Rattlers golf trio headed east
By SEAN ROONEY on May 22, 2019.
srooney@medicinehatnews.com
College golf season ended seven months ago, but three Medicine Hat College Rattlers are getting a surprise final tournament of the season – or is it a surprise early start to the next one?
Along with coach Trevor Moore, the Rattlers women’s team of Ciara Bonogofski, Sierra Zukowski and Nicole Schultz will head to London, Ont. Sunday to play in next week’s Canadian University/College Championships.
“It was definitely a surprise to (us), goodness we’re starting early,” said Bonogofski. “It’s really cool.”
It’s certainly not something the nursing student thought she’d even take part in when she joined the team a few years ago.
“No, absolutely not, not in our wildest dreams. We didn’t even know it existed, actually.”
But it has, since 2003 bringing together both CIS (now U Sports) and CCAA associations in a rare amalgamation. Medicine Hat is actually the only college competing in the women’s team event, having hosted CCAA nationals and taking second at Desert Blume in October.
Red Deer, which won the women’s trophy, suspended its entire golf program last month. Budget concerns, the short college golf season and a general lack of competition were all cited as factors.
“We were shocked at first to see Red Deer not invited, but with the program shutting down that may be part of the equation,” said Moore. “Anyway, we got in. I was reading the list off to our players and they were like ‘it sounds like our name should be in a different font.’ It’s a rather interesting list to be invited to.
“It’ll be a great experience for sure.”
The University of British Columbia Thunderbirds have dominated the championship, winning 13 of 16 women’s titles and five on the men’s side. Medicine Hat won’t be expected to figure in the medal hunt with the likes of Laval, Toronto, Manitoba and Victoria sending teams, and certainly not with the best Rattlers player out of the mix. Alberta college champion Becky Martin finished her last season of eligibility and this tournament technically takes place in the next season.
The three Rattlers will also have all of their scores count, instead of having the worst score per day not added to the team totals. Most teams will send four players.
“I’m going to take it all in, Nicole and I are going in with the same headspace,” said Bonogofski. “We’re not really going in with expectations as of we need to place here, beat X team. It’s more let’s learn from this experience, take it back to our teammates.”
All three are returning to the fold this fall, and they’ve all been to a national event together before. They went in 2017, a year Martin wasn’t part of the team, so there will be some familiarity this time around.
“What a great opportunity for those three, and it’ll be the same three we had in Oshawa two years ago,” said Moore. “It’s a good crew, we all know each other well. It’s a group I’m excited to take on the road.”
That said, there’s still pressure to be ready to compete. Bonogofski’s been hitting the driving range at Connaught Golf Club at 6 a.m. lately, before working there and in addition to undergrad nursing work on her schedule.
Both Schultz and Zukowski teed it up at the Victoria Day Classic this past weekend, Zukowski finishing tied for third behind Martin and Pat Hall, and Schultz in sixth.
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