Golf returns to new swing of things

After watching their spring season abruptly end in March, Chadron State golfers will return to practice on Tuesday, making them one-of-two teams on campus competing this fall.

Golf is classified as a low contact risk sport under the National Collegiate Athletic Association Sports Science Institute’s risk assessment guidelines, meaning only a portion of student-athletes on the roster will receive tests for COVID-19 every two week. So long as proper physical distancing or masking strategies are maintained.

The plan is to create a bubble limiting exposure of student-athletes when away from practice. The team also plans to separate into smaller groups in the weight room and practice facilities.

“That’s the number one thing, we can’t be irresponsible trying to compete and risk the girls’ health along with coaches, staff and everyone involved,” Head Golf Coach John Ritzen said. “The big thing we are doing is trying to stay in our bubble in terms of our team.”

Though CSC’s golf team consists of nine student-athletes, Ritzen understands the severity and risk a positive test can have on the team’s season.

“Obviously if anyone tests positive or has symptoms, they’re out and unfortunately for us, that can mean two weeks of quarantine – half the fall season for us,” he said. “We have to be very careful and take care of ourselves because of how short the season is.”

Despite possibilities of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference canceling the fall season for golf, CSC coaches and athletes prepared for fall competition through the offseason.

“During the summer I practiced like it was any other summer,” Alpine Hickstein, junior of Chadron, said. “Whether we were playing this season or not, golfers have to practice constantly to stay sharp and that’s exactly what I did. Whether I am being competitive or not, I like being good at what I do, and practice is key.”

The Eagles’ first two scheduled tournaments take place against Colorado Christian, Sept. 14-15, in Denver and the Farmer’s Insurance Samuel Proal Invitational, Oct. 12, in Pueblo, Colorado. The remainder of CSC’s schedule depends on some teams around the RMAC waiting for their local area’s COVID-19 numbers to decrease while others are searching for tournaments.

Prior to the pandemic, CSC had a quality start to its spring season by placing second at the MJGA Invitational and third at the Warrior Invitational in early March, at Las Vegas. Despite watching a hot start come to a halt in March, Hickstein is optimistic about the opportunities presented to the team this fall.

“I’m really excited, we had a great group of girls last year and we started our spring season amazingly before it got canceled,” she said about last season. “I think we will continue getting better throughout the year. We have two new girls and it’s exciting to have them part of the team to help make us even better. I think we are a mentally tough team and having COVID cancel our spring season makes us tougher. We are the type of team willing to take the opportunity to practice and be better when it’s hard for most girls on other teams to keep practicing and working on their game.”