Looking ahead to the upcoming start of the 2018 girls’ golf season, senior captain Carly Livingston said the pending Varsity team leaves her interested in who will fill the last spot.

“I’m looking forward to seeing who will be playing on Varsity this year because we lost a few players last year, so currently we only have three returning Varsity players,” Livingston said. “It will be interesting to see who goes to the fourth spot.”

Although the coaching staff is not finalized, Livingston said she looks forward to having some old and new faces coaching the team.

“Zach Strouts is still going to coach, and he’s been coaching the past few years — he’s coached all of my high school seasons,” Livingston said.“But other than him, it’s going to be a different coaching staff, so I’m excited to see how that will change our team dynamic.”

According to coach Zach Strouts, he is enthusiastically anticipating a season with new players as well as returning talents.

“The stuff that excites me the most is getting the new girls to come out and compete with us and to get my old team back to match form and just get back out there with the girls and just do what we do,” Strouts said. “We had a really successful season last year, and I’m excited to take off from where we were last year and hopefully improve from there.”

Livingston said she encourages interested players of all levels to join the team this season.

“I would tell (new players) that it’s great that they’re joining because golf is a sport you can play forever, and it’s OK if you’ve never played before because pretty much everyone in golf has things to improve on, even at the pro level,” Livingston said. “So I think it’s cool for anyone joining their first year to just try it out.”

According to Strouts, the team will most likely practice and compete at Meadowbrook Golf Club throughout the season.

Strouts said girls joining for the first time can easily learn from returning players.

“(New players should) come out, talk to some girls, talk to some girls that have been there for a while,” Strouts said. “We got some girls that are out there that (can) explain to them how it works and show them the ropes.”

Strouts said taking the step to register and attend practices with an open mind remains his biggest piece of advice to new players looking to join.

“Just come out and see what it’s like. Enjoy being outdoors, enjoy the girls and just give it your best,” Strouts said. “Come out and try to have some fun and learn a couple things, learn a couple life lessons, I guess I would say, about golf and everything else included with that.”

According to Strouts, an informational meeting is scheduled for March 13. For more information, visit gopark.org or the athletic office.