Despite qualifying for CIF team playoffs, the girls’ golf season concluded after an administrative oversight prevented participation.
Following a season filled with nearly daily practices, weekly matches and a 4-2 league record, the girls’ golf team prepared to head into the CIF Southern Section Team Playoffs. The team had earned a qualifying spot through their league results and team playoffs were a milestone they had worked for since the season began. Due to a paperwork oversight, the team’s season ended earlier than expected.
CJ Jia ’28 said she was sad that she lost the chance to play after months of preparation.
“I felt like all the preparation and excitement suddenly hit a wall, and it was tough to accept that we would not get the chance to show what we could do,” Jia said. “Good communication plays a big part when coordinating events and would definitely help prevent this in the future.”
A little over a week before the CIF Playoffs, Athletics Director Terrence Barnum informed players and their families that an administrative mistake would prevent the girls golf team from competing after the required paperwork was not submitted.
“We failed to submit the appropriate paperwork,” Barnum said. “This is solely our fault, and we apologize for this oversight.”
Freshman Amelia Choi ’29, a member of the varsity girls golf team, said she felt disappointed the team was unable to compete.
“Since it’s my first year on the team, I was really excited to play in CIF with the team,” Choi said. “It felt like a great bonding experience where we would test our skills against other teams. When I heard that we weren’t going to play, it was disappointing and made me a little upset that they forgot to send in the application.”
For seniors, it would have been their final chance to play together in team playoffs. Chloe Jiang ’26 said the team had been preparing and building toward the playoffs.
“It’s definitely unfortunate that the season was cut short because everyone was working hard, improving throughout the season, and really looking forward to playoffs,” Jiang said. “I understand that things happen, but I’m confident the team will come back strong next year.”
Despite the abrupt ending, the team continued to earn strong results throughout the season. The players recorded competitive scores, developed on-course chemistry and qualified five golfers for CIF Individuals.
“The practices, the improvement, the teamwork and the moments we had together still mattered,” Jia said. “It just made me appreciate the journey more.”
