Golf is not often thought of in the same category as soccer, baseball or basketball at St. Paul Academy and Summit School. But that could change very soon. Both the Boys and Girls Golf Teams at SPA have been rejuvenated by recent bursts of participation from younger classes, as both teams include members of the middle school.

The more entrenched members of the team welcome this participation. “I think people should really pay attention to our squad because of our young talent,” junior captain Cal Nicholson said.

Nicholson firmly believes that golf warrants attention from other SPA students. “Contrary to popular belief, golf is actually pretty exhausting,” Nicholson said. He attributes this to golf’s demand for “intense focus, stamina, and hand eye coordination.”

Sophomore Girls Golf Team captain Delaney Carter agrees. “Even if [SPA students] don’t think golf is a real sport, they should still see how hard all our teams work,” Carter said.

Intense practices are also commonplace. The team generally heads to the Highland National Golf Course to hit balls once a week, though this has been impossible due to the weather this season. Instead, they have begun using heated outdoor stalls or golf simulators.

Overall, Nicholson is thankful for his golf experience. “I decided to play golf for SPA because I wanted to play on a more competitive level with a good group of guys, and that’s exactly what happened,” Nicholson said. Carter has also found positives in golf. “It seems like an older sport, but it’s really social and I enjoy that,” Carter said.

Carter’s hopes for the future are high. “I hope we do well and get better this year and continue to work throughout the next couple of years,” Carter said. “There are many new and young girls, so once we practice more I think we can field a good team.”

Nicholson is also optimistic for the upcoming season, saying that the boys team “has made huge strides from already being a top-tier team from last year, and we’re looking to win conference this year and make a state appearance.” An appearance in the state tournament would be the first in SPA golf history, and that’s something any team can be proud of.