Veterans Solem, Ostrom head up fun, youthful team

Niwot girls golf coach Ed Weaver wasn’t sure what to expect after a phalanx of novice golfers showed up for the first day of tryouts late last month, but he didn’t expect them to take to the sport so easily. Of the eight players on the 2018 roster, four are new to the game, but they’ve already proven to be precocious learners, a development that has Weaver enthusiastic about the future.

“I have four freshmen, so that’s pretty cool,” he said. “I’m pretty excited about all of it. I’m definitely more excited than I was before the season started.”

After a disappointing 2017 season that ended when Niwot failed to advance out of the Regional tournament, Weaver is cautiously optimistic about his fresh-faced squad, though he admits their youth could pose problems. On hand to help mentor the newbies are returning veterans Julia Solem, Trinity Pleffner and Mya Ostrom, the team’s lone senior. Solem, who struggled with consistency as a freshman in 2017, will be Niwot’s number one this year and he is looking forward to seeing what she can accomplish with a year of experience under her belt.

“Julia finished eighth in the Northern League last year, and she has continued to work hard though the off-season,” Weaver said. “We tend to talk about forward. Our goal is first-team all-conference, and then to qualify for the state tournament.”

Weaver isn’t sure yet who will round out Niwot’s foursome, but he’s encouraged by the progress of newcomers Laure Bourgin and Macy Gruszczynski, who were surprisingly competitive in their tournament debut at the Chilly Chili Invitational at Eagle Trace Golf Course on March 10. Freshmen Halie Ostrom, Isobel Tuck and Anna Taing have also been hard at work on their fundamentals, much to Weaver’s delight.

“Every member of the team is taking lessons with a professional swing coach outside of normal practices, and the results are starting to show,” he said. “I have seen rapid improvement in some of the younger players and that allows me to get them some playing experience in tournaments.”

Assisting Weaver with coaching duties is popular Niwot teacher Isaac Peña. The team will hold daily practices at two local courses, Ute Creek and Fox Hill. The Cougars tee off in the Lobo Invitational at Harmony GC in Tinmath on March 22, followed by their first Northern League event on March 23 at Quail Run in Fort Morgan.