After two years of coaching jv girls golf, it is now time for Michelle Spencer, girls golf coach, to take over as varsity coach, after Eric Schweain, who is an assistant football coach and boys golf head coach.
Spencer said with the new position, comes new responsibilities, such as scheduling matches and tournaments, running the girls golf website, and managing finances for the team. However, Spencer said the increased workload has equaled increased reward because she enjoys coaching the varsity team.
Spencer said the players have been very receptive by working hard and listening to instruction through the early stages of the season.
“I’ve been showing them skills and drills to improve their short game and they have been very responsive to the coaching,” Spencer said.
Spencer, who also coaches jv girls basketball, said golf is just as time consuming as basketball, but each requires a different style of coaching.
“Basketball is more intense and there is more coaching during the games,” Spencer said. “Golf is more relaxing and matches involve moral support more than anything.”
Kendall Nieder, senior, played for Schweain for three years, including two years of jv with Spencer.
Spencer is fun and helps a lot at practice, Nieder said. She said that because Spencer is closer to their age, it’s easier for her to relate to the players and that helps with team bonding.
Nieder said it was a relief to find out Spencer would be the coach for her senior year.
“I was worried at first, not knowing who the new coach was, but I was happy to find out it was her because she was someone everybody knew.”
Kiersten Kuc, junior, played for Schweain during her first two years at MHS, and said she enjoyed playing for him.
She said Spencer brings a different spirit to the team. It was easy to have her become coach because most of the girls had her as a JV coach.
Kuc said Spencer understands when to say things to the girls about their golf game and when to leave them alone because she knows how much of a mental game golf is.
Kuc said the practices Spencer runs are similar to those that Schweain ran because Spencer coached under him for two years. She said in matches Spencer pays attention and tells them what they need to work on in order to get better.
So far, the team has liked having Spencer as a coach, Kuc said.
