Interviews by Online Sports Editor Tom Bequette. Photos by Head Photographer Mara Korzeniowska.
// Acalanes’s instructors Cassidy Mulholland and Kenneth Lorge will coach girls and boys golf for the upcoming 2021-2022 season. They will replace 2020 head coach Dan Weiner and longtime head coach Tim Scott who retired in 2019 after 34 years on the job.
Why did you want to coach the golf team?
Lorge: I have coached on campus in varying roles for probably close to 17 or 18 years, and I had a couple years off, and now I am getting back into golf. And unfortunately, our long time well-liked golf coach is not able to continue coaching the team because of medical issues, so my friend and fellow teacher [history teacher Cassidy] Mulholland approached me about doing it together and we coached football a long time ago together and I felt like it was a good way to get back involved in golf and coaching, and obviously, I like the game of golf. I play the game of golf, so that is why we decided to get back into coaching, and also because we really like coaching Acalanes sports.
What is your golf experience? Do you play recreationally, or did you play in high school?
Lorge: I play recreationally. I have been playing recreationally since I was probably ten or twelve years old, something like that. I would consider myself a competent golfer but by no means an expert. We are actually taking on both jobs, so we will be the boys’ coach and the girls’ golf coach. The golfers that are serious about the game tend to have their own swing coaches. We obviously will not get in the way of them and getting coaching from professionals. Our job is more to provide a team atmosphere as well as scheduling and logistics and of course making sure that they have a good experience playing golf for Acalanes High School.
What are your goals or main objectives for this upcoming season in both boys and girls golf?
Lorge: Our goal is to establish the program and to develop the program on both the girls’ and boys’ sides. We signed up to coach the team late in June so our immediate goal is to try and get our feet under us and to get a grasp of how things work, how best to serve the kids, how best to grow the golf program, and to ultimately establish the program as well as to let people know about and respect, and to compete well with the other schools in the area.
Why did you want to coach the golf team?
Mulholland: I love sports and taking long walks in a park with friends. I grew up playing a lot of sports as a kid and wish I could play more. Sadly with as many birthdays as I’ve had, I’m limited to how many I can still play and play well. But I’d like to think golf is one of those.
What is your favorite aspect of golf?
Mulholland: I imagine that golf for me is much like someone’s favorite game—something that appears easy but is quite the opposite. And when presented with a challenge or defeat, for whatever reason, I want to do it again.
What are you most looking forward to about this upcoming season?
Mulholland: I’m looking forward to sharing the joy of sport with our team and the long walks in the park, of course.