Tracy’s girls’ golf team started its pre-season, 4-2, and opened league play with a win over Tokay High and a loss to Lodi High.

Coach Derek Solano believes that Kylie Takata is having a successful season.

“Takata is doing very well. Her average has gone down in the last couple of pre-season matches, and she is doing better and getting better,” Solano said.

The girls are practicing to become successful golfers. Takata and other girls are taking lessons outside of practice to improve in their skills.

“Lodi High is usually the best of the best, so they will be really good, but we want to try to qualify as a group for Divisional Finals. That would be really nice and that’s why the girls will need to train harder for each practice and keep a positive mind for each match,” Solano said.

They girls will have their ups and downs during matches, but they will need to finish strong.

This season, Coach Solano selected nine players for the team, with two captains being Takata and Hunter Andrade.

Takata said that being a captain is no different from being a player.

“Being a captain is just being more responsible for your own actions, especially because you are a role model to the players who are younger. If you are not a responsible person, then being captain will not work out for you,” Takata said.

Golf isn’t just a sport of skills, but it requires focus and passion from each player. To defeat an opponent you need to be positive mentally, especially if you’re having a bad match that day.

“There was a golf player from Lodi High, and she was would hit the ball really hard, so it was really intimidating for me because I was having a bad day, and it’s even worse because the opponent makes you look bad,” Takata said. “Some of my shots pulled out (not making it in the hole), but some of my shots were really good, although I still need to work on that for the matches coming up.”

Andrade, the another captain, said that she enjoys being captain because she believes it’s fun and it’s a big role.

“I enjoy being a motivator for the girls on the team because as a captain, I believe I will be a good influence towards the girls,” Andrade said.

As a captain, a player has a big role and sets an example for the rest of the girls by being responsible, preparing well for the matches, and being on time for practices.

“It’s an honor to be a captain because it means that Coach Solano has seen that I have made improvement,” Andrade said. “I’m trying to make sure that I do my best for each match, I also want to encourage the other girls to do their best and prepare well for each match.

For the first time, the girls will be playing on a new course. Previously the girls played at the Tracy Country Club before they moved to Old River Course.

“This year we are at the Tracy Old River Course, and, typically, we play at the Country Club, so it’s a bit challenging because it’s not as comfortable and it’s an adjustment,” Andrade said.

“Although the girls are playing in a different course this year, we hope to make the best of it and just finish strong as a player and as a team,” Solano said.

Tracy will face Tokay High at Woodbridge, on Oct. 1, at 3 p.m.