Boys Golf Team Led by Committed and Experienced Upperclassmen
As the varsity boys golf team looks to qualify for Sectionals as a team this season, coach Joseph Szabo is keeping it simple in his daily approach.
“Work hard, have fun, work together. It’s a pretty simple message,” Szabo said. “[But it is] not always easy to do. Staying mentally [focused] on every shot even on days when individually [they’re not doing their best]. We are always discussing these things along with [their mindsets] at practice and during matches.”
By taking a day-by-day approach to practices and matches, Szabo hopes to keep the players focused on one thing at a time and to work together as a team, despite golf often being seen as an individual sport.
Junior Joey Mickey likes not only the team aspect of golf but also “I like how you’re playing by yourself, but you have teammates and coaches that want to help you succeed,” Mickey said.
Mickey hopes to have a successful season this year. He has already enjoyed medaling in the Mustangs’s first invite at Fox Run with fellow junior Luke Duffer.
Additionally, senior Chris Cho will look to be the team’s top returning player, and he hopes to qualify for the state meet as well as medal individually at the five invitationals. This kind of result will require work, and Cho has been working hard on his game in the off-season to qualify for State.
“To prepare for the season, I play a lot of tournaments in the summer and spend a lot of time at the range and course practicing,” Cho said.
To improve his overall fitness, Cho also tries to get in the gym and lift four times a week when time allows.
With mainly upperclassmen on this year’s team, coach Szabo expects senior leadership from the two seniors on the varsity team, Cho and senior, John Freiburger. The experience Cho has gained from being a four-year varsity player has taught him a lot more about the game and what it takes to play at a high level.
“I like the individual aspect of golf and how your successes and failures depend on your own work ethic,” Cho said. “With golf, the amount of time you spend practicing really shows and it’s not just about pure athleticism or talent.”
As a result of Cho’s commitment to practicing and refining his skills, he played a school record performance by posting a 32 in a match against Hoffman Estates High School on Senior Night, Sept. 17.