At the start of the season, Catie Frick, a transfer student from Switzerland, and Sharon Sims Calzolai, a transfer from Riordan High School, joined the girls’ golf team. Just a few months later, after leading the team to a 9-1 record and first-place finish in the league, the sophomores represented Burlingame and competed in the Peninsula Athletic League (PAL) Championships on Tuesday, Oct. 29.
Frick finished individually in seventh place overall, carding an 85 at the 18-hole Poplar Creek golf course. While she got off to an uncharacteristically slow start early on, she was able to get back on track the rest of her round.
“The first two holes, I did not do well at all, so I definitely could have done better there,” Frick said. “But the rest of the game, I did pretty well.”
Frick’s familiarity with the course and practice beforehand helped her to stay calm throughout and was key to her strong playoff performance.
“I wasn’t very nervous, because of our practice,” Frick said. “I felt more sure about it.”
According to Sims Calzolai, nerves got the better of her on the front nine. Like Frick, she battled at the beginning of the match and played better as the round progressed.
“Holes 7, 8, 9, and the first two [holes], I did pretty bad, mostly because of nervousness and I was rushing myself a little too much,” Sims Calzolai said. “We were also running late, so that messed up my play a lot.”
Sims Calzolai ended her tournament with a fourteenth-place finish and a score of 97. While it wasn’t her best performance, she was able to regain her confidence and bounce back for the last nine holes.
“The back nine [holes], we were on time, and I played a lot better because I was playing slower,” Sims Calzolai said.
With two impressive playoff showings in their first season on the team, Sims Calzolai reflected on their improvement throughout the season and how their teammates’ support has been instrumental to their development.
“As a team, we have been doing really well. We’ve been helping each other with our swing, and we are able to help each other even if it’s someone you don’t talk to,” Sims Calzolai said. “Everyone has been really open with each other and open to help, and that made everyone’s game a lot better.”
Frick mentioned how the team made her feel welcomed in her first season. After she traveled across the world to a new country and community this year, Frick has found her home on the team.
“[The season] was much better [than I expected] because I made some friends, some of which I’m still really close with, even though I don’t have classes with them or don’t play golf with them anymore,” Frick said. “It was a very fun experience, because it was always pretty chill and wasn’t too stressful.”
For Sims Calzolai, she hopes to grow into the team and become even more connected with her teammates in the coming seasons.
“I feel like if I’m more open with them, I have a better sportsmanship with everybody,” Sims Calzolai said.
