A Perfect Follow Through

For the first time in school history, the West Ashley High School girls golf team won back-to-back matches to open their season. On August 25th, the team defeated Summerville High School by seven strokes. Anna Baldwin was the low medalist for the match with a score of 49.
Scoring under 50 during a match was a personal goal that Baldwin had set for herself at the beginning of last year’s season. According to WAHS girls golf coach Jenna Taylor, “Anna worked hard all season last year to play in the 40s, but was always a few strokes away from her goal. Her hard work during the off season and throughout the summer led to this accomplishment.”
Baldwin was also the low medalist of the second match this season with a score of 54. West Ashley High beat Berkley High School 238-261. “It makes me feel like all of my hard work has been noticed, and I’m proud of that,” Baldwin said when she learned that she had been selected as the West Of’s Athlete of the Week.
Leading the team in scoring isn’t Baldwin’s only contribution to the team. She serves as a positive role model for her younger teammates on and off the green. “Anna is the type of player that will come early, stay late, and never miss a practice,” says Taylor. Her success in the classroom is also worthy of praise; she has maintained above a 4.0 GPA since transferring to WAHS from School of the Arts in October of her freshman year.
As a sophomore Baldwin joined the team, eager to be part of the sports program at WAHS. She says she was encouraged to play for the high school by her brother, Cullen Baldwin, who played on the boys golf team when he attended the high school. Baldwin says she likes being an athlete at WAHS because of her teammates and the school’s positive sports culture.
“The teachers and faculty here do a great job of supporting athletics. It’s great to see them at your games or matches,” says Baldwin, “We have a few new girls [on the team] who are picking it up really well, and I’m happy to have such good teammates.”
Baldwin attributes her recent success to having changed the mental side of her game so that she just gets out there and just focuses on playing the game. She plans to attend College of Charleston in the fall.