Demon girls are one big family

Any meet the Washington girls? golf team competes in, they typically draw a crowd.

Family members of all six varsity athletes are routinely supporting the team, following them throughout the course and cheering them on.

However, the biggest fans of the team might be themselves.

?It?s like having your family there,? Washington sophomore Sarah Nacos said. ?You have very few teams that blend well so quickly, and we just did. After our first meet last year, we saw that we could do some big things, and that brought us together, and we wanted to get better.?

That family aspect, and internal support system, has allowed the Demons to turn golfing into a team sport.

?They seem to get along real well with one another,? Washington girls? golf coach Leonard Kull said. ?There?s a lot of camaraderie and a lot of internal competition, but when it comes down to it, they?ve bought into the concept that it?s a team situation. When individual things come in this sport, it?s a plus, but emphasizing the progress of the team is something they?ve bought in to.?

However, for many of the Demons, the word ?family? takes on an even more concrete meaning.

Allison Vogel, Sarah Nacos and Megan Strabala are all cousins, which helped Vogel  ease into her first year of golfing.

?It?s comfortable, and we all help each other out as much as we can,? Vogel said. ?When we practice together we always try to help each other, and everyone else has helped me a lot. It?s been very good knowing everyone. It?s comfortable. It didn?t take as long as I expected it would. It started to feel pretty normal after the first week.?

For senior Brenna Burlingame, her freshman sister, Carly Burlingame, joined the squad this year, bringing them closer together.

?We?ve gotten a lot closer with golf season,? Brenna said. ?We are able to enjoy this together, so that?s brought us closer as sisters.?

For Carly, she said it took some convincing to join the golf team in her freshman season, but now that the season has come to a close, she?s happy she joined.

?At home, I see her a lot, so coming out to golf, I know she?s going to be there,? Carly said. ?She really helps me a lot, and will golf with me. I didn?t think it would be that fun, but it?s made me a lot better.?

For senior Deanna Peiffer, she may not have the blood ties to some of the others, but knows that she is just as much a part of the family.

?It?s awesome,? Peiffer said. ?It?s like a family away from family. We talk about everything with each other, no matter how ridiculous it is. They are there for you when you have a good round or a bad round, and they always support you.?

Although they are separated during their meets, nearly every one of them noted that the trips to and from their tournaments are where they can bond as a group.

?I love our car rides, and we talk about the most random things,? Strabala said. ?After regionals, we cranked the music up all the way home and we were jamming out in the van.?

What exactly happens in those van rides? Virtually anything is possible.

?Sarah normally has a long story to tell us, and we have a lot of jokes,? Carly said. ?We have random conversations about stupid stuff, and it?s so fun.?

?We just have things that pop up,? Nacos said. ?We?ll see things on the side of the road and that?ll spark a story, or we?ll have jokes that we make that just stick. The van rides are something that you?ll remember for your whole life.?

Another moment that stood out to a number of them was spending time creating their signs that reside on the main drag through town.

?(On Tuesday) when we decorated signs, that was pretty fun,? Brenna said. ?Most of the memories we make are in the van on the way up to golf meets. We are so close. We were really, really close last year, and this year, the age range is a lot closer, and that makes it fun.?

That closeness will be on full display on Tuesday and Wednesday when the Demons will take the course in Ames, looking for their second straight state championship.