Hopes to increase numbers and form a JV team
Published in the August 23, 2016 edition.
By JIM SOUTHMAYD
WAKEFIELD — The Warrior golf team has been one of the best in the Middlesex League having won a co-championship in the Freedom division in 2014 and winning the Middlesex League shootout title last fall.
Even though Wakefield has achieved much over the past two seasons, first year head coach Chris Keane would like to see the program reach new heights.
Keane takes over for veteran coach Dennis Bisso who retired in May after 16 seasons as head coach.
“I played at Woburn High School, so I’ve been on the other end as a player,” said Keane. “It’s nice to be taking over the program. I know the Middlesex League, and as a coach I think that will be beneficial. I know all or most of the courses in the league and I can help my athletes know how the course plays and the different clubs to use.”
Keane is an experienced golf coach. Most recently, Keane has served as the JV golf coach at Saugus High School, where he oversaw all aspects of the JV program, helped assist with the varsity program and started up a middle school golf program there.
Since 2009, Keane has worked as a golf clinic instructor and has run summer youth golf clinics through the Woburn Recreation Department and Woburn Country Club. Keane uses technology to analyze and correct his players’ swings.
“I want to work on communication. We have opened a Twitter account,” said Keane. “I’ll use the technology to correct some issues (on the players’ games).”
A Woburn native, Keane plays daily at his hometown Woburn Country Club and is a single-digit handicap. During his playing days, Keane was a successful four-year varsity player on the Woburn High School golf team, during which time the Woburn High Tanners won four consecutive Middlesex League championships and were one of the top teams in the state each year.
As a player, Keane as seen a lot of success. As a new head coach, he would like to continue the success of the Warrior program.
“Last year, Wakefield won the Middlesex League shootout and two of those three golfers are the returning captains,” said Keane. “There are six returning seniors, so there will be four other positions to fill.”
Keane would like to expand and grow the golf program in Wakefield and has aspirations of someday starting up a Wakefield JV team and some type of Wakefield youth golf program.
Keane is waiting to see how the turnout is before deciding on how many players he carries on the roster. The turnout will determine if a JV program can be started this year or not.
“I’d like to carry more if the numbers are there. We have a team meeting on Tuesday night so I’ll know more then,” said the new coach. “I would like to have more than 10 at varsity. I’m looking to have a deep roster to be able to rotate the lineup around. I would like to start a JV program if we have the numbers.
Up until now, Keane has been working on scheduling matches for the season. Golf tryouts will be held on Saturday, Aug. 27 at 5 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 28 at 5 p.m., and Monday, Aug. 29 at 3:30 p.m. at the Thomson Country Club in North Reading.
Wakefield opens up the regular season on Wednesday, Sept. 7 at 3:15 p.m. with a non-league match against Winthrop at the Winthrop Golf Club.
In addition to Keane’s golf background, he is also a very well-respected teacher and indoor and outdoor track coach at Woburn High School.
