When senior golfer Emily Scheffler was appointed captain of the girls’ golf team this season, one of her goals was to turn what is basically an individual sport into a united, supportive team. Her efforts have included off-course bonding events, such as a girls’ night sleepover and an upcoming trip to Top Golf. She’s also tried to emulate the value of being supportive whether someone has had a bad day or a good one.
Not that the bad days have been numerous. Going into the WPIAL Class 3A individual qualifiers on Wednesday, September 18, five Lady Foxes have qualified to compete. The team also is 11-0 overall, even better than they were last year.
Scheffler will be among the group competing in the playoffs, as she has the past two years. The number one, two, and three players, sophomores Nina Bush, Erin Drahnak, and Grace Rygelski, will appear for a second time too, as will junior Liz Conroy.
“We have a really big group of 17 girls this year and I’m so glad Coach (John) Broderick allowed everyone to be part of the team,” says Emily, who plays midfield on the lacrosse team. “Out of the four years I’ve been on the team, I think this is our best yet.”
Emily credits Nina, Erin, and Grace as being instrumental in the team’s accomplishments, but also believes the group’s camaraderie and welcoming atmosphere have played a role in their success too.
For her personally, Emily says being a member of the golf team has led her to personal self-discoveries. She explains, “I have a younger and older sister who also play lacrosse, so golf has kind of been my own thing. I’ve learned how to be my own person.”
“Emily exemplifies all that a coach looks for in a captain,” says Coach Broderick. “She is someone who leads by both her example and through her actions, and her teammates look up to her.”
While sports do take up a lot of her time, Emily is involved in many other activities. She is a soprano with the Fox Chapel Area High SchoolVulpes Cantantes Choir and Concert Choir, and loves being part of the school’s Best Buddies club.
“My favorite activity with Best Buddies is when we go to Funfest,” Emily says. Her caring nature also is evident through the volunteer work she does with her church. For the past several years, she had been a part of several missions to West Virginia to help in-need families improve their homes. She has accumulated 150 hours of church-related volunteering and, in November, will be awarded the prestigious St. Lucy’s Medallion.
As for her ambitions at the WPIAL playoffs, Emily says, “I would just really like to play well and do my best, regardless of the results.”
