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Tyler Gast, Joseph Ferry prepare for state golf championship
"It's pretty cool." Tyler Gast and Joseph Ferry gave a similar reaction to the fact that they have become the only two Nevada Tiger golfers to qualify for the state tournament in the 2009 season.
Gast is headed to state for the fourth time in his high school career, a feat that not many golfers -- or participants in any competitive activity, for that matter -- can take the credit for accomplishing. Gast, a senior at Nevada High School, said that he thought from the start of the season that he could make it this far, but the expectations of being able to perform at the level needed to get to the state tournament are always something he tries to keep in check.
Gast readily admits that he had some rocky performances throughout the year and "got lucky" in the district tournament to make it this far, thus allowing him to step back and realize that even though he has accomplished a feat that very few athletes do, nothing is ever a guarantee.
"At state, you definitely think about every shot you're hitting," he said. "You kind of slow down and realize you're not guaranteed it."
The competition is much stiffer at the state tournament and that added level of competition has put more pressure on Gast to perform at his best, especially given the fact that he is a state qualifier for the fourth time in his career. Due to that added pressure, Gast has tried to do what he can to make sure that he takes this tournament more seriously than any other event and keeps his performance at his best, even though the continued repeat appearances often tempt him to think of it as "just another day."
"I know it's easy to get cocky," Gast said. "I see it in other people and I just don't want to be that guy."
Gast finished 10th at last year's tournament and he hopes to be able to improve upon that strong performance this year, but readily admits that his expectations are not nearly as high, as he will simply try to play to the best of his ability and be happy with the finish that affords him, wherever that may be.
Nevada High School freshman Joseph Ferry holds a slightly different mindset. Coming into the season, Ferry said, he didn't even really expect to play on the varsity team, let alone make the state championship tournament.
"I had no idea what to expect," he said. "I was looking forward to the season a great deal."
Nevada Tigers head golf coach Brian Leonard saw that Ferry had the talent to play at the varsity level very early in the year and that talent has simply seemed to improve as the year went on. Ferry has been playing more and more consistently with each event throughout the year and has steadily made a home for himself near the top of the leaderboards for Nevada.
Ferry said that the experience of becoming one of only two state qualifiers for the Tigers in his first year has put a considerable amount more pressure on him to continue to perform throughout the rest of his career at the same high level and has left him dumbfounded.
"I have no idea what to expect," he said. "This is a whole new experience for me. I will certainly do my best to play as good as I can."
But the fact that Ferry has been able to make it this far in his first opportunity does have one advantage. Ferry said that reaching the state tournament in his first year has taken away the tension that comes with trying to achieve that feat for the first time very early.
"It was a great feeling," he said.
He said that the pressure to perform at the highest possible level will still be there in the future, but he is simply trying to enjoy the moment and looking forward to next year.
Ferry has another accomplishment to add to his ever-growing list as well. On top of qualifying for the 2009 MSHSAA State Golf Championships, Ferry is also a recipient of the 2009 Kelly Bradham Newcomer Award.
Created in November of 2001, the Kelly Bradham Newcomer Award is presented to the athlete that has made the most significant contribution as a first-time letterman of any varsity athletic team at Nevada High School for the current school year. Each year, a male and female athlete is chosen to receive the award and Ferry was this year's male recipient.
Ferry said that up until he was selected as this year's male winner, he hadz never even heard of the award, but was still very excited to win it. "It's a great honor for me to win the award," he said.
Ferry and Gast both share the same opinions that they simply "got lucky" at districts, but hopes are still high for both players that they will be able to keep up with the high level of competition that lies ahead.