CORNWALL, Pa. — The high school fall sports season is underway, and a new team is on the Lanc-Leb golf circuit.
Donegal High School—yes, the school that is right next to the golf course Highlands of Donegal—after many years finally has a golf team.
This week, the Indians teed up for the first time in competition at Iron Valley Golf Course.
History was made as the sweet sound of flush shots and made putts echoed through the course.
As tee-off time got near, a new and exhilarating feeling hovered over the Donegal Indians.
"I didn’t think this was a possibility," said coach Trent Hoffmaster. "For me to be the first person to be able to coach the team, and to start a new pathway at Donegal, I am very excited and I am grateful to be part of its history."
Senior Andrew Steinkamp has been one of those that has waited for this moment.
"We got football, baseball and all these other schools have a golf team and we are like, 'why not us?'"
In fact, Steinkamp was one of the students that helped place this idea's tee in the ground when he asked a simple question to Donegal Athletic Director Frank Hawkins, Jr.
“Last year, probably around springtime, I was having a conversation with our AD (Hawkins)," Steinkamp explained. "And I said, we have this course right next to our school, we might as well have a golf team, and the next thing I know, he (Hawkins) put up a poll on our school app and he was like, who would be interested in having a golf team?”
That was all it took, and now it's game on as the Indians take their best swings. Donegal is ready to compete even in their first year.
“Don’t get me wrong, I love going out with my friends," said junior Ryan Daily. "But having my friends out here in a competitive match against other schools, that is also great.”
While the goal on the course is always to beat par, off the course, the team already has the community buying in, according to Steinkamp.
“They are coming out with shirts; we are taking orders for them, and yeah, we are working on getting a booster club too. Just in the last couple weeks it has really taken off," he said.
And one thing is for sure—Coach Hoffmaster is very excited from the time he parks the team bus and the players head to the range.
“I am really excited, I always like new things and to do new journeys,” he smiled.
And those smiles will be there for some time, even if Donegal finds the rough in their first year.