By Charlotte Wilson | January 10th, 2022
In September of 2021, The Woodlands School Golf Team competed at the ROPSSAA (Region of Peel Secondary School Athletic Association) Golf Championship, and Sai Kaja, a Grade 12 student, progressed to compete at the OFSAA (Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations) Championship. This was a great event for all those on the team, as many students have not had the chance to attend such competitions for a year and a half. As such, the tournament was a very special opportunity for newcomer Grade Nines and 10’s, as well as a benefit to the team environment as a whole. The Woodstock’s Charlotte Wilson had a conversation with Sai Kaja about his passion for the game and his recent success.
Charlotte (C): Starting off, what was it like being back to sports tournaments after such a long time without them?
Sai (S): It was something to look forward to, just because the environment itself affects how fun it is. It was just kind of a nice change of pace to be back and compete. So yeah, it was fun.
C: And what were the two tournaments that you did attend?
S: It was the ROPSSAA championship for golf. And then the OFSAA championship.
C: What were the conditions like?
S: [On the first day], it was pretty cold and kind of windy out. And then the second day, it was kind of rainy and cold too. So it's not terrible, but kinda what you expect from the weather in September.
C: How did the team do?
S: So the team didn't make it through to OFSAA, but at ROPSSAA, we played pretty well. I think we came fifth as a team. [I was] happy about that because the team played well, cause they were practicing for it. They'd been wanting to play on the team since last year, since they picked up golf. So I'm happy for that, how they got to play.
C: Overall, how many people progressed to the second tournament?
S: From the tournament I was in, it was one individual player and one team progressing to the next [round].
C: So out of the Woodlands Golf Team, how many student athletes went to OFSAA?
S: From [The Woodlands], it was just me.
C: Personally, when did you start playing golf?
S: I picked up golf when I was, I want to say nine or ten.
C: How have you performed at tournaments in high school, either outside of school or in school?
S: In school, just comparing this year with other years, I only played in Grade nine [and] Grade 10, where I didn't qualify for OFSAA. I came second both years, so I just missed it by one spot. It was kind of nice to go, because [this is] my last year playing, and it's especially nice to make it through.
C: How did you do at OFSAA?
S: I came sixth, so it's not too bad.
C: For you, what's the hardest part of the competition?
S: I think the hardest part is just staying focused throughout the entire round, because it was pretty long, it was like five hours. Just keeping things focused throughout the entire thing and staying committed, even through the conditions, was probably the most challenging part.
C: What was the best part of the tournament?
S: I think the best part was the ROPSSAA event, just spending time with the team, and the experience of playing in a team event for the first time in a while. It was really fun.
C: How has the team performed compared to other years?
S: [We came in] fifth at ROPSSAA, so that was pretty good. It was the [best] since I was in Grade Nine. So yeah, better than years before.
Overall, the school golf team had a great season together, working through less than ideal weather and long matches, to pull together for a fifth place finish, and an individual sixth place finish, representing The Woods.
Note: Quotations in this article have been slightly edited for the purpose of clarity and conciseness.
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