Ronan boys, girls golf prepare for the 2017 season

According to Olson, Chiefs’ senior golfer Fisher Niemeyer is considered one of the more consistent golfers on the team.

“Fisher is considered one of the better golfers in Class-B this season,” Olson said. “He is going to be very good headed into this season.”

Aside from Fisher, Olson said his team has a significant amount of talent headed into the season that should compliment Fisher.

“Talent wise, I know these kids can compete,” Olson said. “If we do the right things and use our talent and our skills, that this is our best group of boys to qualify for state this season than we’ve had in a while.”

According to Olson, his boys team will become the first team to qualify for state in the history of his program, to his knowledge.

The No. 2 player for the Chiefs’ golf program is left hander Vincent Bird-Webster.

“He is a lefty and a southpaw, which is kind of different,” Olson said. “He is very dedicated and a very good athlete. He always has the ability to apply his skill in tournament golf. It’s really beneficial to the team when you have a top one and two golfer to the team.”

The No. 3 golfer will be sophomore Anthony Camel.

“He came out as a freshman last year because his buddies came out last year,” Olson said. “He has good hand-eye coordination, he’s a strong kid and has raw talent that we are trying to fine-tune. That is what he is working on now.”

Olson said he felt inter squad competition for the remaining spots enhances his team’s ability to compete.

“It is awesome that we have all of our players fighting for the fourth and fifth spot,” Olson said. “They really want it and they are all great kids. Those last spots will have to be settled on the golf course.”

Because of the unfavorable weather, the Chiefs and Maidens’ golf team was forced to improvise and play indoors.

“On March 13 there was nothing open,” Olson said. “We got nerf golf balls and hitting mats, and we’ve been hitting in the commons of the Ronan Events Center. We were productive during that time period.”

The Ronan boys team will also have Chance Deneault, James Farmer, and Matt McGuyer that will be competing for spots on a highly competitive boys team.

“Inter squad competition is the absolute best thing for the team and nothing is better than competition, which is true for any sport,” Olson said. “When an athlete has to earn a spot, they tend to bring it at every practice and do all of the right things. I love it, of course, and I love the fact that we have the same kids.”

Maidens hope to overcome youth to have solid season

The Ronan girls golf team will be a little different than its boys counterparts, according to Olson.

The girls team, which qualified for the Class-B state tournament two seasons ago, will only have two returners from that team.

“We have two of the five members still from the state team a couple of years ago,” Olson said. “When you lose that many players, that is a big loss.”

Olson said he will rely on the junior leadership from his daughter and their No. 1 golfer, Brooklyn Olson.

“Brooklyn is by far and away the very the best golfer on our team,” Olson said.

Other players include first year golfer Ally Buhr, a foreign exchange student from the Netherlands and converted field hockey player Kim Zan Der Laan, and Gabby Wirz.

Olson will be assisted by Joey Ash, Rhett Duffey, and Kaycee Conrad Kennedy.

“Our kids are willing to learn and there is no greater satisfaction than to have that challenge before you and see the progression of golfers,” Olson said. “Seeing the kids actually pick up what you are teaching them, seeing their happiness and them being proud of themselves on a very cold driving range is one of the best moments for me in coaching.”