Indiana University Athletics
Clint Wallman Q&A
12/15/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
Dec. 15, 2005
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Recently, Indiana women's golf head coach Clint Wallman took time to sit and chat with iuhoosiers.com about many topics such as the fall season, preparing for the spring season and the 2006 early signees. Below is a complete transcript of the Q&A session.
What are your thoughts on the fall season?
CW: "I am extremely pleased with how our team performed. We had some high points and we got better throughout the season. From our first tournament to the last fall tournament, we dropped our per-round average by 15 shots, so I think as a team that is a great accomplishment. We had Shannon (Johnson) winning her first collegiate golf tournament, which is a great plus. We had Elaine (Harris) with her first top-10 finish ever. Elaine averaged a 75 per round in her last three events, which is great. With our finish at the Lady Northern, we showed we can play with anyone in the country. We beat solid teams and that was really neat to see. So there are a lot of positives we can take from the fall."
What has the team been working on during the offseason?
CW: "We evaluated our fall season, and we played well. One of the things I believe is that the game of golf is not necessarily won as much as it is lost. What I mean by that is if we eliminate some of our mistakes, that will instantly change how we finish in a tournament. Our focus is to address those areas that lead to bigger errors. We are really focusing on making smart plays, working on our mental game and working on choosing the right club. A lot of work is being done mentally and applying yourself on the golf course."
With all the great moments during the fall season, was there one specific moment that stood out more than the rest?
CW: "The highlight of the fall season for me is going to be seeing the team progress and make that turn around the corner where it believes that it can compete with upper level teams in the conference and nationally. It was wonderful to see the team post three solid rounds in very difficult conditions. The 305 we shot in the last round was probably better than the (season low) 297 we shot in the second round just because the weather was much more severe during the final round. Each player had highlights this season. Between a hole-in-one, great stretches, some players breaking through, it was just great to witness those. My hope is they will take the confidence of knowing they can do it, put it into practice and then apply it during tournaments."
Talk about the spring season.
CW: "Our spring schedule is significantly more difficult. We are in with a lot of high profile teams. However, this presents a great opportunity and that is how I look at it. We have an opportunity to display that we can play with some of the better teams in the nation. We start in Puerto Rico with a very stacked field and that trend continues throughout the spring. It is an opportunity for us to move up the ladder a little bit and put us in a great position to earn a bid to the NCAA Regionals."
Do you think the tough schedule will help when Indiana hosts the Big Ten Championships?
CW: "Definitely. In order to play your best you have to compete with the best. For our team, we have to have the head-to-head competition. It is a tremendous bonus for us to host Big Tens. We know everything about this golf course and it gives us a little bit of a leg up. To know that when we finish our schedule, which will pit us against some of the best teams in the country, we are going to come home and play on our turf for the Big Ten Conference Championship. It definitely presents a great opportunity for us to finish the year on a high note."
If you could sum the fall season up in one word, what would that be?
CW: "I would sum our season in a couple of words. One word would be improvement and one word would be experience. The improvement is obvious. We have gotten so much better, not only our stroke average, but our finishing also. We were right towards the top during the final round. That leads us to experience. Having played and got ourselves in position, we need the experience to close the deal. We have talent, which is another good word for this team. They are skilled and can compete, but they are learning how to compete. Another word is desire. Our team plays well and wants to finish well. They want to compete for tournaments and I think that is a neat quality of this team. They want to be better and they want to better right now."
 Senior Shannon Johnson had a great fall season, but Wallman thinks the best is yet to come.  |
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CW: "Shannon has had a fantastic career. It is a privilege for me to have her finish her career at Indiana. With that being said, I definitely think she is one of the premier golfers in the nation. She did not play up to her standards during the fall. She had a great fall by most standards, but she did not play as well as she wanted to. I think her lowest finish was 25th and she had a couple of top-10 and a win. I think she is ready to have an outstanding final semester. She knows this is her final semester, her last shot. She is going to put every ounce of effort that she has to prepare herself for this spring.Secondly, she sat down and analyzed her fall and she has made a dedicated effort to improve her wedges and scoring irons, which were things she didn't execute as well as she could have. I think she is set to have a great spring because she is addressing those areas. But she also has a great mental attitude and that is the thing that can carry her on to greatness."
How do you feel about the younger players and the way they competed last fall?
 Sophomore Elaine Harris played the best golf of her young career during the fall campaign. |
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Can this team make the NCAA Regionals?
CW: "I have a tremendous amount of confidence that we can reach the Regionals. We have our work cut out for us because our ranking is not where it needs to be. However, we have the talent to do it. We also have the schedule set up nicely, so if we have some good tournaments, we will be right back in the mix. Then it is just up to execution. That's what we are, as a staff, is preparing the girls to execute and do the best they can in the spring season. If we have a great spring season, we will be right there. I told our team we have the opportunity to get ourselves in the picture."
