Amy Carvalho and Maggie Campo have taken similar paths to becoming two of the top three players on the San Benito High girls golf team.
Both were introduced to the game when they were around 9 years old, but neither took the sport seriously until their freshmen year of high school.
“I quit after a short time because it was too frustrating,” said Campo, a junior. “I think I played for a month and it was hard to consistently hit good shots.”
Carvalho, a senior standout, could relate.
“I played a couple of times, but didn’t get really going until freshman year,” she said. “Now I play as much as I can.”
Along with junior Isabella Arreola, the Haybalers’ top three players are all capable of consistently shooting in the low- to mid-50s, with the goal of going under 50 near the end of the season.
San Benito’s top three players said the team has been infused with an extra dose of energy from first-year coach Carissa Filice and assistant coach Marcus Synegal, a 2009 San Benito graduate who went on to play at Grand Canyon University in Arizona and is now the director of tournaments and assistant PGA golf pro at Poppy Hills.
“They’re both really good coaches who have given us routines and plans for what we need to work on,” Campo said.
Said Carvalho: “Whenever we have questions, our coaches are there to answer them and help us out on whatever we need to improve on. They’ve been a great help and I see our team working well together to have a good season.”
The coaches had equal praise for the players, noting the strong turnout for the optional Friday practices.
“We’ve had 11 to 12 girls show up every week, and that gives us a lot of hope,” Synegal said. “As a coach, that fires you up that you have that many girls choosing to come out on a Friday. You can’t help but be excited.”
Carvalho and Campo excel in the chipping game, but Carvalho would like to improve her putting and Campo her overall swing. And both of them watch golf on TV with their dads.
“It’s one of the ways we bond,” Campo said.
Carvalho’s dad, Joe, attended all but one of the team’s matches from last season.
“He’s pretty good, knows his stuff and has helped me out a lot with my game,” Carvalho said.
Off the course, Carvalho is involved with 4-H, an organization that promotes youth development in a number of fields.
“It’s really big on community service and leadership skills, and we do projects like cooking and sewing,” Carvalho said.
In addition to golf, Campo has a passion for softball. That’s why Campo, who was on the Balers junior varsity softball team last year, couldn’t get in as many rounds over the summer—she was busy playing softball.
However, the few times Carvalho and Campo were able to play together in the off-season, they made the most of it. They worked together at a couple of camps, giving pointers to younger players.
Carvalho has also become a leader for the Balers.
“You have a lot of players going to her for advice, which is very cool and unique,” Synegal said. “Amy is a natural leader, and it shows in practice and during matches.”
In addition to the top three players, other players who are expected to make an impact include Kendall Mills, Marisa Johnson, Kelly McCullough, Samantha Acfalle, Jamie Kelly, and Esmeralda Escamilla. The Balers had played two matches entering Wednesday’s contest against Monte Vista Christian, with Campo shooting scores of 53 and 58, respectively, Carvalho shooting scores of 54 and 57, and Arreola finishing with a 55 and 65.
