St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Overland Park has won more than 100 state championships in its history. But there had to be a first. The Aquinas girls golf team claimed a championship in 1992 and has continued to set the pace at the school.

   When Aquinas opened in 1988, 15 years of Title IX compliance had fostered robust competition in girls sports across Kansas. Girls golf, however, was one sport that was taking a little while to get going statewide. The Saints joined the field and quickly became competitive. After a few years to develop, the program started grabbing up state championships.

   Since 1992, Aquinas has claimed 13 state titles, three second-place finishes and eight third-place finishes. Eight times, an Aquinas player has taken home the gold medal. In the last 29 years, 24 have medaled at state.

   For nearly a quarter of a century, coach Ryan Best has guided the dynasty. But he inherited a program that in very short order had already become a powerhouse. There were several coaches who helped it reach that point. In fact, in a six-year span, Aquinas took three state championships with three different head coaches prior to Best taking over.

   "I don't claim to have built anything," Best said. "There was obviously a successful program already established when I got here.

   "The girls in the program that I took over had already won a state championship, and they wanted to do it again. Confidence breeds confidence. When you've done something before, it almost becomes an expectation. My job was to try to build upon that success, with some of my own experience to bring in."

   The program really hit its stride in 2007 when it ran off a string of six straight titles.

   Perhaps it's no coincidence that the girls golf team was the one to claim the 100th championship in Aquinas' history, in 2017.

   "We started looking at the history of the school and realized that the 100th was coming up," Best recalled. "The school kind of made it a big deal. My team knew that, and they really wanted to be the ones to get it. They were really driven by that, particularly my seniors. Winning the 100th made us spend some time looking back at the history, and that really brought to light the success of the girls golf program."

   The best golfer in the history of the Saints program, Gianna Misenhelter, ran off a string of three championships from 2007 to 2009. She remains the only Aquinas golfer to win multiple individual titles. She went on to play at Kansas State University and competed professionally. She said she's proud to look back on her role in the Aquinas program, and what the experience did for her.

   "It's been so special to be part of that legacy," Misenhelter said. "Coach Best was able to create a great environment in which we all cheered each other on, we learned from each other, we drove each other, we wanted the best for each other. He was able to foster that for us."

   Misenhelter and Best agreed that participation in golf, perhaps more than other sports, is very beneficial to high school girls.

   "Every sport has those life lessons in them. But I think the psychology of the game really mirrors life in so many ways," Best said. "Golf teaches things like honesty, having character, hard work and dealing with frustration.

   "It's kind of weird, because golf is an individual sport at its essence, but there is such a social aspect to the sport. I love that golf can teach them some social skills and life lessons, particularly dealing with friendships."

 

  "Golf gives you a lot of opportunity to talk between holes or while you're waiting on the green or whatever, to make really deep, lasting friendships," Misenhelter added. "You can really create some bonds that will last. I'm still friends with all the girls who were on the Aquinas team with me."

   Best said that the most successful golfers are those who appear calm and able to stick to a plan despite pressure and frustration. Coping skills learned through golf can be life-changing, he said.
   "There's the issues of nervousness and anxiety. That's a hot topic out there right now – stress and anxiety and depression," Best said. "Golf teaches how to deal with situations that are not fun or easy. And you can have relationships in your sport that help you with your nerves and with your performance."

   Golf gave Misenhelter (now Augustine) a lot, and she's trying to pass those benefits on. She is a teaching pro in Kansas City, working primarily with children.

   "Golf is a hard sport. It takes a tremendous amount of perseverance and hard work," Misenhelter said. "It really translates so well to being a business owner. I know what hard work is from golf. There are a lot of times in golf where you get frustrated or maybe feel like giving up, but the competitive spirit makes you keep going.

   "Golf takes a lot of hard work. But you can do anything you want to, and there are people out there who want to help you do it."