Hello Illini Nation!
Sophomore Sophia Sulkar here, excited to share some insights about the beginning of our 2023-24 season. The start of a new academic year is always thrilling. The transition into new schedules, professors and classes was seamless and the first few weeks of classes seemed to fly by.
Following our initial week of school, we kicked off the season with our annual Team Advance. During this event, we set the foundation for our team's standards and goals for the upcoming season. Each of us had the opportunity to deliver a presentation on a topic that was close to our hearts and beneficial to the team. Hearing everyone's presentations and the diverse perspectives shared was definitely a highlight for me!
After a productive Team Advance, we began preparing for our first event of the 2023-24 season: the Cougar Classic. Drawing on the insights gained from our qualifying rounds, we pinpointed areas for improvement, leading to highly constructive practice sessions. One of my favorite aspects of team practice is when we engage in challenges and competitions with each other. In particular, we had a scrambling challenge where we went head-to-head, providing an excellent opportunity to test our skills under pressure.
Before we knew it, the time had come to kick off our fall season with the Cougar Classic, held at Yeamans Hall Club in Hanahan, S.C. I want to express my gratitude to the College of Charleston and the Yeamans Hall Club staff for organizing such a fantastic event!
We flew into Charleston on Saturday night before our practice round on Sunday. We had the privilege of staying in one of the houses located directly on the Yeamans Hall Club property. Sharing this house with my teammates was incredibly enjoyable, as we made the most of the wide array of board games on hand. The next day, our practice round provided us with crucial insights that would prove invaluable in the days to come. Since many of us were unfamiliar with the course, this practice round was an excellent opportunity to get acquainted with the layout.
Monday morning arrived, and we were all eager to kick off our fall season! The weather started off warm and sunny for the first 25 holes, but it quickly turned stormy and dark. Due to the weather and course conditions, we had to suspend play for the day and finish the remaining holes, plus an additional 18 holes, on the following day. Despite the interruption, we maintained a positive attitude that carried over into the next day.
We continued to improve our team score after each round of the tournament, showcasing our resilience and determination even when things didn't go as planned. While we didn't capitalize on all our scoring opportunities, the Cougar Classic provided us with valuable insights and learning experiences that we intend to apply throughout the rest of the season!
