Just days after the girl’s golf team placed seventh in state finals, junior Marissa Spreitzer was back on the course. She runs through her mental list of things to work on in order to improve her golf game.

“if there’s something wrong in my game, I want to fix it right away,” Spreitzer said. “ [After tournaments], I think of things I can work on. I literally want to go to the course right now and fix them. “

Spreitzer did not love golf straight from the beginning. The relationship began a little more complicated than one would expect, but evolved into a passion she credits to her father.

“I started golf when I was about eight. I was pretty little, “Spreitzer said. “I didn’t really like it so I stopped during those years where you should be starting. I wish I would’ve kept going. I played in city tournaments when I was a little kid with my dad. He tried to get me into [golf] but he didn’t push me, it was more of an idea he threw out like ‘this is something you’d like.’ Later in eighth grade when I was deciding what sports I wanted to play in high school, it was mostly between volleyball and golf. I decided I wanted to play a sport where my dad and grandpa could help me.”

In her first high school season, Spreitzer made the varsity team. This accomplishment sparked her to raise her level of play to that of her senior teammates.

“It honestly motivated me a lot to do things that the seniors on our team were doing,” Spreitzer said. “I wanted to be as good as the seniors are in my freshman year.”

Practicing almost daily, Spreitzer has raised her own personal standards to that of a varsity player. Her outstanding work ethic complimented by her constant drive make Spreitzer someone who is always improving.

“I’ll try to get 9-18 holes in every day,” Spreitzer said. “It’s mostly in these past 2 years I’ve been crazy like ‘lets’ go I want to get better.’ During the summer I had a strict schedule for myself where I have to play 5 times a week. Usually I’m in 2-3 tournaments a week during the summer anyways, then I have 2 regular practices where I can just play. If I have a bad round or I’m feeling worn out, I’ll take a day or two off to get regenerated.”

This year has left many things uncertain for high school athletes. Before the fall sports season was set to begin in August, many, including Spreitzer, wondered if they would even have one. Luckily, everything worked out for the girls golf team as they got to return to the course in 2020.

“At first during the summer I didn’t think we would have a season,” Spreitzer said. “I was practicing with a mask on just in case that was something I would have to do in season. We started the season with normal protocol like wearing your mask on the bus and in big groups. I think our team did a really good job with it. especially at tournaments like state preview that we played in early August. There were a lot of teams there and it was really crowded, and we set a pretty good example.”

Not only is it important that the team follow protocol at big tournaments, but off the course as well. As school phased back in person, Spreitzer elected to stay home in order to protect her season.

“I did [stay virtual], and I’m still virtual right now but I’m going to go back soon hopefully,” Spreitzer said. “When everyone went back to school, I decided to stay virtual because if I was exposed to [COVID-19], then I had to stay out for two weeks even if I tested negative. I didn’t want that ruining my season and I didn’t want to risk it, so I thought the best option was to go virtual and I didn’t have a problem with it. “

Going back to her freshman season, Spreitzer had the benefit of watching her older teammates in state finals and observing their way of doing things. She values this experience more now that things have come full circle.

“I got to see how the girls played in state and how they dealt with that pressure,” Spreitzer said. “I got to come watch them and warm up with them and everything. Now this year I played in state and I was like ‘wow, this is crazy, I’m actually playing and I’m doing the things that they did.’ It was cool because it was like a memory reflected.”

The third-year varsity athlete stepped into a whole new reality when it was her turn to represent HSE in the state finals tournament.

“it is always nerve-racking getting to state and such a big tournament like that, “Spreitzer said. “There’re college coaches everywhere so it’s not like any other tournament. There’s people everywhere and coaches watching you so there’s a little bit of pressure, but it was fun and such a good experience.”

With state finals experience comes best-in-state exposure as well. College is a driving force for Spreitzer as she works toward earning a roster spot on a future Division I college golf team.

“I want to be a top player in the state, I want to be a top player on our team, I want to get as good as I possibly can, so I don’t have to worry about colleges or anything like that,” Spreitzer said. “I want to go to a good college and that motivates me a lot. That’s my main motivation for getting better.”

Spreitzer’s coaches recognize her drive. Head girls golf coach Steve Guenin points out Spreitzer’s hard working attitude as part of what makes her the athlete she is.

“Marissa is a great example of hard work paying off,” Guenin said. “She dedicates hours each week to becoming an excellent golfer.  She recognizes her strengths and focuses on improving her weaknesses.  Marissa realizes what it takes to compete at a high level and does all the necessary work to make her one of the top players in the state.”

Despite what some may say, Spreitzer insists she has a life outside of playing golf.

“My sister thinks that my only personality trait is golf,” Spreitzer said. “I actually do do other things. I love being around my friends and family. I like to run, actually. During quarantine I ran every single day and even got up to ten miles one day, which is a big accomplishment.”

Where her golfing career takes her has yet to be spoken for, but one thing is for sure: Spreitzer will never settle for anything other than her best…if that’s ever enough for her.

“Its’ mostly just getting better,” Spreitzer said. “I always want to get better. My coaches think I’m a perfectionist… I don’t know maybe I am, but I always want to get better.”