Sharks Remain Cream of Crop

Maybe the secret to their success is the fact that every girl knows that they are playing for something much bigger than themselves.

They are playing for each other. Their school. And a tradition of success that they have all had a hand in.

As the Sacred Heart Academy golf team takes part in the All-Catholic Tournament, which is scheduled for Oct.2, they come in riding an almost unheard of five-year winning streak where they have won 46 consecutive league matches.

The Sharks will send a total of six girls, the most of any team, to All-Catholics. Emily Kase, whose score of 41, had the lowest average in the league this season.

Joining Kase will be Ava Rinaldi, Anna Yeager, Stephanie Wippert, Rebecca Worling and Madalyn Galdon.

Sharks head coach Ken McKinnon said that he is not only proud of the way the girls play on the links, he is even more proud of the way they carry themselves on and off the playing field. How they are quality young ladies and true leaders in the school in every way possible.

“They are the nicest (girls),” McKinnon said. “If you played golf these kids are the kind of kids you’d want to play golf with. They play well. They’re fun. They’re funny…. I say the nicest girls I’ve ever coached.”

Senior Stephanie Wippert, who is in her fourth season with the team, said the way the girls support and cheer for each other plays a big role in the success they have experienced. But knowing that they are representing their school is what drives them to conduct themselves the right way, every day. That being a quality student-athlete extends beyond the playing field and even the classroom into the community that they call home.

“We, as a team, make sure that we are representing our team,” said Wippert. “We participated in the Alzheimer’s Walk and do other service projects to make sure we are giving back to the community. We really take giving back to the community seriously because we feel that it is an important aspect of being a team and being a good person.”