Q & A with Senior Mary Kate Duffin and Coach Jeff Braden

How did it feel to win Conference?

MaryKate Duffin: “It was a feeling of great accomplishment for the team overall. There was quite a bit of surprise because none of us felt like we did our best, so coming in, it was really close but it felt really good.”

Coach Jeff Braden: “Well it was a great feeling, I think we’ve been improving every year and it’s a good feeling to come out on top in your conference.”

 What were the best and worst parts of this past season?

Duffin: “I would describe this season as a good last season for all of the seniors. Since there are so many seniors on the team, this was a good way to finish it out. A lot of us have come such a long ways, the best part would have to be winning conference, the worst part would probably have to be the districts performance, no one really played how they were expecting to play, and we did have a shot, so it was just really disappointing.”

Braden: “The best parts were just seeing the improvements not only in the older players who finished so well, but the younger ones too who have developed so much. Then the bad part is we had one bad day at districts and we had such high hopes there, and you have those bad days, it was a disappointment, but it happens.

 How do you expect to do in state?

Duffin: “My goal for the whole season is to get Top 15 at state, so that’s my expectation for myself so we’ll see!”

Braden: “I think MaryKate will do really well. Last year she got off to a really good start and then kind of stumbled along the way. I think the pressure got to her. There is a lot of pressure; I don’t think until you’ve played in the actual state tournament, I don’t think you can really understand that it really is just a whole other level of pressure.”

How does it feel to be a senior and leave this team behind?

Duffin: “I could cry, honestly, I’m going miss Braden as a coach a lot. Over the years, we’ve gotten so close, so it’s definitely going to be really hard.”

 How do feel about losing these seniors?

Braden: “Its bittersweet, because you are exciting for them to see them go off to college and you’re proud of them for all their work, coming out next year. Particularly this group because this is a brand new program, and they’re sort of your founders of your program, but that’s life.”

What are yours plans for next year?

Duffin: “Going to college for golf, still looking for scholarships but I definitely want to play college golf.”

Braden: “I expect we are really going to be a strong team with some strong leaders, and a lot of young players who are going to step in and take the role of those seniors.”