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Tuesday, August 29, 2023 | 12:48 AM
As Vittoria Scaramucci pushed a tee into the bottom, set her golf ball on it and took purpose down the green, the depth of the second started to set in.
This wasn’t any abnormal tee shot Aug. 18 at Cedarbrook Golf Course’s Pink Course. It was the primary one in Belle Vernon women golf historical past.
With curiosity within the recreation up, Belle Vernon opted to lastly type a a women crew.
⛳️????????♀️ And They’re Off!!!
First women golf match vs Bethel Park in program historical past. Vittoria Scaramucci hit the primary tee shot for this system. pic.twitter.com/wdU1RI1SXl
— BVASD Athletic Division (@BvasdAthletics) August 18, 2023
The fledgling Leopards hosted Bethel Park of their first match. They are going to play a lighter schedule, like a brand new restaurant that’s having a tender opening. The crew can be an official, in-section WPIAL member subsequent fall as a part of the brand new two-year enrollment cycle.
Coach Melvin Gouker pushed to get the crew in a bit this season however to no avail.
Beforehand, women performed on the boys crew.
“Now we have about six matches or tournaments on the schedule,” Gouker stated. “I’ve had enormous numbers of golfers for the previous couple of years. I often have about 20 boys and eight women. I had bother getting my lady gamers a chance since my boys crew has been doing so nicely.
“Being runner-up for the WPIAL championship, it’s exhausting to crack the lineup.”
Gouker may ship just one lady to a WPIAL qualifier, which precipitated misery and gave one more reason for a women crew to be fashioned.
“Our (athletic director) Matt Humbert would all the time ask, are we prepared for a women crew?” Gouker stated. “With a number of youthful women to construct a crew round, I assumed it was a superb time to get it collectively.”
The Belle Vernon boys, who once more seem like a WPIAL contender, made the WPIAL finals final 12 months and misplaced by a stroke to Quaker Valley in a playoff at Cedarbrook (Gold).
Gouker has discovered the time to teach the girls and boys groups. Some scheduling manipulation allowed it to occur.
“It is rather tough to handle each groups, however I’ve scheduled them throughout the identical days to bounce backwards and forwards,” he stated. “We simply had a match towards Geibel (boys) and Bethel Park (women) solely half-hour minutes aside, so it will get hectic. I couldn’t do it with out my new volunteer assistants, Kirby Manown and Jerry Maley. They’ve been an enormous a part of bringing this collectively.
“I’ve all the time labored with all our golfers as a lot as I can. It’s very tough to handle 30 golfers, however splitting them up has helped rather a lot.”
For the women to at some point attain the extent of the boys, Gouker stated the duty is as a lot psychological as it’s bodily.
“I consider simply getting over nerves is the toughest half,” he stated. “Most women on the crew don’t have a lot competitors expertise, however it’s important to begin someplace. I needed to get the ball rolling regardless that the crew won’t be aggressive out of the gate. It’s about constructing one thing for the longer term as nicely getting extra women within the recreation.
“Golf is a good recreation to get pleasure from with household and buddies. These women seem like they’re having enjoyable, and that actually is all that issues to me.”
Invoice Beckner Jr. is a Tribune-Evaluation Employees Author. You possibly can contact Invoice by e-mail at bbeckner@triblive.com or through Twitter .
Tags: Belle Vernon
