LOOGOOTEE, Ind. — After more than a decade of interest that never quite materialized, Loogootee High School has finally launched a girls’ golf team—a new program Coach Walton hopes will create opportunities for local athletes and change how the community perceives girls’ sports in a town whose most known female sport is volleyball.
“We’ve actually coached middle school golf for about 14 or 15 years, and I’ve seen some girls come through, but it never really took off,” Coach Tyler Walton told The Loogootee Times.
The push to establish a high school girls’ team came after Mr. Thompson approached Coach Walton about starting one, knowing there were girls eager to play.
“Mr. Thompson asked me about possibly getting this started because we have some girls interested in golf,” Coach Walton explained. “I initially had 12 sign-ups, but now we have seven on the roster.”
For Coach Walton, the new team means more than just filling spots; it provides another opportunity for girls who might not see themselves in traditional school sports.
“Hopefully, this offers girls another sport to participate in. Not all the girls play volleyball,” Coach Walton said. “Plus, it gives girls with different skills a chance to play sports.”
Golf is growing across the country, and in Loogootee, it has an amazing opportunity to help open doors to the next level.
“While I don’t currently have any D1 or D2 golfers, getting a girls’ golf scholarship is probably one of the easiest athletic scholarships to obtain,” Coach Walton said.
Though the team is new, Coach Walton said establishing it had its challenges but was also easy.
“I played high school golf and have coached middle school golf, mainly with boys for the past 14 years. Last year, I also assisted with the boys’ varsity team,” Coach Walton said. “I play regularly—I wouldn’t call myself a pro, but I have solid knowledge of the game and what’s happening on the course.”
What’s new is coaching an entire high school girls’ team and, one day, bringing a Sectional to Loogootee while making history of their own.
The girls’ golf team will play their first invitational tonight at 5 p.m. at Phil Harris Golf Course in Linton, Ind., where the Lions will face off against Linton, Bloomfield, and Northview High School.
