Senior Spotlight: Two Girls Golf Seniors Impacted by Sickness and Canceled Season
As Lynden Schools seniors saw their school year end prematurely, that included the loss of their final opportunity to participate in spring activities. This series recognizes the seniors across a variety of activities, with this post focusing on girls golf.
The COVID-19 situation took on a scary tone for one senior golfer at Lynden High School even before the canceled season cut short the final opportunity for seniors Cora Lange and Mia Grimes.
Girls golf coach Scott Sahagian says these two seniors have been a special part of the program. Let’s hear about them in his own words:
Mia Grimes, aka Weeze. This is the name I have known her by her entire golf career at Lynden High School. She was also making a name for herself year by year as her skills and knowledge of getting around the golf course were getting better and better. Last year she missed going to state by just a few strokes during the second day of the district tournament. She set a high goal of making it to the state tournament this season and this summer she worked at Homestead Farms Golf Course, where she helped other golfers, cleaned golf carts and worked on her game.
Weeze is not only a fighter on the golf course, she is also fighting Lupus, and has been her entire high school career. We talked before the beginning of this season and she was having a tough time with her health. She was worried about letting the team down and possibly not being able to achieve her goal of going to state. We were taking it day by day and she needed to be careful with the news of the coronavirus spreading because she has a compromised immune system. Talking to her during those first weeks of the season, I could hear the desire in her voice to be out on the course competing and hanging out with the team. I am sorry that because of the shutdown we will never know the eventual outcome. What I do know is that I have enjoyed getting to know one amazing kid. She was always honest, worked hard and loved people (even the annoying ones). She has a great sense of humor and I knew I could always get a smile out of her even in the worst of times on the course. All of these qualities and more will stay with her for the rest of her life and we all wish Weeze the best!
Cora Langewas one of two seniors on our team this year. I had planned on having co-captains this year, but with Mia being sick in the beginning of the season that left Cora on her own. This was never a concern because she lives for this. I have had a chance to watch Cora grow not only as a golfer but also as a person over her high school career. She has become such a remarkable young woman. She did not know much about golf when she started her freshmen year, and now she is the one helping out the new kids. She was a bit quiet when she first started, and now she is the life of the party. We had some great plans for this year, and I am sad writing about it being over now without a chance to do any celebrations, secret pals, golf games and telling silly stories.
I have also been lucky to be one of Cora’s Young Life leaders. She has been a student-leader in this area of her life. She has worked at camps, helped plan events and gave her testimony to a huge group of adults at the Young Life banquet this past year. With all of these qualities and many more, I know Cora will continue to do great things in life. The thought that I will leave you with is one of my favorites. I always know I have a cool kid on my hands when we show up for a golf tournament and girls from the competing teams are rushing up to me and asking if they can play with Cora. It was not because they wanted to beat her or knew that she would beat them, it was because they had spent time with her and knew she cared about people. Good luck, Cora, we know you will do well.
