Questions Abound for Agoura Girls Golf Team

Bill Quick has waited 35 years to become the girls golf coach at Agoura High.

Entering his first year, one thing is certain—his team's No. 1 player is senior Kelsey Freedland. After that, his lineup is anything but certain.

Quick was still going through the tryout process on Wednesday.

"We're working on skills," he said. "I have three new girls to the program. My job is to help them become better golfers and give everybody an opportunity to participate."

Freedland is one of three seniors on the team, which will open its season on Tuesday against Moorpark High at Westlake Golf Course. Evie Foster is the lone junior, meaning at least two sophomores will be playing with the varsity. 

"Kelsey is probably the No. 1 player on the team," Quick said. "She has a pretty natural swing. Her mom plays golf. I look for good things out of Kelsey this year."

Freedland was a second-team All-Marmonte League selection last year. She and Katherine Liu, who advanced to the CIF individual finals and was a first-team all-league selection as a senior in 2009, were the leaders on the team last year. And they share the low score by an Agoura High golfer at the Westlake Golf Course—both shot a 33 in nine holes in 2008.

Freedland's competitiveness is her greatest asset, according to her teammates.

"I think she's really competitive, always on top of the other team," senior Colette Compton said. "I feel like I'm a nice person, maybe I don't bring that competitive edge. She definitely does. I admire that extremely. I wish I could do that. That's definitely an advantage."

Compton and Sydney Levaton join Freedland as the only seniors on the team. Levaton said it can be challenging balancing school and golf, but she enjoys her time with her teammates.

"It's always fun to come out here and play with the girls. We all get along really well,'' Levaton said. ''We're always joking. There's never a dull moment. It makes it fun to look forward to coming here."  

The last time Agoura won a Marmonte League championship in girls golf was in 2002. It was also the last time the girls made it to the CIF team finals.

"I don't know where we're going to fall this year with the other seven schools," Quick said. "I don't know how we compare yet. I don't know what they have. They don't know what we have."

With the first match on the horizon, the girls are starting to feel the nerves and doing all they can to prepare.

"I'm always nervous when it comes to matches," Levaton said. "It's exciting. This is our home course. We've played it quite a bit."

Quick said he wants to emphasize to the girls that having fun playing golf is more important than winning matches.

"My goal is for the girls to enjoy their time out here playing golf," Quick said. "Golf is a life game. They can enjoy golf in high school and go on to enjoy it the rest of their lives."

"My goal is try to be the best that they can. I'm not out to win league. I'm not out to do that. Only one team can be the winner and there are seven teams that are not. Where do you set your goal? My goal is to be a positive influence on their lives."