On October 18th, girls’ golf won their 11th BVAL championship tournament with immense
help from Jiya Gamez (12). They acquired the outright BVAL title with a win over Deer Valley.
Skillful players like Gamez and Ashlyn Sunga (11) tied for the medalist honors.
A singular significant moment can determine a person’s love for a sport. For Gamez, it was her
father who initiated her appreciation for golf.
“I first started when my dad put me in a club. My Dad motivated me because he is the one who
wanted me to succeed,” said Gamez.
“I was introduced to golf when I was three years old. My grandpa would always take me
outside to the golf course and bought me a set of pink clubs. That is really what sparked my
interest in golf,” said Kayla Bayot (12).
Among all the outstanding moments from the golf team’s journey, every player has at least one
that comes to mind when they reflect on their experiences.
“Honestly, all this senior season has been the best. I have broken my own records and a few of
the schools’. I am one of like five girls to have ever gotten BVAL champion,” said Gamez.
“My favorite moment is before the game when we’re all practicing and we’re all on the range
hitting a few shots so we’re all nervous and excited,” said Vanshika Tyagi (9).
Balancing responsibilities like academics and dedication on the course requires many factors
like management and discipline that can be hard to come by. To be a student that is looking to
pursue golf while attempting to catch up on schoolwork and have good grades can be
challenging.
“I just try to do my homework at school. As soon as I get home before I do anything else, I just
make sure to finish all my homework, so I will not fall behind on anything,” said Gamez (12).
“Whenever I golf, I feel like I play best with a clear mind. So, trying to get all my assignments
done helps to do just that. I always remember too that school comes before sports, and I would
not want to let my teammates down if I had poor academics,” said Bayot.
Throughout the experience of being a golf player, you can learn many lessons that you can pass
on to other high school students considering joining the team.
“I say golf requires a lot of time and you have to be consistent with practicing. You should
never skip a practice day,” said Gamez.
“Try and keep a good mental state while you play and don’t let things distract you, stay calm and
contained,” said Bayot.
As a senior golf player, reflecting on one’s journey can spark lessons that they have learned
along the way.
“I learned that sometimes taking a break is needed. Last year I quit golf, I did not even play at
all for a solid eight months. I was not even going to try out for the team this year. But then I had
my breakthrough because I was just so burnt out and then this year ended up being my best year
ever,” said Gamez.
“I had one senior Jiya, I love her so much. She is the one who taught me everything. She taught
a lot of techniques. She was there with me the whole time. Whenever she sees me at school, she
always says hi,” said Tyagi.