BRYANNA WINNER Star-Herald
Growing up, golf has always been a passion for Scottsbluff senior Anna Kelley, who also plays basketball and soccer. Along with living on the Scotts Bluff Country Club golf course and watching both her parents play, it was a sport she always saw herself playing.
“I’ve always grown up playing – both my parents play,” Kelley said. “Living on the golf course, I play everyday and every time I can so I’ve grown up loving the game and I love (basketball and soccer) too, but golf has always been my favorite.”
As a Scottsbluff High School golf team member for the last four years, Kelley has had many memories, which includes winning her second state title at state on Oct. 11. She also won state her sophomore year in a playoff with Gering’s Madi Schlaepfer.
“Definitely the second day of state this year since I broke the all-class record and it was a good way to go out, to show that all my hard work pays off,” she said.
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“Also the memories with my teammates that I’ve had over the years, in hotels, on bus rides, practice rounds. It just made a great four years.”
Winning that second title is the best way for Kelley to finish her high school golf career and she is excited to see what next year’s team is capable of.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better way to go out with the state championship, but we worked hard everyday and then on the weekends. We were always out playing,” Kelley said. “I’m excited for next year’s team and I hope that they keep up the hard work. It was a great season, everyone was friends on the team so it was just fun everyday.”
Something she has learned along the way is how to control herself on the course as her mental game has become a strength for her.
“My mental game has gotten a lot stronger and that’s one of my strengths, is how I control myself on the golf course,” Kelley said.
“I’ve also matured with the game so just knowing what shots to hit in certain situations and my short game has come a long way. I’ve just progressed and matured in every aspect of the game.”
Even though she doesn’t know where she is going to be after graduation, Kelley knows she wants to play at a college that also has a good business school.
“I’m just looking for a good campus that fits me, that has a good business school and environment for athletics, where I can get along with the coaches and the teammates and just find the perfect fit,” she said.
Kelley has been named the 2022 Star-Herald’s girls golfer of the year with coach Brock Ehler being coach of the year.
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