For Skylar Whitman, what started as a fun sport to do with her family has turned into a championship venture.
The Northrop senior won the individual medalist at Summit Athletic Conference championships on Saturday, September 12. She shot an 83, winning the individual conference title by 7 strokes.
“It’s a lot of hard work,” Skylar tells ParkviewSportsMedicine.com. “I concentrated and had a good time. I wasn’t stressed about my score. I didn’t even know my score at the end of the round.”
Whitman is the first Northrop golfer to win the individual title since Kylee Wierks in 2008. Skylar is also the first Fort Wayne Community Schools golfer to win SAC since 2009.
“She’s been a catalyst for our team,” Eric Erdman, Northrop girls golf head coach, says. “She has that leadership that tries to help everybody. She’s the best in the conference, but also a great teammate and great leader.”
Standing atop the SAC leaderboard has been realistic goal for Skylar most of the season. She won every regular season SAC match she’s competed in. She won the Concordia Invitational on August 28 with a 78, her personal best for 18 holes. On August 24 against Blackhawk Christian, she shot a Northrop 9-hole record of 35 at Colonial Oaks Golf Club, the Bruins’ home course.
“Her mental game is what wev’e worked on the most,” Erdman says. “She’s got the technique and the skills. We can’t do anything about what’s going to happen until it’s over."
That confidence and ability has spilled over to the Skylar’s Northrop teammates. The Lady Bruins shot a 425 at SAC, good for 3rd place. Individually, each player has cut an average of 5 shots per round from her score this season, Erdman adds adds.
“This season has been really nice, because we’ve improved as a team. We’ve gotten better of a whole,” Skylar points out.
Northrop heads to the Angola Sectional on Saturday, September 19, at Zollner Golf Course on the campus of Trine University. Last year, Skylar shot a 95 at the sectional, just missing out on advancing to regionals.
Long term, Skylar hopes to play golf at the college level; but remains undecided on a school.
Northrop is one of 26 high schools that partner with Parkview Sports Medicine for athletic training, nutrition, sports performance, athletic rehabilitation and other sports medicine services for Bruin student-athletes. Learn more at www.parkviewsportsmedicine.com.