The Viper golf team had their first team practice with no masks nor social distancing since last year this week. Both the boys and girls teams met at the University of Texas Golf Club on August 24 from 3 p.m to 5 p.m for team practice.

“It’s going to be a great year,” head coach Ben Lee said. “We have got a lot of good talent that joined us this year.”

This year’s girls team captain, senior Chaemin Kim, looks forward to what the new year will bring. She hopes to be able to travel with the team and make the most of her senior year. 

“I am very honored to be the team captain this year,” Kim said. “I will try my best to bring everyone all together and be better as a team.”

The girls team’s newest members, freshmen Taylor England and Shelly Areepitak, both would like to win tournaments and shoot low scores: to break 80’s for England and shoot constant 70’s for Areepitak. 

“I want to have fun and experience the atmosphere of being on a team,” Areepitak said. 

Freshman Lucas Weston, one of the boys team’s newest members, is aiming to play in the championship this year. 

“I need to stop procrastinating on homework,” Weston said. “I would like to win some tournaments,”

This year’s boys team captain, senior Andrew Tan, says he enjoys the responsibility of being captain because he gets to help train the newer players on his team to be good golfers.

“I want to be able to spend more time with everyone on the boys team,” Tan said. “Last year we only got a few team practices, which were on a limited time schedule.

After a year of restrictions, many are happy to be approaching a level of normalcy. Spirits are high on the team, and members said they are looking to the future with a renewed sense of hope.

“Hopefully [the team] have a wonderful season,” Kim said. “I want us to be the State champions, and make some good memories on and off the course.”