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Mitchell's Van Etten settles nerves quickly

By IZZY GOULD
Published November 8, 2005

	[Times photo: Brendan Fitterer]
	Mitchell's Emily Van Etten is the county's lone public school player at the state tournament. She'll tee off today in the Class 2A event in Port St. Lucie. STATE GOLF: WHEN/WHERE: Tee times begin at 8 a.m. today and Wednesday in Port St. Lucie and Vero Beach. Sandridge Golf Course (Class 2A boys); Pointe West Golf Course (2A girls); Fairwinds Golf Course (A boys); The Saints' Golf Course (A girls). WHAT'S AT STAKE: State title trophies will be awarded to team winners and runnersup. The top six individuals will earn medallions. STATE QUALIFIERS: 2A - Mitchell junior Emily Van Etten; A - Saddlebrook Prep boys/girls

PORT ST. LUCIE - Emily Van Etten spent most of Monday staring at greens instead of books, walking fairways instead of hallways and swinging golf clubs instead of a book bag.

What a whirlwind year it has been for the Mitchell junior, who transferred from Red Land (Pa.) High in March.

She'll hoist the hopes of the Mustangs on her shoulders today when she tees off in the Class 2A state golf finals.

Van Etten is the lone public school representative from Pasco County. Saddlebrook Prep has boys and girls teams competing for Class A team and individual titles.

Van Etten's practice round Monday at Pointe West Golf Course revealed lots of water hazards and tough greens. She'll also have to gain a grip on her emotions.

"It's a little different down here," Van Etten said. "I'm still nervous."

Her nerves should settle soon after she tees off at 9:03 a.m.

Mainly, it's the uncertainty that makes her quiver. But Van Etten has handled the pressure of playing on a boys team - she earned the sixth spot on a 10-member roster at Red Land - and was 22nd in the 2004 Pennsylvania state girls tournament.

And she handled a family move to Florida in the middle of her sophomore year. The toughest part for her was leaving a good life.

"It was hard to leave my friends and all the people I knew," Van Etten said. "I was sad to leave. But I knew it would be a good opportunity for my golf. I knew I would be able to golf all year, and I'd be able to play on a girls team instead of a boys team. It was a good move."

Van Etten's father, Roger, moved the family to Florida after landing the position of golf pro at Heritage Springs, Mitchell's home course. That placed Van Etten at Mitchell, a perennial golf power since it opened in 2000.

Van Etten brought plenty to a team searching for consecutive state berths. The Mustangs finished 10th at state in 2004.

"She was a silent leader," first year Mitchell coach Joe Castellano said. " ... Emily was the quiet I'm-going-to-sneak-up-and-get-you type on the team. You need someone like that. She totally was an unknown quantity. She really burst onto the scene. It was fantastic. I had a front-row seat to it, and it was awesome."

Castellano said Van Etten averaged 36 strokes per nine holes. She finished third at the Sunshine Athletic Conference tournament, then shot 79 at Clearwater Country Club to finish second in the 2A, District 12 tournament. She followed with 3--over-par 75 at Countryside Country Club for second in Region 4.

"She's been incredibly consistent," Castellano said. "What impressed me the most was how crisp her iron play got. She was hitting lasers - incredible iron shots at flags, 2 or 3 feet away. Then she started making putts, which is the key to scoring in any type of event."

Van Etten still keeps in touch with her Pennsylvania friends. She told them about state qualifying. No one was surprised.

The best part about her new home is playing on a girls team with teammates who understand the everyday struggles of being a high school junior.

"I met a bunch of girls and we became really good friends," Van Etten said. "It wasn't hard fitting in.

"It was nice being on a girls team. I was odd (being a girl on the boys team). Playing with the girls, they're girls."

--Contact Izzy Gould at 727 580-5315 or igould@sptimes.com

[Last modified November 8, 2005, 02:15:36]