The best and worst of the season, according to the team
The AHS Girls’ Golf team just finished a standout season by winning the title of Mission Valley Athletic League (MVAL) champions. For the first time in AHS history, the girls’ golf team has had an undefeated season, even beating Mission San Jose HS, a school known to send many of their girls to D1.
This year’s roster mixed both experienced golfers and newer ones who quickly found their rhythm. From long daily practices to one of their strongest players, Diya Kumar (11), being out for the first match against Mission, the team persevered, given their circumstances. Focusing on consistent wins throughout the season, the team made history by winning this championship for AHS.
Even though golf is an individual sport, the closeness within the team plays an important role throughout matches. The Girl’s Golf team focused mainly on two things: mental toughness and consistent shots. Throughout the season, the girls on the team built pre-match routines to get them in the zone and focused on supporting each other when they made mistakes. “We hype them up, you know? We all think positive thoughts and say hey, we’re gonna play the best round we’ve ever played,” says Evangeline Blom (11). This mindset helped to keep everyone motivated and made a big difference in their scores.
“The team was very supportive and non-judgmental. Even on off days, teammates encouraged each other to keep trying and come back with a good mindset, which helped me want to do better for the team,” said Blom. She went on to talk about the importance of having a good way to pick up teammates who weren’t feeling or playing their best.
“I usually crack jokes with my partner to keep the mood light and hype each other up. Before finals, we did a ‘Go Eagles’ chant,” Blom continued.
Consistent shots were also a big contributing factor to the team’s win. It was important that shots weren’t all luck, and that even if a few weren’t great, the remaining shots needed to be as effective as possible.
When things weren’t looking great, she talked about the importance of slowing down and fully taking in the course, then clearing your mind to think about what to do next. “I listened to the birds, because you’re out on a golf course, right? And so I just like to take a deep breath, close my eyes, listen to the birds, come back down to earth, and then think, what am I going to do better on the next shot,” commented Blom.
Like any other athletic season, the team experienced both the good and bad of team sports. During their very first match against Mission San Jose, their star player, Diya Kumar, was unable to play. The rest of the team was nervous, playing against a highly competitive team in their very first match. AHS won by a hair, taking the win by a single point. Though Blom believes it was both luck and skill, the team’s persistent practices were definitely what helped them become the league champions.
As the season comes to an end, the team celebrates the title of MVAL champions and the making of new friends. They eagerly await the next season in Fall 2026.
Eagle Era 
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