Girl's Golf Gets Into the Swing at Joel Barlow

EASTON, Conn. – A new sports team has been added to the Joel Barlow High School varsity roster this spring, after the girl’s golf program received the green light from the Region 9 Board of Education.

“I am ecstatic about it. I am all about participation,” said Mike Santangeli, athletic director at Barlow, which has students from Easton and Redding. "And the more teams we can add that our students want here, the better."

After a few students and parents expressed interest in creating the team earlier in the school year, Santangeli said he sent an online survey to girls at the school to see whether any wanted to get involved. Thirteen girls committed to the team, he said, which had its first practice March 19.

“I am super-excited; these are all girls who want to do this. They all want to be a part of the team,” he said. The skill level of the players “runs the gamut,” according to Santangeli, with players ranging in age from freshman to senior.

The girl’s golf program is a big step at Barlow. Previously, any girl who wanted to play had to try out for the boys team – although none ever made it. One girl from Barlow played on the Weston High School girls team last year but competed as a Barlow player.

The 13-girl roster will go head-to-head with athletes in the South West Conference and have matches against Weston, Masuk, Brookfield, Bunnel and Laurelton Hall.

“We are a relatively young team, but I am looking forward for what’s to come. Sixty-seven percent of our student population performs in athletics at Barlow, and we want to offer programs to as many students as we can,” he said.

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