Texas High’s golf team has undergone a switch in procedure targeted to improving players on and off the course. Both the boys and girls tend to settle into a routine of hitting the range and playing the tees. However, a new year and new coach have brought about an abrupt change for the program. A change that starts with a 6 a.m. wake up call.

This semester the golf team began morning workouts in collaboration with Damon Goddard using the Fusionetics app. The team, both boys and girls, focus on exercises and cardio to build core strength

“Twice a week, we go in and follow the plan we have. It’s been really beneficial because it gets the team in better shape for long tournament days and tough conditions,” sophomore Jack Wilson said. “We don’t focus as much on agility as we do on overall stamina and upper body strength.”

Goddard has spent 20 years working in health and nutrition training, specializing in golf performance. His experience working with professional golfer and three-times major champion, Jordan Spieth, has earned him a namesake in the golf world.

“It’s cool [to work with Spieth’s trainer] because he obviously knows what he’s talking about,” Wilson said. “He‘s the one that programs all of our workouts. With Jordan being one of the best golfers in the world, [Goddard] knows what we need to do.”

This regimen entails an emphasis on injury prevention and a later progression toward performance components. The latter will take place just as the team will begin their spring season.

“The focus on these workouts is really to, number one, reduce the risk of injury, so that’s why we’re going through a series of movement assessment protocols,” Goddard said. “I need to see how the machine is operating and where they may be tight, weak or have some kind of asymmetry that inhibits or slow downs movement efficiency.”

Goddard will visit Texas High twice per semester to work with the boys and girls teams in order to evaluate their progress thus far. This is the first year that the program will have a focus on training. Both the boys and girls teams hope to use this initiative to grow and build for their upcoming years.

“It’s exciting,” coach Ryan Huntze said. “Everything we do from now on is just good experience leading to the next couple of years. We are a really young [team], but we’re going to learn from everything [we do].”

The teams are currently playing in their fall season, but workouts will continue into the offseason period leading up to district play in the spring. Tiger Golf has gained support from Texas High’s athletic program and TISD as a whole. Everyone seems to have high hopes for the impact of the workouts.

“The whole team is really grateful that TISD decided to [sponsor] the program,” sophomore Angie Parrott said. “I’m really grateful that TISD puts us forward, helps us and wants to see us succeed.”