Branson varsity girls golf, the defending 2022 MCAL champions, now look toward the 2023-24 season and a handful of pivotal matches to further solidify the team’s legacy.
Riding on the confidence of a victorious start to the season, captain Aimee Yang ‘24 declared that the team has more determination and confidence than past years.
“I think we’re definitely going to do better than last year. We have more spirit,” she said. The team is currently 7-1 with their only loss coming by one stroke to Redwood, 157-156 on Aug. 29.
Coach Joe Corby recounted their narrow defeat against Redwood that. “Losing to Redwood by one stroke in our first match has motivated our girls to know that they have the ability to beat them.” They look toward their rematch against Redwood on Oct. 2 to prove that sentiment.
Corby and Yang point to two sources of power in their team: their team dynamic and Corby’s coaching style.
“We’re a really small team; there are eight of us, so everyone is friends with everyone. It’s a really comfortable dynamic,” Yang said.
Corby corroborated this sentiment by highlighting the leadership of the team’s three seniors: Yang, Valentina Alioto-Pier and Anna Han: “They are very supportive of their teammates and open to helping everyone off and on the course,” he said.
In addition, Corby’s coaching style, which focuses on preparation to develop the players’ IQ before matches, is a key source of strength.
“In the first match versus Redwood, I told them it doesn’t matter what they do, it matters what you do,” Corby said. “Unlike any other sport, coaches in golf can not teach or coach during the matches. I’m not allowed to tell them to use this club or go this way with the shot, so us losing to Redwood by one stroke in our first match, I felt handcuffed because I was not able to help them out or draw up a play to get a game-winning shot.”
This season is Corby’s first at Branson, and he is arriving to a team that has had a lot of coaching turnover. Despite the seeming difficulty of his situation, Yang said that the team “really likes” him, and that he “understands what we’re going through.”
Corby and the team both hope that their hard work and growth as a team will enable them to prevail over Redwood in their next match and look on to the MCAL championship and NCS in the near future.
“My prediction is that we will be hanging a pennant on the wall of the gym: MCAL and possibly NCS. That is my goal for every team, and I have faith that these girls can do it,” Corby said.
