TJ’s Boys’ golf team celebrates a successful golf season in front of the school. photo by Sean Waters
With a talented roster, the Spartans prepare to compete in the city league and regionals for Boys’ Golf.
For many years, the Thomas Jefferson Boys’ Golf team has prided themselves on class and teamwork to succeed during the short lived golf season. The team is anchored by four varsity golfers who have been putting in the work to make a serious impact on the leaderboard.
The roster is led by head coach Shawn Waters, who is excellently skilled at teaching the game of golf. The varsity team is led by seniors Liam Poirier and Nate Bolinske, junior Leyton Kyelberg, and sophomore Mason Weber. Each one of these players brings different strengths to the team. Poirier has earned a reputation from his standout as a long drive competitor, regularly posting impressive distances that put him ahead of his peers. He even won a title this year for longest drive in the world for his age group. “In the youth divisions, Liam Poirier delivered an outstanding drive of 328.5 yards to claim the U17 Boys title” (FOX 40). His power off the tee will and has been a crucial asset for the team in the upcoming events. There are currently four varsity spots which the best of the best play, and the JV squad also has four spots for those next up. As the team looks to challenge top competitors from other DPS schools like East, South, and North, TJ’s golfers are ready to showcase their skills on the city’s biggest high school stage.
Aside from the Varsity Squad, the team is grateful to have a practice facility at Kennedy Golf Course, where the team spends over eight hours a week swinging the club. Kennedy provides a challenging environment for training, with varied layouts that help sharpen the players’ abilities. The CHSAA city league tournament season starts each year in late August, and ends in early October. The tournament scene allows for a chance for TJ’s golfers to set out and play multiple different courses around the city of Denver, as well as experience the environment of tournament golf. There are over nine tournaments throughout the season where golfers get to play either 18 holes for Varsity, or 9 holes for JV. This gives DPS golfers and TJ golfers alike many chances to get out and explore the diverse golf courses within Denver.
Another great element of Tournament Golf at Thomas Jefferson, backed up by TJ junior, leadership member, basketball player, and golfer Zach Alleman, is the chance to meet multiple other student athletes from schools around the district. Alleman stated, “I’ve made good friends playing golf at TJ, inside the team and out. The experience has built my confidence in the game, as well as grown my social life.” JV star golfer, junior Kota Hoskins, has found the most joy on the team, “playing in the Scramble Tournament at Willis Case Golf Course, and really just enjoying practicing with the team, if it was the range, or playing the Babe Lind course, I enjoyed spending time with my friends and getting out on the course the most.” Hoskins, who has played during all of his three years at TJ, urges students to get out and play golf. With a combination of skill, determination, and team spirit, the TJ golf team is looking forward to a bright future, after wrapping up this year’s season.
