Winter months to focus on training and skills
By Ali Carlson, Kirkwood News Service
Having finished their fall season the Kirkwood Community College golf team is now looking to compete in the upcoming season and take a swing at the competition.
With the first part of the season having ended the Kirkwood golf team has set their bar for the spring season as they earned two first place finishes and a second place finish but ending with a fifth place finish in the Grandview Invite on Sept. 28 and 29.
During the fall season, the Kirkwood golf team highlighted their year with placing all seven individuals in the top fifteen at the nine-team tournament hosted by Iowa Lakes at the Brooks National Golf Club in Okoboji.
Head Coach Darin Pint says he is ready to see what early 2009 can bring for the team. “They have experienced the competitive nature and we will work to continue that into the spring. These guys have a great chemistry and unity. We are tight as a unit and want to continue to fight for each other as we get ready for spring season,” he stated.
Regarding his two returning players, who competed at the national tournament, Pint said “Our successes are based on our good sophomore leadership. The fall season was great. I wanted to get the guys out to compete so we were ready to play in the spring.”
The returning sophomores, Ross McLaughlin and Justin Strabala, along with BJ Johannsen and Matt Wennekamp have met up with the four freshmen to take on the spring competition.
Pint stated that the goal for the upcoming season is to win NJCAA Region 11 tournament and improve from last season’s fifth place finish in the national tourney.
“This team showed lots of improvements since where they started and we only hope to improve,” stated Pint.
Keeping together as a team, the golfers will work together on their own schedule to improve for the upcoming season. The first official practice for the spring season will take place when individuals return on Jan 12 in the Kirkwood Recreation Center.