All three of Monroe County’s returning head golf coaches noted the congeniality shared among their teams as one of the greatest assets Keys golfers enjoy as they play one another up and down the islands. Though they compete against one another, they also offer encouragement, tips and genuine friendship, something often lost in prep sports rivalries. The sportsmanship among high school golfers in the Keys is something truly remarkable.
At the Southernmost school, Josh Bassett is entering his fourth year as head coach, making this year’s seniors the first group he has coached for the entirety of their prep careers. He has a great balance of new and experienced athletes.
“With every new season we see new faces; it’s the most important thing to a small team and we have no shortage of new faces this year, which is exciting.” said Bassett. The newcomers will join Andrew Bassett, a four-year starter, and Peyton Zubieta, who enters his third year of varsity golf. “The boys team has a lot of experience, so they know what they need to do,” said Bassett, adding, “With their knowledge and leadership, we are looking good.”
The girls team is in the same position with Claudia Steling and Althea Olsen. Both athletes have three years of varsity experience, and Steling has been putting in extra work in the offseason. Breanna Santana and Lexi Finigan also return to the links with experience for the Lady Conchs. “They know the courses and what to expect in match play,” said Bassett, who will work with assistant coach Robert Barrios to help shape the future of Conch golf.
Barrios and Bassett believe enjoyment of the sport is crucial to success, and work to build a positive, fun atmosphere in the hope that the joy of the game translates into solid play. Bassett would like to see his team qualify for a trip to regionals this season, and he knows that it will take more than the efforts of Zubieta and the younger Bassett to do so. He will lean on rising senior Jackson Barroso to help in both match play and leadership, and he praised Barroso’s marked improvement from last season.
In addition to his assistant coach, his team and the coaches and athletes from Marathon and Coral Shores, Bassett is thankful for the efforts of the owners and crews of the courses on which the teams play. Unlike most sports, schools rely upon the community for a place to practice and compete, and in order to do so, the courses must turn away members and customers while the next generation sharpens their skills. “I am at the point where I know how much these courses give up to allow us to play on them, and I’m grateful to every single one of them for their generosity. Key West Golf Club, Florida Keys Country Club and Ocean Reef, they all take care of these teams and it’s truly humbling to sit back and watch it happen,” he said.
Depth and experience is the theme for Marathon’s Golfin’ Dolphins this season. Head coach Mary Coleman-Sayer credits her team with taking it upon themselves to play recreationally in the offseason and believes it will pay off when their official season opens later this month. In the three years Coleman-Sayer has been at the helm, she has promoted the team in numerous ways, including fundraising to support a scholarship for her team members as well as the regular necessities for a team to compete. Her efforts have proven worthwhile as her roster grows with each season. She has also set up clinics with PGA professional Scott Jones to take the team to the next level.
The Dolphins will have some fantastic leadership from seniors Leo Mendez and Mason Thornton, who Coleman-Sayer said “made tremendous strides all season long.” Thornton and Mendez have the potential to carry the team past districts this season. On the girls’ side, junior Justice Lee has left the gridiron this season to try her hand at golf. The talented athlete is new to the sport, but Coleman-Sayer credits Lee’s positive attitude and enthusiasm and believes she will be a wonderful addition to the team.
Coleman-Sayer understands that in order to be competitive this season, her team will need to fill in the gaps left behind by four seniors last year.
“I foresee that there will be lots of competitiveness among teammates for the top five spots,” she said. She also noted that she is grateful for the facilities offered by the Florida Keys Country Club, which serves as the home course for the Fins.
For Coral Shores, it will be strength in numbers this season. Head coach Danielle Thomas was pleased with the turnout for the ’Canes and anticipates that the core of returners will be advantageous to her team. Seniors Preston Carroll, Derek Ramos, Davis Borders, Tanel Irons, Aidan Althouse and Gabby Thomas bring experience in their final season of prep golf, and their multiple years of match play should benefit the team immensely. Thomas praised her senior core, saying “Our seniors have led our program both on and off the course with their sportsmanship, their willingness to help players get better at the game and the inspiration they give them when a fellow golfer isn’t playing as well as they hoped.”
Thomas hopes to continue to bring down the team’s stroke count as she adds practice rounds to the schedule. Many of Coral Shores’ matches leading into districts will be against fellow Keys teams.
“Our team loves playing against the other Monroe teams. It’s great camaraderie we have with those teams, and the golfers loved talking and joking around in between holes,” she said.
New to the links this season will be a small group of athletes from Basilica School. The Mariners are working on fielding golfers to compete at the varsity level. Their roster is not yet finalized but plans are in the works to practice and play at several matches this season as the Mariners build their varsity programs.
