SPORTS EDITOR – OTONIEL GONZALEZ
ORIGINALLY PRINTED ON FEB 2, 2023
Coach Kearney is originally from the United Kingdom, where he used to play golf in college before moving to play professionally in Ireland. He first ventured to the United States to play college golf for UTSA turning to the professional scene afterward. Having broad expectations, Kearney played professionally for several years. When Kearney participated in a PGA tournament, he realized “the pressure these sorts of competitions required— retiring from professional golf.” He left to establish a business in the golf instruction area, working there for several years. Kearney stated he did not plan to work at St. Mary’s, but he took the opportunity and has worked at St. Mary’s for six years now. While coaching, he has won regional championships, had an all-American team and reached the final four at nationals. He has his eyes on the prize, having been so close to that national championship before. His goal is to lead the golf team to victory in the national championship. “The pandemic was challenging for everyone, including the athletics program. St. Mary’s campus was closed, with no practice and leaving many uncertain about their future in sports.” “The team met every week via zoom”, but it was difficult for the coach as everyone was left with many unanswered questions. It was a challenge adjusting to virtual school, but the entire department had to work together to find solutions. Ultimately, St. Mary’s decided not to have their sports teams compete, but reluctantly allowed them to practice on campus. It was a difficult decision and an upsetting situation for St. Mary’s athletes due to other universities competing while all they could do was watch from afar. The teams came back for the competition in Spring 2021 and the women’s team to the final four— though they only played half the season. Another challenge athletes faced was the mandatory covid tests each week. It was stressful since testing positive meant the student would be barred from playing until they were well, and if one player got infected, the entire golf program would not be allowed to play.
With life returning to normal, the golf program is looking forward to the spring 2023 season. This season is known as the championship season, consisting of five season events. Similarly, to other sports, teams perform their best hoping to rank high enough to classify for the regional championship. The national championship follows the regional championship. Each team normally travels with five of it’s players. For each round, four of the five scores count, and the lowest score gets dropped. Once the postseason rolls around, teams have players compete against other players in a one-on-one game. At this stage, wins are counted instead of points.
The St. Mary’s golf team plans to host their own event on Feb 20-Feb 21 at the Dominion Country Club. The golf team asks students to support the team and show their rattler spirit. Coach Kearney believes that this is a turning-point for the program. For the past few years, the golf team has been the overachieving underdogs— but not for much longer. The team’s narrative is changing as they aim to bring the national championship trophy home. Kearney stated that the team aligns with the university’s current goals. Each team member has the same ambition to reach number one, with the trophy in mind.
Golf, like any other sport, is physically demanding, with strategy playing an integral role in the game. Coach Kearney believes the most significant aspect to focus on is mental strength. Between turns, there is time that allows players to think about their previous shot. These moments can make players vulnerable or lose confidence. It takes bravery to be a successful athlete as they spend many moments in solitude. Kearney proudly stated that his team had seriously taken to the task of being a student-athlete. For two years in a row, the women’s team has placed in the top four for the highest collective GPA in the country. Last semester, they had a 3.97 GPA collectively.
The golf program has been improving year after year, getting closer to bringing the National Championship trophy home each time; this season might be the one. The Rattler wishes the best of luck to Coach Kearney and the golf team.