The Chatelech Secondary School golf team is hoping a home course advantage will help them gain their elusive provincial championship.
The 2007 provincial AA golf championships will be played at the Sechelt Golf and Country Club and Sunshine Coast Golf and Country Club May 28 and 29. As hosts, Chat gets an automatic berth, but the Eagles are not resting on their laurels. Coach Dean Totten wants the team to remain focused, play hard during the regular season and win another North Shore title before turning their sights to the provincials.
"We have a really strong group again this year," said Totten. "We lost only one key player, Danny Baker, so we have a lot of returning players who know what it takes to be successful."
Chat finished sixth in the province the past two years, a stat that Totten wants to improve upon this year.
"Certainly it's great to have the provincials right in our own back yard," he said. "It's been something I've been pushing to get for several years. It's also the first time that the tournament will be held at two different courses, which is great for both Sechelt and Sunshine Coast. Travelling has its pros and cons. We have a lot of fun on the road, but fundraising is always an issue. Playing at home, the kids get to sleep in their own beds. The nervousness when they step up to that first tee is alleviated, because it's their tee -they know both courses because they play and practise at both during the season.
"Every host team has done well at the provincials. Now, they've also had good teams, but it certainly helps when you can play on a course that you know."
Besides Totten, Brad St. John is also helping out this year, acting as assistant coach, and Sechelt head pro Kevin Krake will also be lending a hand when needed.
Chat has a large team this year with 18 golfers, including three female players, ranging from grades 10 to 12.
As in previous years, everyone will practise and play during the season with the top players making up the final squad for playoffs and provincials.
The North Shore league season begins in two weeks.
"Everyone should have the chance to play and learn the game," Totten said. "Certainly when we get down to crunch time, we'll field the best team we can and the kids all understand and accept that. I'm very pleased to see so many kids coming out and equally pleased to see more female players. The more kids, whether they are male or female, we can introduce to the sport is good for the development of the game up and down the Coast."
Editor's note: Look for a preview of Elphinstone's golf team in next week's edition of Coast Reporter.
