SCC Women’s Golf team, young roster, impressive talent

SCC+Womens+golf+team.+Left+to+right+Jocelynn+Adamson%2C+Alana+Hackett%2C+Taylor+Berthusen%2C+Breanna+Cobb.+++

Michael Russell

SCC Women’s golf team. Left to right Jocelynn Adamson, Alana Hackett, Taylor Berthusen, Breanna Cobb.

Michael Russell, Reporter

Coach Dan Dersam coaches both the men’s and women’s golf teams at Scottsdale Community College.

“There are not as many high school women players as men so recruiting is tougher,” Dersam said.

However, Dersam is dedicated to the SCC women’s program and his team consists of all freshman he recruited last year.

Players are dedicated as well, they practice twice a week and in addition to the tournaments they compete in and full-time class loads, these players carry their own bags on the course—there are no caddies in college golf.

Although the SCC women’s golf team roster is comprised of all freshmen, each member is equipped with an impressive record of play.

Alana Hackett played her high school golf at Alamosa High in southern Colorado where she qualified as a junior and senior for the state championship tournament. Hackett also lettered in basketball & soccer at Alamosa. She had her best round (+9) of this season at the recent Chandler-Gilbert CC Invitational and finished in 6th place individually for the tournament out of 27 golfers.

Jocelynn Adamson of Phoenix enjoys competing in college against former high school teammates and opponents alike when she was playing for the Mountain Pointe High golf team. She also starred on the tennis team there. Adamson enjoys the social aspect of the college game as well, meeting players from all over the country who come to play in Arizona’s warm climate. She started playing golf with her dad and grandfather.

“Coach Dersam stresses the mental game and to stay focused on your next shot and don’t think about your last shot,” Adamson said.

Adamson also enjoys watching her favorite golfer, Jordan Spieth, compete on the PGA tour.

Breanna Cobb played her high school golf at Marcos De Niza High in Tempe. She topped the field in a high school tournament at Southern Ridge golf course. Cobb learned golf from her dad and plans to move to California this summer with her fiancee, who will be stationed there while serving in the military.

Taylor Berthusen played her high school golf at Sunrise Mountain in Peoria. She lettered in tennis at Sunrise Mountain as well. Some of Berthusen’s favorite memories at Sunrise Mountain were mentoring younger golfers on the team and making the trip with her teammates to Tucson after qualifying for the team state championship. She learned golf at a young age from her dad who enjoys following her college golf matches. Berthusen is planning to major in her passion, videography. Her dream is to make documentaries around the world, and her summer plans include a trip to Verona, Italy. She credits coach Dersam with making her a better player.

“I used to think the harder I swing the farther the ball will go. I’ve learned that I can hit the ball a lot farther with a smooth, effortless swing,” Berthusen said.

The women’s golf team finished in 4th place at the Chandler-Gilbert CC Invitational at Los Colinas Golf Course on April 13-14.

They also competed in the Paradise Valley CC Invitational at the Wildfire Resort on April 22-23 where they had a 5th place finish.

The Women’s National Junior College Championship Tournament is coming up on May 13-16 at the LPGA International Golf Course in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Meanwhile, the SCC Men’s golf team played on April 8-9, at the South Mountain CC Invitational on the Legacy golf course where the SCC men had their best finish of the season so far, 3rd place out of 8 schools. Lowest SCC scores for the tournament were Mathew Creighton(+5), Gary Schlee (+7), and Zachary Reiser (+9).