Photo courtesy of C.D. Butcher
Having just finished 18 holes of golf at the 2014 state tournament, the Dublin Jerome High School girls golf team gathered together to wait for the final scores.
Moments later, the team would make history as it won its fourth straight state title.
The Dublin Jerome Celtics became the first team in the state to win more than two straight titles after its victory in 2013, and it continued its streak in 2014.
With a score of 626 across two rounds of golf, the girls narrowly defeated the Jackson High School team, which totaled 628. The landmark victory allowed seniors Sybil Robinson and Maite Erana to complete their high school golfing careers with a championship for each year. Sophomore Mariana Erana returned for her second state title while freshmen Taby Robinson and Abby Kiefer gained their first victories with the team.
“They’ve done something no other high school team in the state has done in any sport,” says Coach C.D. Butcher.
Focusing on enjoying the game without obsessing over winning helped to minimize pressure on the golfers, Butcher says. Each year, the team only sets three goals: stay focused and improve, win the O.C.C. Cardinal Division, and get to the state tournament. In fact, the coach admits the first state title actually came as a surprise.
“We knew we had some good girls but, obviously with not winning before that, we actually thought our time was going to be the next year. But we had the perfect storm, and everything just fell in place,” says Butcher, who has been with the Jerome team since 2005 as an assistant coach.
While some high school teams suffer from losing seniors each year, the Celtics have stayed consistently impressive since the start of their championship streak.
“You sort of wonder who will step up the next year, and it became everybody stepping up,” says Butcher.
Each year, Jerome’s team showcased strong players who were able to function well as a group. The returning players continued to develop and serve as leaders for the rest of the team.
The Celtics never dwelled on winning the state title. Instead, the team members aimed to take each shot one at a time and challenge themselves to perform their best. Still, the players knew that their past victories brought an expectation for achievement.
“We were making history,” says Sybil. “I think each year it became more important to string another (win) on.”
Photo courtesy of C.D. Butcher
Butcher credits the girls’ talent and hard work as essential to the team’s success. The travel-filled season can quickly become a wearing process, so focus and mental determination are necessary to achieve success while balancing school and other activities.
Above all else, the Celtics function as a team – even a family. The emphasis on unity over individual competition gives the players a system of support.
The players say they are all best friends, both on and off the course. When the season ends, the relationships don’t. Graduated players will even return to golf with their former teammates.
While Butcher and the girls admit that this approach might seem unusual in an individual sport, they insist that the team mentality is vital to Jerome’s success.
“In the end, we all have the same goal: we want to be there for each other, and we want to win,” says Mariana.
After a mistake, a judgment-free system of support helps players stay focused. Mariana points out the benefit of competition, but stresses the importance of balancing individual goals with a team mentality.
“(The fourth title) meant so much more than winning. It was what we’d gone through all year as a team and, really, as a family,” says Mariana.
Returning for the 2015 season, Mariana hopes she can continue the Celtics’ legacy and serve as a leader to younger players. Sybil, who admits that winning four titles became a goal after her first state championship, says she hopes to make the travel team at Michigan State University, where she will be attending college this fall. Butcher plans to continue pushing the Jerome golfers to perform their best, win or not.
“I’m in awe of these girls and how they approach the game and approach their friends,” says Butcher.
Cameron Carr is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at hbealer@cityscenecolumbus.com.
Related Reads
Memorial Tournament celebrates 40 years
