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Rae ready to tackle state in different role

After two years competing in the girls Class AA state golf tournament with St. Charles East as a team that finished fifth in 2008 and eighth in 2009, Nicole Rae faces new challenges this weekend. Qualifying at the Nazareth Academy sectional at Willow Crest in Oak Brook, the senior will be competing as an individual on a new state course, Hickory Point in Forsyth, near Decatur. Her father, Ron, introduced his younger daughter (there's also sister Jen, St. Charles East Class of '04) to the sport as a 4-year-old. With Nicole practically a straight-A student (4.9 grade-point average) who is considering attending the University of Kansas to study marketing, this may be her last interscholastic match. If she is to go out, she's going out with her best stuff; a 240-yard drive, a corrected slice, and her two lowest scores of her career this season, a 76 at Bonnie Dundee in Carpentersville and a 34 over 9 holes at Naperbrook in Plainfield.

Q: What's your favorite phrase on the golf course?

A: Probably “Sit down.

Q: Good one. Mine's “Skulled it again. Do you have any superstitions on the course?

A: I don't like to eat or drink anything while I play. It sounds bad but, I don't know, I just feel like if I do it messes me up. If I'm really thirsty I'll take like a sip or two, but...

Q: What's your frame of mind competing as an individual rather than with a team?

A: It's exciting especially since it's my senior year. I wanted to get down to state no matter what whether as a team or an individual, so it's a big deal to me. It's going to be definitely a different atmosphere being an individual rather than being in the team, I think, because there's not going to be any real pressure of having to put up a good score. So I can kind of go down and play my own game, and whatever happens.

Q: Do you have any collections?

A: Not really. I guess the only collection I have is my golf memorabilia, the trophies and medals I've gotten over the years, things like that.

Q: What's the best movie you've seen lately?

A: Probably “The Social Network, about Facebook. It was really interesting. I didn't know that there was so much more behind the story of how Facebook got started. It was kind of an eye-opener.

Q: What's the most pressing problem you see in our society?

A: I'm going to say probably our economy. It's been pretty bad for, like, the lower class, but everyone's taken a hit during the recession. I think we just got out of a recession, so hopefully it'll start to get better.

Q: Have you ever thrown a golf club?

A: No, I have not.

Q: Have you ever wanted to?

A: Absolutely.

Q: What's held you back?

A: I try not to show my emotions so much on the golf course. Plus, I don't want to get disqualified or anything like that.

Q: What's your favorite day of the week?

A: Friday, because it's the start of the weekend and I know I get to sleep in the next morning.

Q: Saints girls golf coach Rod Osborne said you've worked on your mental approach to golf. Can you explain what he meant?

A: I tend to put a lot of pressure on myself, so if I don't do well I'm pretty hard on myself, and if I hit a bad shot I think about it the next couple of holes. So I've really been trying to work on letting it go, staying in the present and thinking about what my next shot will be. That's helped a lot during my round, to stay focused and worry about the next shot.

Q: What has golf taught you about yourself?

A: Showing I'm a really determined person. I'm pretty driven. If there's something I do wrong on the golf course I want to work at it and fix it and correct it for the next time. And that's how I am with everything in life.

Q: What's your goal this weekend?

A: I just want to have fun. I want to play the best I can but overall I just want to end my senior year with a good trip downstate.

For those about to spike we salute you

Wouldn't everyone like to hear their favorite song when the public address announcer said their name?

We sent Batavia girls volleyball coach Lori Trippipayne on a recon mission to ask her seniors what songs they'd like playing when their name was called. The Bulldogs are 25-3 after beating Elgin on Tuesday.

Blaire Theuerkauf, outside/right-side hitter: Paramore, “Fences.

Ellen Jaudon, outside hitter/defensive specialist: Passion Pit, “Sleepyhead.

Caitlin Piechota, outside hitter: R Kelly, “The World's Greatest.

Certainly, no Viking rock.

Knights of those shiny, really long, composite-wood, picnic-style lunchroom tables

Kaneland boys basketball coach Brian Johnson wants to get the word out now about the program's second annual spaghetti dinner on Nov. 18. It'll take place from 6-8 p.m. in the Kaneland High School cafeteria, and the cost is $5 per person.

Johnson notes the food will be served by boys in the basketball program. It'll give folks a chance to meet the players and the coaching staff. Though the ones who also play football may be tied up through Thanksgiving.

For Johnson to get a decent head count, reserve your slot at the spaghetti dinner by calling him at (630) 365-5100, ext. 347; or through e-mail at brian.johnson@kaneland.org.

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