Varsity girls golf is in a Renaissance at Fairfield Union, finding increased popularity and picking up steam. Part of the movement is sophomore Hannah Draper, who decided to take a swing at the sport going into her freshman year.

“I have been playing for two years. I started my freshman year. I had a lot of friends on the team and it seemed like a lot of fun, and I wasn’t doing any sports, so it seemed like a good idea,” explained Draper.

Although the varsity girls golf team is intimate, the players still go through a tryout process to determine placements. This year, two of the 14 girls received honors, while Draper personally improved her game.

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“We got all district honors for two of our golfers. Kelsey got second all team district honors, and so did Kendall in the MSL. My goal for next year is to make it into the MSL,” said Draper.

“I shaved off personally, depending on the round, 15-20 strokes from last year in general,” Draper added. She has a dream of eventually playing in the LGPA (Ladies’ Professional Golf Association).

Draper’s golf ambitions, however, are a delicate balancing act with the marching band Falconettes, where she is a legacy dancer. While Draper is the first chair for flute during the band’s regular season, she performs in the band’s dance team during football games.

“My mom was in it when she was in high school, so she talked about it a lot,” reflected Draper, on why she auditioned for the Falconettes. “The marching band themselves used to go to the grade schools and perform, and I thought it was really cool.”

During the summer and fall, Draper trains and practices for both golf and the Falconettes dance team, aiming to split her time evenly. The golf season starts in July, and usually ends by early fall, overlapping with football and marching band season. The golfers typically take a quick break before reconvening in January for lifting and virtual hitting. During her own time, Draper will hit with her friends, step-dad, and swing in her grandparents’ backyard to stay sharp.

“I usually try to split it up 50/50 the best I can. Most of the time I am going straight from a golf match to a practice. It gets hard sometimes, but I think the rewards I get from that make it better,” said Draper.

In addition to the green and the football field, Draper is heavily involved in Key Club, community service work, and her school’s Agricultural Program. While juggling multiple priorities, Draper looks to golf to sharpen her mental focus.

“Being on the golf team, you have to rely on your mind a lot. That’s the hardest part. It helps me to be able to be more calm, collected, and able to learn better within a short time,” said Draper.

Overall, participating in a sport, the arts, and community-focused clubs are essential to Draper. 

“I just think it helps me as a person to be able to be out with people, be able to help my community and other peers,” she said.

“I feel like they’re both very important,” Draper adds, referring to the arts and sports. “Most of the time you see two demographics of people where they stick to one. It’s important to be able to do both. It’s different parts of your brain. It’s two different ways to stay active, and it’s kind of weird to say but being a part of the music program is like being a part of a team anyway.”

This is part of 614Now.com’s weekly student athlete feature. Know of an extraordinary high school athlete on and off the field? Nominate them by emailing editor@614now.com.

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