Published Oct 16, 2008
The Española golf team traveled to Farmington Monday and Tuesday to participate in the Farmington Invitational Golf Tournament.
Española coach Tom Velarde said he shares all of his athletes with other sports, but the nine-member team manages about two-and-a-half days of practice each week.
“Other coaches do a good job about not being predatory about protecting their kids,” Velarde said. “Everyone realizes we have to share.”
He said he likes to schedule a fall tournament rather than squeezing all the team’s tournaments into the spring, to give his players time to devote to academics.
“I like to break it up so it doesn’t have an adverse effect on grades,” Velarde said. “It keeps them in school more days.”
The boys team is entirely made up of juniors. Joseph Roybal, Jacob Serrano, Adam Montoya, Joseph Montoya and Gabe Rodriguez are competing for Española. Senior Cassandra Olivas, sophomores Beverly Williams and Janika Flores and freshman Mariah Martinez make up the Lady Sundevils team.
Last spring, Española sent its first representative to the Class AAAA state golf tournament when then-senior Alicia Salazar qualified for the girls state championship.