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Sunnyside Golf Making History
From Bad News Bears as Freshmen to State
They often say the best thing about golf is it's a sport you can do for life. Doesn't matter what your age; 5-50, 60-100, you can always golf.
For the Sunnyside girl's golf team, they are proof you can pick up a club and with a little practice, determination and effort, you can succeed. You don't have to play every day to be successful.
"This group of girls had not touched a club coming into their freshmen year," stated Sunnyside girl's golf coach, Ryan Cullen adding, "The five of them also golfed very little out of season."
He went on to state the team works hard during the season but don't have the luxury other high school golfers have. "Other teams in our league (4A Columbia Basin Big Nine), have athletes that all they do is golf," said the 2003 Grizzly graduate."
They golf with their families on weekends and work out with trainers multiple times throughout the year," he continued. "These are things you need to do in any sport to be competitive at a high level."
Cullen should know. An assistant coach for the SHS football team, he is part of a coaching staff that has seen the school become one of the best in the state.
Although the Lady Grizz golf team is golfing at state during the last week in May, (23-25), it's only part of the story.
"We literally went from Bad News Bears-style golf shooting in the 150's and 140's their freshmen year, to breaking 110 on several occasions," explained Cullen.
For those who are not familiar with golf scores, that means if a hole was a par 3 or 4, (expected swings from teeing off to putting the ball in the hole on the green), the Lady Grizzlies were shooting a 6 and 8, or worse. Now, they are at par, or just one over.
He went on to add, "The fact we could finish in 2nd place is such a huge deal. I have had other girls in the past that have been good." He mentioned Kaycee Hazzard who went to state in 2019 as an individual, but pointed out SHS has never had enough players qualify as a team.
Three keys to their success was Alyna Ramirez who placed sixth in the league, Mackenzie Chambers, who was eighth and Jessa Hellner Gomez, who was tenth. (All three girls made 2nd team all-league.)
The seeds for their success began back in February when Cullen had a senior golf meeting.
"I was going to be gone the first day of practice," remembered Cullen, "And I wanted to set the girls up."
He told them that if they ever had a chance of making it to state, this was the year. "Three months later, we are here!," he said.
He further emphasized that all the golfers heading to state are seniors which means they battled through all the Covid stuff, which have made things for all seniors difficult; losing their sophomore year entirely and having a shortened season as juniors.
"I can't express how impressed I am with these young ladies," said Cullen. "Before the tee time at districts, I told them it doesn't matter how we do today. I'm super proud of all of you and today will not define your success in this sport or in life."
"You are all strong young women who are really going to make a difference. No," he added, "You are headed to state!"
Sunnyside golf has had it's moments of success in the past, but despite its illustrious history, they have never qualified a girl's golf team to state. It has Cullen beaming.
"That's what makes this special," notes Cullen. "The girls that power the group, the Lady Grizz Fab 5!"
Heart of the Team, the Lady Grizz Fab 5
(Photo L-R) Lily Potter, Jessamyn Hellner-Gomez, Mackenzie Chambers, Coach Ryan Cullen, Alyna Ramirez, and Hailey Schlosser.
This article underwritten by Prosser Memorial Health and Greene's Point S Tire.
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