Valley Stream district golfers back on the greens

Valley Stream’s high school district golf team is back. Golfers have been hitting the course all spring, as the team was resurrected after a few seasons off.

The team has 10 players from Central High School, South High School and Memorial Junior High. They are being coached by aspiring physical education teacher Evan Samuelson, who is doing his student teaching at South this spring.

The team has not won any matches yet, but there have been some individual wins. Samuelson said they are getting to know the competition, and there are many high schools in Nassau County with well-established golf programs. Valley Stream is in a conference with Bellmore-JFK, Calhoun, Hewlett, Long Beach, Lynbrook and Mepham high schools.

The team’s home course is at Eisenhower Park in East Meadow, but it has also played matches at Bethpage State Park, at the Woodmere and Seawane country clubs, and at Lido Beach.

Samuelson’s top two golfers are a pair of South High sophomores, James Russo and Vincent Liatto. Russo has been golfing for 13 years. “My dad started me when I was 2,” he said.

Russo said he enjoys having the opportunity to play students from other high schools and see what kind of talent is out there. Liatto, who has only been golfing for the past two years, said he enjoys the opportunity to play almost everyday and learn from his coach.

Samuelson, who started golfing when he was 9 years old and was on his high school team in Massapequa, said he wants his players to learn the fundamentals of the game. He spends time with them at the driving range teaching these skills such as proper stance and grip, what club to use, and where to place the ball depending on what club a golfer uses. “They need to learn the basics,” he said, “as it is with any sport.”

He also wants his players to well-versed in golf etiquette, which he said is the half the game itself.

Samuelson said he has some players on his team who are beginners and learning everything about the game for the first time. Others have their swings down, he said, so he works with them more on their short game and special shots. The team plays two matches a week and practices two other days, usually taking Fridays off.

Eventually, he plans to tape his golfers’ swings so they can study it and see how to improve. “It really helps to actually see yourself,” he said.

Samuelson said he is grateful to Athletic Director Scott Stueber for not only giving him the opportunity to coach, but for helping to bring back the team at the request of students and parents.

He doesn’t know if he’ll be back as coach next year, but Samuelson said he wants his golfers going into the summer knowing what they need to do to prepare for next year’s season. Eight of his 10 players are juniors or younger and could be back.

Samuelson has one other goal before the season wraps up. “I would love to get them a win,” he said. “It’s a good feeling for them.”