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SCOTT PURKSCindy LaCross chooses golf over basketball, which proves to be a smart decision.
TAMPA - Last summer Cindy LaCrosse lifted weights, ran, biked and stretched and stretched. In between she hit a bazillion golf balls.
She also made a difficult decision: to quit organized basketball, a sport she had played most of her life.
This, of course, was all in the name of golf, a sport she hopes to play on scholarship in college.
From the looks of it, it may all pay off.
LaCrosse, a junior, improved dramatically from last season, leading her team to a third consecutive trip to the state tournament, where she shot 83-77-160, best among Hillsborough County players.
To get to state she shot 78 at both district and regional, also best in the county.
"I certainly thought she was the best player around here, and I say that for a few reasons," Plant coach Art Psillis said. "She not only was great on the course, but she was a hard worker and a great team player.
"I have nothing but good things to say about Cindy LaCrosse. How could I not?"
There are several things of which LaCrosse is proud, and at the top is arguably how she finished her final round at state.
"I started my last round bogey, bogey, triple bogey, and I thought "Oh my God I'm really digging a hole here,' " LaCrosse said. "Then on the fourth hole there was water all along the right side, and the last thing I wanted to do was hit it in the water.
"I really focused and hit that drive down the middle."
She made par on the hole and played the final 15 holes at even par, making her feel even better about all the work she had devoted to her game - and also about basketball, the game she gave up.
"I played point guard on Plant's junior varsity team, and I really, really enjoyed it," she said. "But the basketball cut into my (golf) practice and the seasons overlapped. It was just too tough to improve on golf while trying to play both sports.
"Golf is definitely my favorite game, but I have gone to a few basketball games to watch my friends play, and sometimes it's tough because I want to be out there so much."
She says there's doubt that her dedication is headed in the right direction.
It also doesn't hurt that her father, Doug LaCrosse, is a renowned local player who qualified for last year's U.S. Senior Open, which Cindy attended.
"Being at many of dad's tournaments has been a great motivator," LaCrosse said. "A golf tournament like that is so much fun. It would be great to always have that be a part of your life."