By Christopher Tremblay, Staff Sports Writer

Having coached golf for many years Auburn girl’s golf coach Mike Kaczynski noted that girls can be rather cliquey and/or chatty, but this year’s team is far from that and each time that they step onto the course they are looking to make a difference. 

  “All the girls are dedicated to the sport, especially in practice. Golf is a great sport to play, but when the weather is not all that great it makes it hard to stay focused,” the Auburn coach said. “But this group has done well with staying focused while working together to stay on task.”

 In addition to Kaczynski teaching the girls the game, Maggie Duffy has stepped into the assistant coach vacancy and has been a pleasant addition to the team this spring. 

  Last season, the Rockets put forth a valiant fight throughout the year and found themselves close to .500 just missing out on tournament play, but Kaczynski believes this year’s squad has the capability of advancing into the State Tournament. The team is hoping to qualify for tournament play this year and although it is still early in the season, they are on course.

  Senior Cecilia Shenette will be teeing off as the team’s number one golfer for the second year in a row. The senior has already committed to pay golf for Assumption College next year.              According to the coach, Shenette is committed to the sport and one of the most dedicated golfers that he has ever coached. Shenette shoots a three over par (low 40’s) for the team.

  “In addition to playing junior [golf] tournaments during the summer, she has worked extremely hard at her game and even got herself a coach outside of high school which has helped her considerably,” Kaczynski said. “Cecilia is one that doesn’t get shook with her mistakes; she just lets it go and moves onto the next hole. She doesn’t allow it to ruin her game.”

  The Rockets have three seniors, making up one third of this year’s team. Rachel Cowden and Alaina Toohey will join forces with Shenette on the golf course. Both girls will find themselves somewhere in Kaczynski’s top six on a regular basis. Cowden will play the role that the team needs, usually with another golfer who is not as experienced. She is a four-year golfer and is working on her consistency.

  Toohey is Kaczynski’s go-to girl. She is a leads- by-example individual and the coach noted that she is usually the first and last to do things; with that the other’s seem to follow. Although a three-year golfer with the team, she is always looking to improve her game; she is serious on the course, but also wants it to be fun.

  Following the seniors are two sophomores in Callie Guertin and Reese Leonard, both of whom are playing in their second season for Auburn. Guertin has found herself in the top 8 on a regular basis but is still working on her game. Although she does show potential, the Coach noted that her consistency still needs some work. During practice she is not as patient, but experience will come with time. According to the coach, Leonard is one that listens well and takes things to heart. She is a very coachable individual that listens, then applies what she was taught.

  Rounding out the squad are four freshmen all looking to make an impact on the team. Four individuals that the coach calls the best young group he has seen in his 14 years of coaching. Sabrina Cooper is a rather quiet individual that lets her golf do the talking. She is the team’s number two golfer behind Shenette and one of the more talented golfers on the team.

   “Sabrina hits the ball the furthest,” the Coach said. “She is currently about 3 or 4 strokes behind Cecilia and only in her second year with the team. She shows commitment to improving by playing a lot over the summer months.”

  Ava Herrie or the little one according to her coach, is a very small kid that will see action at either the third or fourth golfer for the team. She is another individual that is committed to the game is scores well for the Rockets.

  “Playing in the third or fourth spot she will find herself up against older kids,” Kaczynski said. “However, with that said she has been holding her own and has already beaten two out of three of them so far this year.”

  Herrie also takes lessons on the side, showing the coach her commitment to the game. Along with Cooper the two make a good duo for the future of this team.

  Freshman Kendall Johnson is just beginning her career with golf and according to the coach seems to be having fun so far while enjoying the game. Johnson, although fitting into the freshman group, seems to be the out spoken one. She is an outgoing individual that is willing to speak up and ask how she can improve upon her game.

  The last freshman on the team is Taylor Romano, another of the quiet girls. She possesses a nice swing and has a really good arc on her ball but needs to stay focused. If she continues to progress as the coach anticipates she will become a really good golfer and be able to help this team in the near future.

  The three seniors are not only providing the younger girls with the leadership they need to succeed while hopefully advancing into the post-season; they are setting good examples for the others to emulate and if followed should be able to take this team into the future.