What do you do when you’re the first from your school and your program to make it to the state tournament?
For Midway’s Sydney Queener you add another first.
Queener became the first Midway Green Wave golfer to sign to go on to golf on the collegiate level last Tuesday.
The soon to be departing senior signed with Roane State to become part of the school’s budding golf program.
“I worked with both the girls and boys coaches during the summer in order to get better,” she said. “I got to develop a relationship with them and got to hear about what they were doing with the golf program.”
Roane State’s golf program has been growing by leaps and bounds and has enjoyed some success the last few years.
With Queener joining the team, the Raiders’ commitment to building a quality team shines through.
“I’m very excited to see where this takes me and follow with them on where they go,” Queener said.
For a two-year school, the turnaround will be quick as Queener will likely see time on the links as a freshman as she grows and improves.
Playing time will depend on who is performing at a high level.
“Actually they’re losing quite a bit of girls,” she said. “They’re going to be starting almost new.
“There’s going to be five girls. So we’ll all play and the top four scorers will be taken. It will depend on how I play that day an on how the other girls play.”
As far as to her future apart from golf, Queener said she is thinking about doing something in education.
“Right now, in high school I’m doing a student teaching program,” she said. “I’m not saying that it’s for certain though, because that can change.
“There’s plenty of time for me to make a decision on what I want to do, but I’m definitely interested in education.”
Without setting herself in one particular direction should help the senior down the road.
“I’m trying to stay open minded as to what I want to do,” Queener said.
The senior Lady Wave is also a standout athlete in other sports.
Queener is part of the basketball team and the softball team and could have pursued those sports into college, but chose golf.
“I played basketball and softball almost since I could walk,” she said. “I picked up golf my sophomore year.
“It was so new to me and the fact I hadn’t played it all my life and learned it as I went. I think I enjoy something more when I’m learning.
“It’s a confidence booster and it can bring you down. It’s all you out there. You don’t have a team to back you up if you have a bad shot.”
Queener hopes that what she has accomplished and will continue to accomplish will show the younger players that they can move on and their hard work will pay off.
“It’s a big deal at my school right now,” she said. “I was the first Midway player to go to state and also the first golfer to sign to go on to golf in college.
“I may not have the best basketball player, softball player or golfer, but I hope it shows them that I came in as a three year golfer and gives them motivation.
“If I can do it then they can do it to if they work for it.
“I’m proud that I got to experience this.”
