Overseas Freshmen Reflect on 2018 Fall Season

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (January 3, 2018) – It was no secret that entering the 2018 fall season there would be new challenges for the Northern Arizona University women's golf team, but it was something the program was ready and excited for. The Lumberjacks added four new members to their squad, three of whom happened to be coming to Flagstaff having spent their high school and adolescence in foreign countries.
 
The new 'Jacks comprised of Ashley Croft from Essex, England, Elle Kocourkova from Hrebec, Czech Republic and Aleksandra Chekalina out of Moscow, Russia. They would not only be beginning their NCAA Division I golf careers but were also be faced with the challenge of continuing their education in an entirely new country.
 
"We became really close with all of our teammates," said Croft. "Moving to Flagstaff definitely was not easy, but having the support that we did made it a lot easier than it could have been."
 
NAU's team dynamic and culture was crucial in the way that it created a positive and caring environment for the women. Not just in the golf team but within the entire athletics program. All three mentioned the great support they received from other athletes, administrators, support staff and fans in the Flagstaff community.  
 
Being a student-athlete is one thing; having to adapt to a new culture and country is a whole other test in itself. However, if any group of young women could handle that task it was the NAU team.
 
"The first month was really hard because I did not know how to organize my time," said Kocourkova. "Once we hit October and early November I got better at organizing my homework and practice times. Now that we are in the off-season I have plenty of time for everything and it is helping me get better at handling all these different responsibilities at once."
 
When asked about that initial transition period all three noted that their teammates had become something more in a very short amount of time. These young women leaned on each other and were able to not only succeed in the classroom and golf course, but also find a level of comfort in Flagstaff.
 
"Our returning athletes were great in the way that they made us feel welcomed and like a part of a family," Kocourkova added.
 
One of the many things that came as a surprise to the three was the difference in training they would endure at the Division I level, especially so early on in their careers.

"There is a big difference between the training I was doing back home and what I have done with my team here," Chekalina said. "We focus on more specific and defined things in our game, specifically the short game. Chipping and the 40 to 70 yard range were something I really worked on throughout the season."
 
All three Lumberjacks had seen prior success overseas before coming to NAU. The level of competition was not a concern of the newcomers but rather the process in which they handled preparing for events and personal performance was something they each knew they would need to focus on.
 
"After the first two rounds of my first NCAA competition I was actually in contention to place very high and that brought a lot of pressure," said Croft. "It was exciting and I had to rationalize a lot of things in the moment and just keep calm."
 
"Competing in the NCAA level was interesting," added Chekalina. "The level of and amount of golfers and their abilities was comparable to the Euro events I had done. It depends on the day and course."
 
Throughout the 2018 fall season the Lumberjacks grew as athletes, students and individuals. Garnering collegiate level experience was head women's golf coach Brad Bedortha's main goal. Overall the Lumberjacks had a successful season as a whole. The team's highest finish was a tie for fifth-place at the first invitational of the year at the Hobble Creek Fall Classic in Springville, Utah.
 
The team finishes throughout the season may not have always been what the team had hoped for, but the 'Jacks are just using those moments as learning experiences and are looking to make a big splash during the spring season and going into the Big Sky Conference tournament later in the year.
 
Croft, Kocourkova and Chekalina each commented on the motivation the fall season has given them moving forward. The entire program has been preparing since the moment the first half of the year ended. Through self-evaluation, weight room training and mental wellness exercises the NAU program is gearing up for what will be an extremely competitive spring season.  
 
Later this January we will catch up with some of our returning upperclassmen and get a feel for where they are at heading into the next phase of the 2018-19 women's golf season.
 
The Lumberjacks will return to the golf course on Feb. 18^th in Las Vegas, Nev., for the Rebel Beach Invitational.