Kiel High School has had many student-athletes excel at their sport(s) of choice, but none have represented the Raiders golf program boys or girls at state, until now.
That honor belongs to junior Callaway Goodman, as she’ll represent KHS at the WIAA State Girls Golf Championships tomorrow (Monday) and Tuesday at University Ridge in Verona, Wisconsin.
Callaway qualified for state by finishing fourth at a WIAA Division Two Sectional Meet held at Hilly Haven Golf Course in De Pere on Monday (October 5th).
She admits to being a bit nervous, adding that her teammates have played a huge role in getting her to the “big dance”.
“My team has helped me a lot, and I’m so thankful that they get to come along with me to represent Kiel High School. They’ve helped me a lot with my confidence and have been instrumental in getting a girls’ golf program started at KHS. Without their help, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to play the game I love and represent our community at state,” she said.
Kiel began offering a girls’ golf program in August of 2024, and Head Coach Kelly Godlewski tells seehafernews.com that Callaway has earned this trip to state with good old-fashioned hard work.
“I don’t know of any other golfer that goes out at 5 a.m. each day during the offseason to work on her craft,” Coach Godlewski stated. “Her work ethic and drive should be acknowledged as an example of what it takes to be the very best at what you do. You just can’t sit on the sidelines and expect to achieve great things.”
Keegan Schrems is the first year-Athletic Director at Kiel High School.
He says the community has thrown their full support behind her.
“Local vendors and businesses are rallying around this, writing good luck messages and so much more. This is all new to me, which I’m fully embracing, and I’m blessed to be a part of,” he explained.
Callaway has been serenaded by the students at the high school, junior high, and Zielanis Elementary with high fives and handmade signs and banners of love and support.
Coach Godlewski has been involved with the sport of golf for nearly all her life and doesn’t throw words of praise around lightly.
She says that Callaway’s game is as good as she’s seen on the high school level and with her determination and drive the “sky is the limit” on what she can accomplish at state and beyond.
Noting, “I’m your motivator, and I’ll be there to help keep your head up and mentally strong. Golf is the most mentally challenging sport there is. That makes golf, in my opinion, the most challenging sport to play.”
Getting to state is quite an accomplishment, but it is another thing to realize, especially at such a young age, that you don’t get this far without a lot of help along the way.
“Personally, I want to make my parents proud,” Callaway told us. “My dad was the one who got me into the sport, and my two l golf coaches, Todd, and Rachel (from Quit Qui Oc golf course in Elkhart Lake), helped me tremendously when I was younger and pushed me to excel to play my very best. I just want to make all those people proud.”
The state tournament is 36 holes (18 each day) with an eighteen-hole practice round today (Sunday).
Callaway will tee off for her first round in Division Two at 9:50 a.m. tomorrow (Monday).
