2024 Spring High School Sports Preview: Mt. Spokane golfer Mia Bontrager hopes for picture-perfect finish

In coach Ryan Nelson’s digital photography classroom at Mt. Spokane High School hangs a handful of images depicting the students who have gone on to play college golf. Senior Mia Bontrager’s picture will soon be among those.

“I vividly remember her pointing at an empty area on that wall as a freshman and saying, ‘My photo will be right there,’” Nelson said. “Her photo will be in that spot at the end of this season.”

Bontrager has been a golfer for as long as she can remember. Though her dad and grandpa introduced the sport to her as a small child, it wasn’t until middle school that she truly recognized her love for the game. It was also around that time that she began playing volleyball, a sport her mom competed in during college. As she joined the varsity team her freshman year, Bontrager became an impressive dual athlete and managed to maintain a 3.97 GPA.

Though she loved the team aspect of volleyball, Bontrager began to lean more toward golf because of the individuality that comes with it. With her junior year approaching, she decided to focus on her dedication to golf and take a step back from volleyball by discontinuing club play.

“It’s such an individual sport that it’s your journey,” Bontrager said of golf. “As much as you put in is what you’re going to get out of it… I think of it as like you versus the game of golf.”

The Mt. Spokane girls may not always be playing together out on the course, but they still have that foundation of a team. They hold each other accountable in accomplishing their goals and reaching their full potential, they support each other on and off the course and they celebrate each other’s victories. In the past couple years, Bontrager has become a leader on the team as she consistently encourages and gives advice to the younger girls.

“Not only did she help me tactically to break down my swing and develop correct form, but she taught me the importance of mental toughness,” senior teammate Ava Anyan said.

Considering golf is a sport of such meticulous perfection, much of the performance relies on mindset. During practices, Bontrager is constantly thinking about each little aspect of her swing. Sometimes, it becomes overwhelming. This is when she forces herself to focus on one detail at a time so that she can get the most out of her training. Tournaments, on the other hand, are a chance to let go.

“In tournaments, I just have to trust myself,” Bontrager said. “You’re here for a reason. You’ve put in the work; you just have to relax.”

In addition to helping her teammates, Bontrager also coaches youth golf and volleyball during the summer and acts as an honorary coach to her two little sisters. Her desire is for them to enjoy the game rather than burn themselves out, wondering why they started playing in the first place.

Even outside of golf, Bontrager has a tight bond with her family. They recently took a trip to Arizona for a golf tournament but soaked in all the free time they had together as they prepare for Bontrager’s departure for college – she’s playing for Southern Oregon University. Much like the way she encourages her siblings, her parents encourage her.

“My dad is one of my biggest supporters,” Bontrager said. “He’s helped me with the college recruiting process and even just all my tournaments. He’s the one that’s been there with me through it all.”

During her sophomore year, Bontrager experienced burnout for herself. She couldn’t remember why she started playing or what made her love the sport. After taking a summer off, she said she was reminded of the joy it brings her and she fell in love with the game again. She just needed a break from pushing herself to the edge, and that is what she is teaching her sisters.

“Just be in the moment; be present,” Bontrager said. “Don’t think about what already happened because it already happened. Don’t think about four holes ahead because you’re not there yet. Just stay present in the moment.”

And she’s taking her own advice beyond golf. This means that golf time is golf time, friends time is friends time, family time is family time and so on. With as much work as she has put into her golfing career, Bontrager also made the time to balance these other aspects of life.

“You need to put things aside and do what’s important,” Bontrager said. “And do what’s going to make you happy, too because I feel like if you’re not happy, then what’s the point?”