Despite only being in Grade 9, Cole Rezka has emerged as one of the leaders on the young and talented golf team at Osoyoos Secondary School. Rezka beat out more than 50 other high school golfers during a tournament last week at Osoyoos Golf Club. (Dale Cory)
Home course advantage certainly paid dividends for Cole Rezka.
Although only a Grade 9 student at Osoyoos Secondary School, Rezka fired a sizzling 80 when the South Okanagan Valley High School Golf League made a stop at Osoyoos Golf Club last Wednesday.
That eight-over par total on OGC’s Park Meadows Course gave Rezka the low score among the 51 high school golfers who took part in the event, played under sunny and warm conditions.
“It went pretty well,” said Rezka. “The driver was phenomenal today. I crushed one on No. 9 and put it past the 100-yard marker. I almost hit Declan (Riddle, Penticton High School).
“I feel I’ve improved so much from last year. It’s coming along so well, especially my iron play and my putting.”
The reason why?
“A lot more practice,” replied Rezka bluntly. “John (school golf coach John Seminoff) has helped out a lot with my grip, and with different ways to do different shots – and not just use the same shots all over again. You learn when and when not to use certain shots.”
For Seminoff, building his 2015 OSS golf team has not come easily.
The group is young, albeit talented, and is expected to grow into a powerhouse in the coming years. Until that happens, the team will likely experience some growing pains.
“This year has been totally different than any year in the past. For the past four or five years, we’ve been so strong. Not saying we’re not strong this year, but the players have been different. We’ve had very elite-level players, where I haven’t had to do a lot, other than give them some advice on certain pin positions and holes,” explained Seminoff. “This year, it has been more of the actual game itself. Like Cole said – how to play different shots in different situations, and to be comfortable out on the course. So, they’re learning the game more to get to that next level, where in the past, it’s been just go out there, and give them a little motivation.”
While Rezka led the Osoyoos charge at the school’s home event April 29, Scott Rausch was not far behind. Rausch fired a 90, and finished 13th in the field.
“Playing on the golf team puts a lot of pressure on you. When you are on the course by yourself, it’s easy to give yourself an extra stroke, and push it to a nice lie. Here, you have to challenge yourself. We do get to skip school, which is kind of fun, that’s one of the pluses to it,” said Rausch with a snicker. “It’s just a different look at golf than everyday, weekend golf.”
Rausch may have had a leg up on his competition in last week’s tournament, considering he works at Osoyoos Golf Club, which provides him with unlimited golf, and lots of opportunity to work his game.
“I usually play four to five times a week, at least nine holes, and on the weekend I play at least 18 holes. And I practice a lot,” said Rausch, who has had scores of 89 (Penticton), 86 (Summerland) and 96 (Nk’Mip Canyon Desert) so far in league events. “Practice is probably one of the most important things in this game.”
In the case of high school golf, Seminoff is required to teach the very basics of golf in order to provide motivation and longevity in the game to his students.
“No matter who it is, it’s always fundamentals,” said Seminoff. “We start right with the grip, stance, and your posture, and depending on the level of golfer, for someone like Cole, it was taking the swing he had and tweaking it, fine tuning his swing plane and positioning. It was more manipulating how he was swinging the club through the ball. A lot of it is also Wayne Hachey from Desert Golf Academy, and our golf academy at the high school.”
Rezka is adamant that being part of the golf team, along with keeping him out of school, is making him a much better player.
“It’s get me practicing more, and coming out after school,” insisted Rezka, who has had rounds of 92 (Penticton), 86 (Summerland) and 84 (Nk’Mip). “I’ve got more motivation to get better.”
Considering Rezka is in Grade 9, and three of the other players expected to help Osoyoos qualify for provincials – Rausch, Bridgette Garska and Braelyn Robinson – are in Grade 10, Seminoff expects his team will be strong for years to come.
“These four are the future, but we do have a good group of Grade 8s coming in this year as well,” said Seminoff. “The future looks bright and we have a lot to look forward to.”
Osoyoos Secondary School had two other players entered, with Evan Loura scoring 110, and Tyler Loura a 119. Garska and Robinson did not compete in the Osoyoos event.
There is one more zone tournament on the high school golf schedule. It was held yesterday (Tuesday) in Princeton Golf Club.
The South Zone playoffs will be held at Fairview Mountain Golf Club Wednesday, May 13.
Unlike the regular tour events, during which schools can have as many players as it wants take part, each school can only register its top five players.
During Zone playoffs, the top four scores count, with the top schools qualifying for Valley’s.
Penticton High School is the lone AAA school in the zone, so Pen High has an automatic birth into the Valley’s.
South Okanagan Secondary School from Oliver, Summerland, and Princess Margaret from Penticton – the AA schools in the district – will battle each other for the two available spots at Valley’s.
And, Single A schools Osoyoos Secondary, Princeton and Keremeos will fight it out on the golf course for the two spots available for Zone’s.
“I’m pretty confident we will qualify. Even though we are a young team, and I won’t say we’re going to be No. 1, but I’m pretty confident we can be No. 2,” predicted Seminoff. “Valleys will be a challenge for us.”
DALE CORY
Special to the Times
