By ROY HESS, Staff Writer
Golf is more than just a game for the Brownsville Veterans Memorial Lady Chargers.
It’s something better described as an unrelenting passion that has brought them to a high level of play both individually and as a team.
Also, their strong devotion to the sport perhaps best explains why the Brownsville Veterans girls are advancing to the coming week’s UIL state tournament. The Lady Chargers are believed to be Brownsville’s first public high school golf team to achieve such a feat.
The Class 5A girls state tournament is scheduled Monday and Tuesday at Bastrop’s Wolfdancer Golf Club, a course with a par-72, 5,561-yard layout. Twelve teams are entered, including defending state champion Humble Kingwood along with Sharyland High, which finished third at state last year.
Brownsville Veterans won the Region IV-5A Tournament by 20 strokes on April 25 in San Antonio to earn its spot at state. Sharyland High was the regional runner-up.
“This is the last time I’ll ever be playing golf in high school,” said Cristina Pullen, the team’s only senior who is set to play her sport at Carnegie Mellon University next school year. “It feels great to have gotten this far. If there was ever a way to go out (at a high level as a senior), I think this is it.”
Each of the Lady Chargers says she is enthusiastic about the opportunity to play at state and has her own unique way of describing what the game means to her. It long ago became more than a pastime for them as each one began playing golf at a young age.
“It’s a game I’ve been playing since I was 8 years old,” said Cecilia Garza, a junior. “To me, it means (a lot of) memories because you can play it until you’re 40 years old and even after that. I share the passion of playing golf with my dad (Lalo Garza) because he taught me how to play and it’s something I’ll never forget. Everybody can play golf and have memories of it.”
For Pullen, it’s more a matter of the never-ending struggle between player and course.
“Golf is definitely a relationship,” Pullen said. “You build a relationship with the sport. Golfers describe it as a love-hate relationship. There are times when it’s a horrible day and you’re absolutely ready to quit. Then it becomes a love story. It really is.”
For Julie Lucio, a junior who was the individual medalist at last month’s regional tournament, golf means having a total commitment to the game.
“It’s a devotion,” said Lucio, the only member of the Lady Chargers who has played at the state tournament before. “Golf means commitment and having your mental game at 100 percent. That’s all it is. It (sometimes) kills you, but having a strong mental game will keep you focused and your dedication to the game will keep you going.”
For Fahtima Avila, a sophomore, golf has been a vital and rewarding aspect of her life as long as she can remember.
“I’ve grown up on golf and I just love it,” she said. “I love everything about it. It brings you so much joy. Yes, it’s a love-hate relationship, but it’s more love, and you can’t stop playing because then you miss it. It’s my passion and I hope to go far with it in the future (in college).”
Vanessa Campos is the freshman on the squad who feels blessed to be a member of a team that is doing so well. Her aspirations are set quite high.
“Golf is a passion for me — there’s no doubt about it,” Campos said. “I will be the No. 1 golfer in the world and set a vision (of achievement) for all Latinas out there playing golf. It’s a big dream of mine and I believe I will reach it. I just have to keep on working hard and I will get there.”
As always, Campos and her teammates plan to bring their hard work, devotion and focus for the game with them to state.
Since their season began last fall, the Lady Chargers have won all nine of their tournaments and Lucio has been the top individual medalist each time. Lucio leads the Valley with a stroke average of 70.33 and Campos isn’t far behind at 75.33.
“These girls just need to go out there and trust their game,” Brownsville Veterans golf coach Jose Luis Zarate said.
“That’s pretty much what we’ve been doing all (school) year.
“Everyone plays the same course (at state) with the same layout, the same wind and the same challenges,” he added.
“It’s about trusting your game, having fun out there and doing the best that you can. I think we have as good a chance as anybody up there.”
Roy Hess covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @HessRgehess