The Berkeley High School girls golf team just wrapped up a triumphant season, showcasing their growth, camaraderie, and determination.
In previous years, the team consisted of nine players, but this season, the squad had grown to thirteen members. Next season the team is hoping for even more players to join the group.
Leading the team as captain is BHS senior Pharaoh Fleischman. Introduced to the sport by her sister who was part of the girls golf team when she attended BHS, Fleischman initially joined to earn P.E. credits. Fleischman started to appreciate how enjoyable and calming golf can be. “For me, it’s really nice after a long day at school to just go out to Tilden and just hit golf balls … to not think about anything,” she said. “It’s actually really fun. It’s really underrated.”
Katy Marshall, a BHS junior on the golf team, shared her enjoyment and passion for the sport. Marshall expressed, “I think a lot of people have a stereotype around golf where it’s boring and stuff, but it’s actually super fun.” Marshall also learned about the sport from her sister, who participated on the girls golf team for four years. After hitting some balls around a bit with her sister and father at the range, she decided to join the team and is looking forward to next season when she will step into Fleischman’s shoes as team captain.
The camaraderie between players has created a strong sense of community, with the squad having a signature Jacket cheer at the range. “I really like when we do our chant: Go Jackets,” Marshall said. “It’s fun because, at the range, it’s supposed to be all quiet, and we’re just screaming ‘Go Jackets!’” Fleischman said.
Cedar Love, a BHS sophomore golfer, shared that, “Something that other students at BHS should know about the team is how sweet the community is. Nobody is going to put you down or make you feel bad about how you play … The coaches are super nice and encouraging, which makes the team a great environment.” Marshall added, “Despite the amount of girls from different grades, there’s a huge amount of community.”
With some matches consisting of up to 18 holes, golf is not only physically demanding, but is also mentally challenging. Keeping a cool head and not allowing for distractions to affect performance can be daunting. Fleischman reflected on how she deals with the mental struggle and the lessons she has learned through the sport. “For me, it’s also not trying to beat myself up too much when I don’t have a good day ... Golf is difficult,” she said.
With girls golf being a BHS sport with less athletes, Love discussed the ways new players are recruited. “Mostly just telling our friends about the team, and through the bulletin,” Love said.
Fleischman explained, “We just tell our friends and family members about it … there’s always a low number of players on the team each year, if you show up to the first practice you are on the team.” She and the team hope that next year there will be enough student interest to hold tryouts.