Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} Oneway to tell the success of a high school athletic program is the number ofparticipants. The golf team has almost tripled in size two years after onlyhaving seven golfers try out for the team. The team, led by second year coachDirk Hartman, is returning seven letter winners, four of whom areseniors. Thisunderappreciated team quietly won over half their matches last year and hasonly matured since then. The golfers worked hard individually over the summerto master their skills so that this year the team might make play-offs. Yes,the play-offs. Although Freedom plays in a tough section with teams that havegreat golf tradition such as Center and New Brighton, the team feels confidentthat they can compete with anyone. Thelast time the Freedom golf team went to the playoffs was back in the early 2000’s.Since then the team has been in a rebuilding phase. Many good players havepassed through over there building years, but the team never had enough good,consistent players at one time to make a playoff run. Until this year. Freedom’s most consistent golfer thisyear, is junior captain Jeremy Canonge. His average has only improved since thefirst day of practice. The key to Canonge’s game is that he does not compoundbad shots, he just moves on to the next one. Senior Nathan Novak is also takinghis game to a new level this year. Best known for his long drives, Novak is notafraid to take chances. More often than not, they pay off for him. Nick Schwabhas been a big surprise so far this season. Schwab shows great poise for hisage and is only getting better as the season is progressing. Although thegolf team is loaded with eight upperclassmen there is still a lot of promisefor the team to continue to succeed after the season. Coach Hartman is workinghard with the underclassmen golfers so he can ensure that golf at freedombecomes a tradition and not a fad.