| Middle School Golf Club in Full Swing |
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| Wednesday, September 24, 2008 12:31 PM |
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The Middle School Golf Team, in its second season, swung into action this past Friday. Started last year by a couple of junior golfers looking for a little extra competition, the Middle School Golf Team has turned into a lot more than that. Dirk Kuehler and Austen Truslow, both accomplished junior golfers from New Smyrna Beach, asked their parents about other playing opportunities once junior golf wrapped up for the summer. They recruited some friends, and the Middle School Golf Team was born. The initial season stacked nine kids from New Smyrna Beach and Port Orange, called the South Volusia Tigers, against eight kids from Ormond Beach in four 9-hole matches. The matches were patterned after the high school and college format of taking the best four scores of the team. Austen Truslow was the season points leader and helped lead the Tigers to an undefeated season. The success of last year’s inaugural season translated into more than 25 middle-school-aged kids from the New Smyrna Beach area expressing an interest this year. The team from Ormond Beach will field a team with 18 kids and a new team is forming in DeLand. Countywide, more than 50 kids are expected to participate this year. The Tigers hold weekly practices at Hidden Lakes, and I have the pleasure and honor of the being the coach. The goal of the program was initially to provide additional competition and instruction for these experienced players. With the tremendous interest our goals have expanded to include an avenue for kids with varied experience levels to improve their skills and gain playing experience. Ultimately, the middle school program will be a feeder system for the area high school programs. Three alumni from the Tigers — Olivia Nield, Daniel Peatross and Chandler Rush — have made major contributions to the New Smyrna Beach ’Cudas girls and boys golf teams this fall. More future stars are on the rise. Robert Schwab is the director of golf at Hidden Lakes Golf Club. If you have any questions about your golf game or have any suggestions for On the Tee, e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . |