The coach also said all the parents gave great support. Golf is a unique and expensive sport, especially in a resort area, but there’s no course costs in high school golf.
Additional players on this year’s team included Lila White, Addy Crusenberry, Savannah Stevens, Leah Chesson, Cali Smith, Abby Miles, Alex Brauer, Caba Finch, Piper Lankford, Sara Basnight and Roxie Smalls.
Basnight, White and Smalls have moved on to basketball this winter, Niethamer noted. He loves golf because it’s a sport you can play for the rest of your life and it’s not a bad place to seal a business deal.
Niethamer was a professional caddie on the PGA Tour for former University of Virginia star Steve Marino. They went to high school together at W.T. Woodson in Fairfax, Va.
“He did great on the PGA Tour,” Niethamer said, “he made around 10 million dollars.”
Teaching Golf Etiquette
In addition to coaching the team how to improve their swings, manage the course and putt better, Niethamer fits in some important life lessons along the way.
He coaches them not to step into the tee box when someone else is preparing to hit and how to go about conducting themselves over the course of 18 holes. Don’t walk across someone’s putting line on the green.
A frustrating game, only the best of the best go pro. Most golfers struggle with each round and it takes a lot of concentration.
“You shoot a 50 [on nine holes] and last time you shot a 40,” Niethamer said. “It’s how you deal with it – attitude is No. 1. You come out with a good attitude, that’s all I ask.”
Drive, Chip & Putt
When it comes to girls’ golf at First Flight, sports fans must acknowledge the first player ever, Katherine Schuster, who competed on the boys’ team because there wasn’t a girls team during her high school days.
She recently graduated from Clemson University and was named to the All-ACC Academic team each of her first two years. Schuster was a two-time North Carolina State High School Champion for the Nighthawks.
Things first got going for her at an early age when she won the Drive, Chip & Putt Championship at Augusta (Ga.) National.
Kaitlyn’s father Jeff said that Schuster shares advice and wisdom with his daughter and helps her navigate the Peggy Kirk Bell Girls Golf Tour because Schuster played it too.
In the end, assistant coach Tom Hogland summed up the year with ease.
“Congrats on an undefeated regular season and finishing 4th at the state championships,” he said. “The future is bright and looking forward to next season.”
For more on the FFHS girls’ golf team, contact coach Niethamer at niethamerry@daretolearn.org.
