Coming off back-to-back state championships, the Northville girls golf team isn't focused on defending its past success. Instead, the Mustangs are concentrating on improving each day and preparing for another challenging season.
"We don't like to predict the future and we're not worried about outcomes," head coach Kate Schultz said. "We're more worried about the process of becoming better each year."
That mindset shaped the team's approach during the offseason and into the start of the new season. Schultz met with junior leaders Cameron Baker and Mackenzie Stevens to discuss expectations and identify ways the team could continue to improve.
The Mustangs lost their No. 4 and No. 5 golfers from last year's championship team, making preparation and competition in practice especially important.
"I think we definitely wanted to just be more focused and more driven because we've always been good," Stevens said. "But this year we knew we lost our four and our five seed, so we knew we were going to have to focus in practice harder in order to win again. And I think it's been paying off."
Baker felt like team's competitive environment has helped push players to improve.
"I think we all came in wanting to play and wanting to compete and win, which I think makes a big difference," she said.
The team's internal competition has become a key part of its development as Northville works to maintain its success while preparing younger golfers to step into larger roles.
For Schultz, the opportunity to lead the Mustangs carries personal significance. A former Northville golfer, she won an individual state championship in 1998 before returning to her alma mater as a coach.
Schultz also now works alongside Coach Trish Murray who helped shape her own golf career.
"To have her as my mentor has been amazing," Shultz said.
With two state championships already on its resume, Northville understands the expectations that come with being one of the state's top programs.
"The target's gotten bigger on our back. There's a lot of people hunting us," Murray said.
Still, the Mustangs believe their experience will help them handle the pressure. Having competed on difficult courses in previous seasons, the team feels better prepared for whatever challenges await.
"Last year was a really hard course, and I feel like now that we've done it before, we're more prepared mentally to do it again," said Baker.
For Northville, the focus remains on the process rather than the predictions. The Mustangs are relying on competition, preparation and continued improvement as they pursue another successful season.
