The Highland Park Varsity Girls Golf Team recently won conference, and they have been relishing in success all season, winning every conference meet. They claimed the title by outscoring competitors from all over the Central Suburban League in the North division. They had a team score of 401, with standout performances from Samantha Duncan (2nd place with a score of 84), captain Chloe Hong (3rd place), and captain Lily Dahms (8th place), all placing within the top 10.
The addition of transfer student Samantha Duncan, a junior, has added energy to an already talented team. She has played golf her whole life, but has been playing golf competitively since 8th grade. Her favorite part of golf “is the new experiences and places [she gets] to go.” Senior Lily Dahms, a varsity member since her junior year, says her “favorite part of golf is the mental growth you experience” and that her best performances happen when she is “relaxing and having fun.”
Though skill is the reason for their success, their connection outside of the course makes them a standout team. Junior Isa Osorio, who has been a member on varsity since her sophomore year adds, “My favorite part of the golf team is how open we all are with each other, a lot of us didn’t know each other until we joined the team and it’s nice seeing so many perspectives on the different topics we talk about.” According to Duncan and Osorio, shared growth has been emphasized, and the team is “pretty close” because they “spend hours together during matches and the bus rides” and “they cheer each other on.” The best part of the girls golf team according to Duncan is “the encouragement the team gives to everyone,” as everyone comes in with a positive attitude. In addition to their dedication to growing together, they make sure to bond with one another. They go mini golfing, out to eat, and to golf simulators all for the sake of bettering their team atmosphere and having fun together, which benefits their team’s performance. This season has been special, as the team hasn’t won a conference championship in five years.
Overall, Dahms says that “the key to success this year definitely changed–this year, [they] were more focused on enjoying each other’s company” rather than succumbing to losing it “under pressure,” which created a “successful” and “fun season.” The team’s hard work and dedication have manifested into a highly successful season, and we will see how the team carries this momentum into next year’s season. Through a positive team atmosphere, strong connection, and determined mindset, the Highland Park Varsity Girls Golf team ultimately won the conference championship and achieved victory on the green.
