Brooks Hamlin
Staff Writer
Mira Costa’s golf team may never have a full season again, and may not be able to produce skillful golfers in the years to come.
Boys Varsity golf coach Bob Timberlake , and junior varsity coach Bill Fauver resigned after over twenty years of coaching. They built the program from the ground up resulting in the Bay League. The coaches left behind 11 Bay League victories in a row for the varsity team and 12 for the junior varsity.
Last year Teacher Tom Cox and Hired coach Ryan Branning were hired to take over the program. Cox, the current teacher of the learning center at Costa and JV coach for the girls golf team. Branning, previously work with junior golf programs and tournaments.
Cox new to golf was willing to sacrifice a good amount of time to help the golf team after previous coaches Timberlake and Fauver left due to salary cuts. Cox doesn’t have much experience but has potential to be a great coach
“He doesn’t have really any experience, but hes a nice guy and helped us keep the program.” Said JV golfer Grant Lee.
After a year of new coaching costa was not the returning bay league champ. Coaches Tom Cox and Ryan Branning are new and have a lot of weight on their shoulders as new coaches. Without the support of a new set of boosters a full year season isn’t possible.
“In this day and age this decision is entirely up to the boosters, and if that is what they want that is where it comes from.” Said junior varsity coach Tom Cox.
After twelve years strait of bay league championships underpaid coaches may not be able to hold a full season together. The pay that the coaches receive is a minimum and the team can’t have a full season without satisfied coaches on board.
“They don’t get payed much to be coaches, and I don’t blame them for wanting more. The half season isn’t really their faults and I think they deserve a break.” Said junior varsity golfer Andrew Lu
Coach of the boys golf team Ryan Branning has had an experimental season. Branning has been left big shoes to fill and successfully recreated a bay league title with the help of skilled varsity golfers. Players understand that the new job is tough and support their new coaches transitions.
Owen Hamlin Varsity player and JV team captain said, “I don’t blame Branning it’s tough to walk into a situation where such great role models have led and try to fill those shoes, that being said I feel like he could have done better.”
Branning and Cox are an untested duo and have only had one year to bond as coaches, but in the eyes of their players they don’t quite get along. Playing on a team with feuding coaches is not productive and could be a disadvantage to the boys golf team.
“I’ve seen them together and they don’t like each other I don’t think that they could co-coach for too much longer, and now the girls team as well. I’m not sure.” Sophomore developmental golfer Sheyanne Sedeghi said.
The boys golf team has been the dominant golf team in the south bay area for 12 years straight. A couple of new coaches has changed the team already, and the question still stands whether or not the golf team can keep its title for years to come without a full year round practice schedule.
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