave my friends” and “I do not want to drive my child twenty minutes for school” seem to be the anthem of all in disfavor of the school board’s decision. Yet, while students and parents have been heard loud and clear, one group of people who is accepting the change gracefully is Neuqua Valley’s Girl’s Golf Team.
“Over the years, we’ve probably had as many as half of our girls come from White Eagle,” said Coach John Keller. “The really top-notch Varsity players are from White Eagle. So assuming this trend would continue, a lot of those quality players will be moving away from Neuqua to Waubonsie when Matea is built.” Keller presents a valid concern as White Eagle students will be required to attend Waubonsie instead of Neuqua as of the 2009-2010 school year. Currently, there is no one on the Varsity team who will be transferring to Matea or Waubonsie.
“It does make some what of a difference where you live because it helps to practice more often and memorize the course,” said Sophomore and Varsity golfer Alisha Patel, who, lives in White Eagle. Although Senior and fellow Varsity member Nivi Umasankar does not live in White Eagle, she agrees that there is a direct correlation between where a student lives and how well they play golf. “People in richer neighborhoods like White Eagle, Breckenridge, and Kinlock grow up playing golf,” she said. “But I don’t necessarily feel that I am at an advantage in any way.” Senior Olivia Suber, also on the Varsity team, feels differently regarding the subject. “Subdivisions with golf courses, like White Eagle, may bring forth more golfers than others,” she said. “However, the actual skill level of a golfer is entirely based on practice and experience.”
Despite the conflicting views and the fact that no one is transferring next year, the opening of Matea will, nevertheless, affect the team in the future. “I don’t think there is any way this change could positively affect us,” said Keller. “There are definitely going to be some good players…from the biggest golf program in White Eagle who in the past would have gone to Neuqua and won’t be anymore.” Suber commented, “Being that we have a smaller team this year and three members are graduating, this may result in a lack of new members, if not beginners. There may be a year a two where the team will simply have to work and practice more in order to get to the skill level necessary to actually do well in Conference compared to other teams.” As Suber mentioned, increased practice is inevitable for the coming years in order for the Girl’s Golf Team to keep the standards it currently holds. Whether the loss of White Eagle players has a negative affect on the team or not, golfers will have to make up for the seniors who will leave. Keller feels that in taking a proactive stance on the issue, it is necessary to reach down to the source of this dilemma.
“The problem is that middle schools don’t have golf teams to prepare and to promote junior high students for the high school level,” he said. “As large as the school is and as affluent as the area is, it is hard to get many more [golfers] than you need to come out. It’s really the same for all the other big schools in the area. We many have only twenty people come out and cut it down to sixteen or if there’s even less, we have to take everybody.” In hope that middle schools in the area will introduce golf to their athletic program, it will ensure more and more skilled players to try out for the high school teams.
In fact, Matea Valley may be hitting Neuqua’s Girl’s Golf Team the most in both numbers and quality. “We are still in a balancing act trying to be as competitive as we’ve always been,” Keller said, referencing the team’s anticipated recovery plan. “It may take a little more digging for players and training than we have had in the pasta because, like I said, White Eagle has been pretty crucial in giving us enough players to help us succeed.” Although the coaches are beginning now to plan for the future, there is not saying how much they can foresee. But till then, Patel speaks on behalf of all her team members: “The golf team is amazing, I love being on it, our coaches are awesome, and we always play to win!”
By Reema Rao, copy editor
