While Mingus Union High School welcomes in a new golf season for the boys, it cuts the ribbon on a brand new program for the Marauders girls.
Seven freshmen make up the first-ever roster of girls golfers for the Marauders, whose program was approved by the school board over the summer.
“I’m really excited,” head coach Craig Mai said. “It’s fantastic that we’re able to offer a girls program. It’s crazy that it’s taken this long for a school here to have a girls golf team.”
The idea came about around a year ago when J.R. Roland, Joe Link and Todd Bowers, coaches from area middle schools told Mai that girl golfers were about to start at the high school, and they needed a team to land at.
“I think it’s really cool because we get to set a tradition and hopefully younger girls will get to keep playing and see that there’s girls actually playing in high school and that there’s a chance for them,” Kaila Bowers said.
By the time they are seniors they could have the potential to compete for titles, if not sooner.
“For our first year we expect to all play good and then we work up to the top and get better each year,” Fusion Lavendergeddes said.
Confidence in various parts of the game is spread across the board.
Anna Schreiber, for example, enjoys putting, while Suzie Tanner is more confident on the fairways.
“I feel like I’m really good in putting just because I feel that if you just practice a lot and you just focus and stay calm then the outcome will be good,” Schreiber said.
“Once I can to the fairway I feel pretty confident because I can concentrate more,” Tanner said.
Mai said that, especially since they are freshmen, hitting the ball more consistently and farther will be a major emphasis this season.
They are listed under “Independent” on the Arizona Interscholastic Association’s azpreps365.com and will not play for a formal AIA region championship or be able to qualify for the state tournament. Instead, they will compete in six matches in the AIA’s Developmental League.
Beginning in the 2018 season, they will compete for a region title and state championship berth in Division II.
Girls competing in AIA golf in the Verde Valley is not brand new, however. Last season both Sedona Red Rock High School and Camp Verde High School had girls play on their spring Division III teams alongside the boys.
