The H&H Bearcat Girls Golf team from L to R: Meggan Friesen, Hallie Tessman, Tara Buzek, Kinsley Friesen, Brinley Mierau, Mia Hiebner, and Haley Beck – photo courtesy Cody Farrall
The Bearcats Girls Golf Team is More Than Ready to Compete & Have Some Fun!
Coach Chad Buzek is entering his third year as the head girls golf coach and first year as the H&H Bearcat coach! He’s excited about the upcoming season and happy to have seven girls out for golf. That’s up from two girls when he started coaching the girls and five on the team last year.
Returning senior Mia Hiebner, who was Class C State Runner-up last year, is returning along with juniors Tara Buzek, Kinsley Friesen, and Meggan Friesen. Brinley Miearu is the only freshman joining the team, but two seniors, Haley Beck and Hallie Tessman, will be giving golf a try this year.
The team has been practicing since last Monday, August 11, and will compete in their first event on Thursday, August 21, at the Valley View Country Club in Central City, in a three-person scramble. It’s a great warmup for the team before they hit the ground running with their fall schedule.
Grant Schmidt has volunteered to assist Coach Buzek with the girls this year, and he will be a real help, according to Coach Buzek.
“We will be golfing as a team this year, and that hasn’t happened for a few years. Five girls will be playing varsity at each meet, and the other two will come along to play some JV. The JV’s can play nine holes only, but it’s great experience for them,” said Coach Buzek.
The team is sporting sharp-looking new bags with the Bearcat Logo, along with new pull carts. The school also provides golf balls for the girls and range finders to use.
Mia Hiebner is the team captain and is more than ready to start her senior season. “She’s hitting midseason form already and playing on the junior circuit this summer really helped,” said Coach Buzek.
This summer was very productive for Mia. “I was able to compete in several tournaments this summer, and I feel much more prepared for the upcoming season than last year,” said Mia.
She had a busy spring and summer competing in the Spring Junior Series in May, a three-day Nebraska Women’s Amateur Championship Tournament in Beatrice, a Junior Golf tournament at Awarii Dunes in Kearney, and the Nebraska Women’s Matchplay Championship Tournament at Hillcrest Country Club in Lincoln in late July.
“I don’t want to put pressure on myself, but I’m ready to shoot more scores in the 70s and get over that 80 hump more often,” she said. She also worked part-time at the York Country Club this summer and was able to utilize their golf range, getting in plenty of practice.
Coach Buzek said the team is “light years ahead of last year with experience. Our #1 and #2 golfers will be Mia and Tara, and Kinsley and Meggan will be #3 and #4. The #5 spot will fluctuate.”
The golf schedule is the same this year, with a home quad event scheduled at Galaway Creek on September 9 and the home invite on September 11th. There were no girls from Hampton who joined the team this year, but Coach Buzek said there are some Hampton junior high girls who might be interested for next year.
The Bearcats will compete in Class C again this year, which has about 70 schools represented. There is no Class D in girls’ golf, but they look forward to competing with the best golfers.
“I tell the girls right away that we sure want to compete, but more importantly, let’s have some fun! If we aren’t having any fun, then why are we doing it?” Coach Buzek has enjoyed coaching his daughter, Tara, for the past few years, which he admits is something you have to work through sometimes.
“Tara and I have a good relationship, and I’ve learned to leave her pretty much alone when she is competing at meets, but I’m also around to encourage her. One good thing about being her dad and coach is I can give her a hug when she’s having a bad day, and I can’t do that with anyone else!”
Coach Buzek embraces his role during meets as an “advice giver” and realizes the mental side of golf is huge. Instead of trying to make any swing changes during a round, he usually tries to relax and calm down the girls, and sometimes just chatting and getting their minds off the game is more helpful.
It’s clear that Coach Buzek has a positive attitude and connects personally with this year’s team. He’s excited to start the season and looks forward to having a varsity team of five girls to compete in Class C golf this year. GO Bearcats!
