Fall sports have hit the ground running since the beginning of the school year, one of these sports being girls golf. Golf is one of the many sports there are to choose from at OHS and though it might not be the biggest team of girls, it is full of community and friendship. Having played in varsity matches since freshman year, Via Wideman (11) and Ava Ross (11) have shown their love for the sport since the beginning.

“I love my team — I love all of them,” Wideman said. “They are so sweet, and we all hang out.”

Having a team of people that you love and can count on is very important to many athletes and can even be the most enjoyable part of playing a sport. For Ross, this is her favorite part of golf.

“…All the girls are super close because it’s a smaller group of girls…The camaraderie of it is really fun, and there is less stress on the course,” Ross said.

Though golf can be very enjoyable and fun, especially when you are with your teammates and friends, along with any sport comes challenges and stress. Wideman and Ross have both dealt with these challenges and anxieties.

“It is extremely mental…Districts were really tough for me because I was just not in a good headspace,” Ross said, “and if you can’t get out of it, then it’s kind of hard to get your score back to where you want it to be.”

Wideman says that she struggles with anxiety due to putting too much pressure on herself to qualify for state and other things. 

“…Golf is not a linear sport, you can’t be super consistent,” Wideman said. “You can shoot close to even one day and then completely blow up the next.”

Sometimes when a sport gets more competitive, some of the fun is taken away. Something that might have started out as a really enjoyable activity could become the cause of a lot of anxiety.

“…It used to be my outlet and my comfort. I would just go play golf and my anxiety would go away, but my anxiety on the course is way worse now because there’s way more pressure…” Wideman said.

Even though these challenges are hard to deal with, these two girls are able to find ways to help themselves through these stresses and enjoy themselves again.

“I try to just calm myself by breathing and thinking about other things. It helps when I’m playing with others who will talk with me about our outside lives,” Wideman said. “…If I have a bad hole, I try to bounce back. I had multiple rounds this season where I started off with a big number and was able to come back and play well.”

Since both girls are in their junior year, they have a lot on their plates. Golf coach Emily Baker recognizes the junior year struggle and the girls’ ability to manage it all.

“Their school work junior year is the hardest and you’re trying to cram a season into short weeks and they miss a lot of school for big qualifying tournaments,” Baker said. “Their ability to manage their school work and the golf on top of it is probably their biggest improvement.”

With their senior season approaching, Wideman and Ross know the ins and outs of Oakville Golf, and why anyone who wants to join should take the leap and go for it.

“Just do it,” Wideman said. “We’re all really nice, we’ll take you under our wing…so just join — we can help you.”