Crusader golfers course correcting

COMPETITIVE CRUSADERS

They are competitive, they have fun and they like to learn. They ask a lot of questions which is a great thing. People think it’s easy to hit a golf ball just sitting on a tee, and it’s not that easy.”

John Goetz, HTC head coach

FORT MADISON – The Holy Trinity boys golf team is still growing but head coach John Goetz said there is potential, stopping just short of saying the group has any medalists.
The Crusaders return Andy Snaadt, Brock Scheetz, Nathan Box, Luke Hellige, and Jameson Denning. They will also have underclassmen in Max Kruse, Caleb Ray, and Colby Moeller, Blake Mohrfeld, and Tate Green.
The girls squad consists of Emma Mohrfeld, Teagan Snaadt, Adalyn Kruse, Elizabeth Griffin, and Eva Denning.
“There’s a lot of potential there. We’re still growing. It’s a game that you can enjoy for the rest of your life so you take baby steps, You try to take baby steps and try not to fall back too far,” Goetz said.
He said numbers are strong around the conference with New London and Mediapolis probably being the front-runners in the SEI Superconference. He said Burlington Notre-Dame will also be in the hunt.
Inexperience will be a hurdle the Crusaders need to overcome this year. Hellige and Denning are the two that look to be slotted at Nos. 1 and 2 but both need some early swings.
“You try to teach them while they’re having fun. They’re competing against each other, other teams, competing against Mother Nature, and yourself,” Goetz said.
“It’s a game where you have to have a short memory. You can’t let one bad shot ruin the rest of your round.”
Goetz, who also serves as Athletic Director and has announced his retirement from that position at the end of the summer sports season, said the numbers on the team are really strong this year and he’s hearing that from other coaches.
“At the conference meeting,  they said a lot of teams are going to have full teams this year which they haven’t had in the past, which is good. Kids are playing, they’re getting out and doing things.”
Goetz said Hellige has a lot of power and potential.
“He can really hit it a long way. Luke came out late last year and really showed a lot of improvement. He played a lot this summer and really likes the game and that’s a big part of it,” he said.
“They are competitive, they have fun and they like to learn. They ask a lot of questions which is a great thing. People think it’s easy to hit a golf ball just sitting on a tee, and it’s not that easy.”
The Crusaders open play Thursday with a trip to Keokuk Elks for a multi-format scramble.