Returning to the season with five varsity players, the boy’s golf team is packed with a group of experienced high school golfers. With the experience the team holds, the team is set to keep their eyes on the state prize.
Head coach Chuck Law noted that the team’s goal each year is to place in the top three at the Sunflower League and to improve their position at the state tournament.
“We’re in the upper echelon of teams in the state of Kansas, and we feel like we should have a really solid year this year,” Law said.
With recent triumphs of making it through regional tournaments and placing at state within the last few years, according to law the golf program has been seeing improvements in terms of student leadership and getting closer each year to clinching the state title.
One of the senior leaders of the varsity team is Jack Randall, who has been playing for the school team since his freshman year and has played a large part in the success of the golf program. Randall started playing competitive golf at the age of six.
“I grew up around golf. My dad taught me how to play when I was young, taking me out to the range in the stroller,” Randall said.
Contending to win the state championship as an individual golfer and for the team has always been a goal for Randall. With this being his final year of playing high school golf, he is confident that he will be able to achieve it.
“I think this year is the year that I’m finally able to get that done,” Randall said.
In the midst of preparing for his final season, Randall announced his commitment to play Division I golf at South Dakota State University.
“My ultimate goal since I was young was to always play professionally. And playing in college is just the step that you have to take to get there,” Randall said. “In my eyes, I just kind of see it as another step to get closer to that big goal that a lot of young people have a dream of doing, and very few are able to actually attain that goal.”
Law has been supervising Randall ever since he started playing for the team. Seeing a player go on and compete at a collegiate level is something he applauds.
“That’s kind of what you always, as a coach, want for your players. if that is what they desire–the opportunity to go on and play at the next level—and when you see your players achieve that, that’s a tremendous accomplishment,” Law said. “It’s not easy in any sport to become a Division One athlete, and that’s what Jack has been aspiring to since he first picked up a golf club, and to see it come to fruition for him is great.”
Despite having many experienced varsity golfers on the team this year, three of them will be leaving high school to pursue individual interests at the end of the season. Law is still faithful to what the future holds, with an optimistic belief in fresh talents coming into the team.
“We have been fortunate that we’ve been able to add freshmen who have been able to contribute at the varsity level every year… We have enough youth in the pipeline that the program continues to be strong, and the future looks very bright,” Law said.
The boy’s golf team will set the stage for competing in their first tournament on March 25 at the Kansas City Country Club Invitational.
