Involvement in sports starts at a young age, especially if high school sports are a future interest. Coach Pam Vickers and the high school girls' golf team hosted the second annual clinic for elementary and middle school girls in Licking County to boost future engagement with the high school team.
“The biggest challenge in our program has been our lack of experience. We understand that we need to get young girls in our community interested in golf sooner,” Coach Vickers told the Mount Vernon News.
Coach Vickers was proud to leave the team in charge of teaching skills such as putting, chipping, and full swing. Attendees received hands-on instruction from team members in these skills.
“We hope the great role models on our team will inspire them to love the game,” said Coach Vickers.
Although the weather was less than ideal—featuring wind, cool temperatures, and rain—the clinic still welcomed more than twenty girls, including some returning from last year.
The girls returning for a second year may be able to join the team in high school—especially as, due to current numbers, the team is splitting varsity into an A-team and a B-team, in addition to JV. This change will give players more opportunities to play in the competitive varsity tournaments.
Since the clinic includes girls up to eighth grade, the team could see some of these participants join the high school squad as soon as next season.
“Utica has produced lots of great female athletes in other sports. It is fun to know that the next great superstar from Utica could emerge from this current girls' golf team or one of these little girls who came out to learn the game with us at the clinic,” said Coach Vickers.
