Coach: Scott Enrico (head coach)
Top Returners: Oliviah Chavez (12), Angelina Jeong (12), Jimin Nam (10), Jaelyn Yeon (11)
Top Newcomers: Nana Kim (9), Lindsay Shin (10)
Last Season: The team shared the Freeway League championship title with notorious rival Troy High School and continued to fight through Division 1. Overall, the team tied for 5th in the CIF Division 1 Team Championships and advanced to the Southern California Golf Association [SCGA] Team Qualifier.
Outlook: Although Troy remains a strong competitor, and valuable players such as former seniors Yurang Li and Lauren Lee have graduated, the team seeks another league championship, while adjusting to an entirely new league this year.
“The new league is way more competitive,” Enrico said. “We will be able to compete, but it will be a lot tougher than the old Freeway League.”
However, Enrico said he is excited to see the Lady Lancers compete, and wants them to get comfortable with playing on new courses.
“What we can do is practice and not take our opponents lightly,” Enrico said. “Our girls need to be focused and locked in.”
Aside from driving the ball, Enrico wants the team to focus on all aspects of golf including putting and chipping, said co-captain Yeon.
Co-captain Chavez vows to take on the responsibility of guiding the Lady Lancers through this unfamiliar league.
“With the new Leadership Education Development [LEAD] program at Sunny, I intend to implement skills that I’m learning onto the golf course for my teammates,” she said. “Gaining confidence in ourselves and playing to carry our own weight is something that we have to learn this season.”
Founded by math teacher and girls basketball head coach Jae Byun, the LEAD program hosts meetings one to two times a month to help student athletes develop leadership skills for the benefit of their teams, coaches and the campus.
Kim said she also aims for victory.
“This year, I’m looking forward to winning a lot of tournaments, beating a lot of schools and hopefully getting top three in CIF,” she said. “I’m excited to learn from my teammates and meet new people.”
The team strives to stay motivated and on top of their game.
“I really want to see our girls stop being so hard on themselves,” Enrico said. “I want to see them pick themselves up, work on what they need to work on and get out there again and compete.”
Out of the teams in the new league, Canyon High School had the highest finish last year with a record of 6-0. Foothill High School and Yorba Linda High School trailed closely behind.
“To me, a new league means we need to treat every opponent like they are the defending champs and we need to be at our best when we play each of them,” Enrico said.
Chavez emphasizes the same mindset for her fellow teammates.
“I would definitely try to get through to the girls that practice is key,” she said. “With anything, you can’t expect to perform at your best if you don’t practice it beforehand.”
The girls won their first match of the season on Tuesday, Aug. 27, at La Mirada Golf Course against Cerritos High School with a score of 244-217.
Their first league match will be on Tuesday, Sept. 24, at La Mirada golf course against Troy High School.
