Ready, willing and able

The Community Colleges of Spokane women’s golf team enters today’s Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges championship as the Eastern Region champions and boast a 12-0 record. A win at the conclusion of the two-day tournament at the Golf Mountain Golf Complex in Bremerton, would be the Sasquatch’s third consecutive NWAACC championship.

The key to success might lie in head coach Christie Dalsanders’ approach to recruiting the type of players who have already brought home two consecutive NWAACC championships.

“Even though I only have two years to coach the ladies before they advance, I recruit as if I was going to have them for four years,” Dalsanders said. “I’m lucky to be a head coach at CCS. It’s been a real pleasure. This year’s team is made up of people who are great ladies, students, and athletes.”

Dalsanders, the 2004 LPGA Western section professional of the year and reigning two-time NWAACC women’s golf coach of the year credited outside help for the team’s success.

“The practice facilities at Esmeralda have been fantastic,” Dalsanders said. “The support staff at CCS has been great, especially athletic director Maury Ray, who has been a big supporter of the team.”

Dalsanders didn’t have to look far to put together this season’s team, which is comprised of players from Pullman, Kennewick, Kettle Falls, Whitefish, Mont., and two from Spokane.

Even though CC Spokane entered the 2005 season as the two-time defending league champions, the Sasquatch had only one returning player. Any doubts regarding success for the season were quickly snuffed out when CC Spokane dominated the season-opening NWAACC tournament, winning by 50 strokes over runner-up Columbia Basin College.

“Even though there was only one returning girl, Coach was expecting us to win,” said freshman and Pullman graduate Nicole Hermanson. “We were comfortable with that and knew we could take the challenge. Our good coaching and having a deep team gives us a big advantage over the competition.”

According to Dalsanders, one player who will be vying for the title of 2005 NWAACC medalist will be sophomore Megan Bruce, who was a state qualifier her senior season at Kennewick High. Bruce, the only team member who was a part of last year’s championship squad, has racked up four top-four finishes this season, including a runner-up finish in this month’s Treasure Valley Invitational.

“All of us girls come from silimar backgrounds and that’s helped us mesh together,” Bruce said. “Everyone has worked hard and come through.”

Another player Dalsanders figures to be in the running for the NWAACC medalist will be Central Valley graduate Ali Plaster. Plaster, a freshman, racked up four top-five finishes, including runner-up finishes at the Skagit Valley and Bigfoot Invitationals. Her accomplishments earned her a spot on the NWAACC Eastern Region team.

“I’ve enjoyed the season and the fact I’ve been able to step up,” Plaster said. “We’re confident and excited as a team, and we’re ready to do what we’ve done all season.”

Freshman Hannah Postlethwaite, a graduate of East Valley, sees the team’s success as coming from player and coach alike.

“Our coach has high standards for us and approaches coaching in a structured way,” Postlethwaite said. “We have to be willing, but her attitude carries over and helps up. You can’t bring home the trophy without good coaching.”

According to Dalsanders, the formula for completing the final step of a three-peat is pretty simple.

“It’s just a matter of the ladies stepping up, and playing golf.”

From the looks of it, they’ve been doing that pretty well all season.