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ST. CHARLES – St. Charles North girls golf coach Steven Dodd observed Catie Nekola’s biggest growth from a year ago was “that even-keel” approach.
“I like to think it’s a mental consistency,” Dodd said. “She’s really developed the mental side and being able to prevent herself from being fazed by the difficult circumstance.”
Nekola, a North Stars senior, certainly experienced one at the Class 2A state meet in October. By the end of the first day she was tied for 46th overall.
“A lot of people look at that round and [think] ‘80, she didn’t play well that day,’” Dodd said. “But, she had one bad hole and four difficult putts…she didn’t make [those putts].”
“It allowed her to go out on Saturday and just play what I call ‘care-free golf,” Dodd continued. “I’ve watched a lot of professionals in my time…she had the mindset of a young professional on that second day…to move from 46th to fourth in one round was absolutely incredible.”
Nekola was neck-and-neck with Geneva senior Reese Clark all season across conference and post-season play. Both consistently traded places for top finishes by perhaps a stroke or two and were named co-DuKane Conference players of the Year.
Nekola bested Clark by three strokes at the Class 3A regional and by one at the following sectional. Clark was medalist at the conference meet.
Nekola and Clark both tied for fourth at the IHSA state meet in October. Nekola’s eye-popping 5-under par second round that tied the course record – and was St. Charles North’s best individual round finish at the tournament – helped separate her to be named the 2021 Kane County Chronicle Girls Golfer of the Year.
Clark, to her credit, had the best-ever finish for a Geneva girls individual.
Nekola’s drive to be a top golfer – hardly a pun intended – goes back to her goal of playing Division I golf, meeting fellow competitors at summer tournaments and succeeding for herself.
Nekola was the last-standing member of the 2018 state championship-winning North Stars team.
“…While [the tournament friends] aren’t necessarily the reason I go out and play – I go out and play for me, my family and coaches – they keep me going,” Nekola said. “Because of how much I enjoy playing when I’m out there with them.”
“Just some of the people I’ve met in summer tournaments [and my high school teammates], it’s just really made me who I am as a golfer,” Nekola continued. “My parents pushed me in practice and what not…it made me so much better through that.”
Even though that could come with the cost of an occasional eye roll or two towards them.
“It’s all our of love because of how much they pushed me,” Nekola continued. “And, how I’ve gotten where I’m at.”
All of that has helped guide Nekola to play Division I golf at South Dakota University next fall.
Nekola admitted she became even more excited because she recently filled out the club sizing form.
“Please let it be known how good of a leader she is in our golf program and how good of a leader she’s been to JV players as well as varsity. She’s been a Mom to some of these kids and [took them] under her wing,” Dodd said. “…It’s been exceptional.”
Nekola had four teammates – some “amazing” leaders, as Dodd put it – from the 2018 state championship winning team go on to play Division I golf.
“She’s emulated that,” Dodd continued. “She’s gone above the examples that they set for her.”
2021 Kane County Chronicle All-Area Team
Catie Nekola, St. Charles North, sr.; Reese Clark, Geneva, sr.; Allison Edgar, St. Charles East, sr.; Maya Gusciora, Burlington Central, sr.; Katherine Marshall, Kaneland, jr.; Emmy Hollarbush, St. Francis, so.; Katherine Lilly, St. Francis, jr.