Get to know Downingtown East golfer Mia Pace
EXTON, Pa. — Last fall, the Downingtown East girls’ golf team won the PIAA 3A state championship as an undefeated team in the Chest-Mont league. Incidentally, it was also the first state title ever won by a DEHS athletic team. Mia Pace聽was a member of this historic team as a sophomore. In October 2021, she added a 6th place win with a 77聽 in the individual state tournament to her accreditations. This sixteen-year-old DEHS junior is currently serving as captain of the DEHS girls’ team and looking forward to another impressive season.
Mia started playing golf at age five, enjoying the time it gave her with her Dad, Ryan, who instilled in her a love of the game first. After that, she developed to like the sport’s physical, mental and strategic aspects. Mia committed herself to the significant amount of practice with a purpose that the sport requires because she admits, like other golfers, it can be “very frustrating.” Still, she found it became more rewarding and fun when she did. Mia worked with her coaches, Eric MacCluen and Liam McNally, who she credits as teaching her all she knows about playing. In addition, she found a supportive environment under DEHS coach Matthew Grinwis, who gave her insights about strategy.
Mia developed strong relationships with her DEHS teammates. Together at the PIAA 3A states tournament last season, they were excited to be among such solid teams and meet other players but tried not to worry about the outcome. “We wanted to stay focused on playing our best (, and) knew that if we all gave it our best effort, we would have a chance.” Close to the championship end, they were relieved and thrilled when they found out they had won due to all their hard work. “I’m so proud of my teammates that we could not just win states but go undefeated all season. My teammates and I are so close, so it was amazing to win together and be the first to bring home a state championship.”
Golf allows an athlete the opportunity to play individually and as part of a team whose collective results lead to overall success. Mia likes both types of play when she can be responsible for her own game, as when she won the Whitford Country Club women’s championship in 2020 and then spending time competing with good friends. In her leadership role as captain this season, Mia aims to help her teammates feel comfortable and enjoy being around each other. It is an exciting year for her because DEHS has many new players starting, and she can’t wait to see their potential development as a young team. “I want to be someone they look up to on and off the course.”
Looking ahead, Mia hopes to continue to play in college and with her family and friends. She plans to use the life skills earned that include patience, the value of hard work, and how to interact with and meet new people. As a helper to her coach, Liam, who executes the Whitford juniors kids’ camp program during the summers, she shares her philosophy with these young golfers to enjoy and love the game first and find good friends to play with along their journey.
Mia lives in Lionville with her parents Ryan and Stephanie (who she is grateful for because she drives her everywhere and more), sisters Hayley and Summer, and brother, Calvin.
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