2020 San Juan High boys golf team looks to gain experience

John Young has been playing golf as long as he can remember. He pretty much grew up at the old nine-hole course in Monticello.

He was excited to take the helm for the San Juan High School girls team in the spring of 2020, but the season was cancelled due to the outbreak of COVID-19.

Now, he hopes to officially coach his first season of golf for the boys team this fall. As it turns out, he’ll have his hands full. As many as 16 boys are competing for just eight tournament spots every week.

“With this many boys,” Young said, “it’s going to be a challenge, but it’s going to be fun.” His solution for the golfer surplus is “Monday qualifiers,” with every player on the team competing against one another for those eight spots.

Young explained that he’s not going to cut any players from the team this season because he wants them all to have a chance to play and love golf as much as he does.

The 2020 squad is fairly inexperienced. Just one golfer, senior Jace Johnson, has been with the team for four years. Sophomore Garrett Young is returning for his second season, but he is also playing football for the Broncos.

And Caden McPherson, though a junior, doesn’t have much more golf experience than many of the incoming freshmen, who comprise the majority of the team.

Young has set a reachable goal for every player on the team. “What we’re working on is doing better than you did last week in these Monday qualifiers, just beating yourself, competing with yourself,” he detailed.

San Juan will hit the ground running with three tournaments in the last half of August. The team opens the season against Region 12 opponents at the Round Valley Golf Course in Morgan on Wednesday, August 12.

They visit the Cove View Golf Course in Richfield Tuesday, August 18. And they host Region 12 opponents at the Hideout in Monticello on August 26.

Like all high school sports this year, the season is uncertain due to COVID-19. But for now, the 2020 San Juan High School boys golf team is on course to build some solid experience.

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