Swinging into success: The dynamic drives of Portage Central鈥檚 girls golf team
PORTAGE, Mich. — With each swing and each putt, the Portage Central High School girls golf team is proving that they are champions in the making. Their journey is not just about winning matches; it鈥檚 about inspiring future generations of female athletes and showing that with determination, a positive mindset, and a love for the game, anything is possible on and off the green.
The team is made up of 20 student athletes. Featured in this article are 5 of the teammates to tell about their experience on the PC Golf team: Carys Wolpert(sophomore), Seneli Amaratunga(freshman), Mackenzie Peterson(senior), Camila Garc铆a(freshman), and Olivia Griswold(freshman) all coached by Tony Ely.
The team’s success can be attributed to hours of rigorous practice, dedication, and a shared passion for the game. Many of the team members have been honing their golfing skills since childhood, and their hard work is now paying off in the form of impressive performances.
鈥淭he best advice I’ve ever been given is no pain to gain.鈥� Says Seneli 鈥淪ure, it’s hard to practice every day for multiple hours, but you know the results will be good. The blisters on my hand and the pain in my feet after walking 18 holes only prove my hard work.鈥� All of their hard work is paying off. One of the standout moments of the season thus far was a recent win at the Sturgis Invite.
Being a mostly individual sport, the teammates recognize that not everyone can win every day and sometimes the most important thing you can do is to uplift those around you. 鈥淏eing part of a team has taught me that even if I did not play my best, I am there for my other teammates to celebrate their victories,鈥� says Carys 鈥渁s well as to help them through their losses.鈥�
Golf is generally categorized as a lifelong sport, and one of these athletes has truly taken that to heart, playing since she was 5 years old. These young athletes are proving that golf is not just a gentleman鈥檚 game. 鈥淚 am planning on playing golf all throughout high school,鈥� says Olivia 鈥淢y goal is to make it to states by the time I graduate. I also want to consistently place in the top 10 in all of our regular season tournaments.鈥�
It鈥檚 not just about hitting balls into holes; it’s a sport that teaches discipline, patience, and the importance of composure under pressure. The PC Girls High School Golf Team exemplifies these qualities on and off the golf course. To set herself up for a successful game, Camila has a pregame ritual she likes to follow, 鈥淚 like taking deep breaths and reassure myself that I鈥檓 capable and I will do great.鈥�
Golf is as much of a mental game as it is a physical one. 鈥淭he biggest challenge of golf is not getting into my own head and trying to stay positive even after a bad shot,鈥� says Mackenzie, 鈥淚 don’t always do the best at this and it’s one of my goals for this season.鈥� Mackenzie says that some of the best advice she has been given is to not dwell on the last shot but move on to the next and keep your head up.
It鈥檚 more than just a game. It鈥檚 an opportunity for growth and learning valuable life skills. 鈥淚 love that golf is all about learning new things. I can鈥檛 remember a single day where I haven鈥檛 learned something new.鈥� Says Seneli. Whether that be working on their putt, practicing their long game, or handling the everchanging weather. Golf is different from day to day and hour to hour providing an endless amount of learning opportunities.
The average golf course spans a whopping 150 acres. With such a vast playing area, and being in the great outdoors, no two matches are alike. The PC Golf team plays on various courses throughout the season, their home base being the beautiful Moors Golf Club. The ever changing scenery only adds to the complexity of the game and the PC golf girls take it in stride. 鈥淎 piece of advice that I really liked was that even when you don鈥檛 feel like you are playing your best, keeping a good attitude and constantly putting in effort will still make it count.鈥� Says Olivia, 鈥淭his applies to all sports, but especially golf.鈥�
Behind every successful team is a dedicated coach, and in the case of the PC Girls Golf Team, Tony Ely plays a pivotal role. When Ely first came to coach at PC back in 2013, the team had a total of five girls. They have seen steady growth over the years and after recovering from the pandemic stall, the team has a total of 20 girls on the 2023 team. 鈥淪eeing our program grow the way it has, has been something really great to see. We have had great groups of kids in the past and I take something away from each year. But I have a really great young group of athletes this year that is engaged and confident that we could really make a run.鈥� This is a team to keep your eye on, their skills will only grow from here and they have already been putting in the work to create a solid foundation.
These young golfers have shown unwavering commitment, incredible teamwork, and impressive skills on the golf course. The girls鈥� season just wrapped up at the SMAC Jamboree held at Lake Cora Hills Golf Course on October 2. Congratulations on an amazing golf season and good luck in the seasons to come.
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