Editor’s note: In March, Nevada Sports Net will honor influential females in local sports to celebrate Women’s History Month. Our latest feature is on Chris Mazzaferri, executive director of the First Tee of Northern Nevada, which now owns and operates the revamped Wildcreek Golf Course set to reopen soon. This series is presented in partnership with IBEW Local 401.

Chris Mazzaferri has spent her life in sports, starting at the age of 5.

“I dabbled in everything,” Mazzaferri said. “I loved all sports. Anything that I could play outside was something I enjoyed doing.”

Originally from Iowa, Mazzaferri garnered a heap of accolades as a standout basketball player, track and field star and high-level softball player. Her family relocated to California during her high school years, and Mazzaferri later took up golf, landing a surprising opportunity in her 30s to start a women’s team at Modesto Junior College.

“I called a bunch of my friends who were playing at country clubs — ‘I need you to take 12 units at the junior college and we need to start a golf team,'” Mazzaferri said.

Added Mazzaferri, who was the team’s No. 1 player for two seasons: “We ended up winning two state championships and had several college offers. I’m 35 years old. I’m not a college student anymore.”

Now in the school’s hall of fame, Mazzaferri says the program is still thriving today for high school players who want to continue playing at the collegiate level.

Mazzaferri eventually found her way to Reno as a part of the First Tee of Northern Nevada, serving as executive director for the nonprofit that teaches the region’s youth valuable life skills through the game of golf.

“I’ve been in it 33 years now, and I absolutely love it,” Mazzaferri said. “I love what it teaches kids.”

Mazzaferri said golf has “opened up a ton of doors for me as a female,” adding it’s the perfect sport for today’s kids.

“Golf is a sport where there’s no umpire, no referee,” Mazzaferri said. “You have to learn to govern yourself and to be responsible for yourself. In our society today, that’s gotten lost a little bit.”

Along with her husband — former Nevada golfer and longtime public golf figure Mike Mazzaferri — Mazzaferri helped spearhead the First Tee’s acquisition of Wildcreek Golf Course, where extensive work has been ongoing to revive the public course that was downsized with the construction of Hug High School.

Mazzaferri said the executive par-three course will reopen to the public on April 15 while nine reconstructed holes of full championship golf is slated to debut this summer. Aside from being a permanent home for the First Tee, Wildcreek will serve as a public-golf resource for all players, with future plans including a two-tier driving range.

“You have to come see this,” Mazzaferri said. “It’s a huge transformation, and it’s going to be amazing for the community.”

Mazzaferri, who is now an LPGA pro and a “master” instructor, per U.S. Kids Golf, said she’s excited to continue being a resource for the area’s next generation of female athletes.

“Sports for women, especially young girls, are huge,” Mazzaferri said. “It builds confidence.”

Watch our interview with Chris Mazzaferri at the top of the page.