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| Head Coach Sally Kosters has created a strong foundation of success, academic excellence and excitement with the Dayton Flyers women's golf program |
Over the six years Sally Kosters has been coaching for the University of Dayton, most of the questions received from recruits are similar. Here are a few common questions and answers for prospective student-athletes:
Q: What do you look for when selecting a new member for the team?
A: There are four main qualities a prospective student-athlete must have:
- Academics is first. At UD you have to have good grades; minimally a 3.0. Most of our current team members had a 3.5 or above in high school and are able to maintain that in college.
- Scores in good quality 18 hole tournaments. I'd like to see numbers in the mid-upper 70's with the occasional "round of your life" score that shows you can go low. When you see college players scoring in the upper 70's and lower 80's it is easy to think "I can score as well as they do," but play in college is longer, on better courses, and on tougher greens.
- Length and Strength. Unfortunately the days of a "nice" game and all finesse are gone. Playing at 6000 - 6200 yards on a wet, cold day makes for a tough round. Most incoming freshmen have a drive that rolls out at least 230 yards. 240 or more is better.
- The Extras. I also look at extra-curricular activities that indicate you can manage your time, play golf, and still get good grades. Having experience in another sport besides golf is always good.
Q: What steps do I take to get on the team?
A: You're already on our website, so you've taken the first step which is to learn more about the university. If UD seems like a fit for you academically, email me directly at Sally.Kosters@notes.udayton.edu, and we'll begin our discussion. I'm interested in knowing grades and scores immediately, swing videos can wait. Attaching a resume, a list last year's tournament scores, and a list of tournament s you're scheduled to play this summer is nice.If your grades and scores look like they are in range, we'll start an email conversation and start thinking about dates when you might be able to visit campus, take the tour and meet me. We can also talk on the phone, but email eliminates the telephone tag. If at all possible, I'll try to see you play, and will definitely speak to your coach or teaching pro. All along the way, I need to know your level of interest in the University of Dayton, and I'll let you know what my interest is in you. Near the end of the summer, we both start making decisions and hopefully we both have made our final decision by the end of fall.
Q: How much do you practice?
A: NCAA allows 20 hours a week including workout sessions. We are at about that. We practice or play every afternoon for about 3 hours, starting around 2 p.m., depending upon when you get out of class. Workouts with the trainer are 2X's a week at 7:15 in the morning!Q: What is practice like?
A typical practice week looks like this:Monday - On the Range with Coach; specific putting and chipping drills
Tuesday - Workout; "Practice Play" 9 holes, throw down 3 balls at 100 yds; putting and pitching drills
Wednesday - 18 hole Qualifying Round
Thursday - Workout; "Practice Play" 9 holes; putting and sand drills; competitive games
Sunday - 18 Hole Qualifying RoundQ: How much instruction do I get from the coach?
A: I'm an LPGA professional with a good amount of teaching experience, however, I expect an incoming freshman to have good technique for all the basic shots. We may spend some time adding specialty shots to your repertoire, but at this level, most of our learning involves the mental side of the game. My psychology and counseling background is called upon more than I imagined!Q: How much do you travel and how do you get to tournaments?
A: We usually have five tournaments in the fall including our invitational at NCR and four or five in the spring, including the conference championship. We mainly travel in a 15 passenger van to events that are within three or four hours of Dayton. We flew to Hilton Head this year for a special winter break.Q: When are tournaments scheduled and what about missed class?
A: Generally tournaments are three-day events; practice round on Sunday, Tournament on Monday and Tuesday. Occasionally we get a Fri-Sunday tournament. Travel teams are selected a week in advance so you talk to your professor and get assignments and tests done ahead of schedule.Q: How do you select tournament travel teams?
A: As objectively as possible. I have a spread sheet that calculates your previous tournament scores, qualifying scores, and the ability to shoot low. We had two players this year whose averages were a ½ stroke apart when it was time to select the conference team. I took them both to a tournament to shoot it out. After three rounds of play, they ended up one stroke apart which decided it.Q: What does UD provide in terms of clothing etc?
A: Bags and balls, 3-4 shirts, 2 bottoms, hats, rain and wind gear. All meals and expenses are covered when traveling. If you need new clubs, we can usually get a reduced price, although most players get fit over the summer through their home pros.
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