While Aberdeen Central will return four of its top six golfers this fall, there will also be some interesting competition for the remaining spots for the first time in recent years.

“There will be some competition for travel spots. It’s something we haven’t had,” said Central coach Matt Brust. “Since the three years I’ve been here, we’ve kind of had the six people to go. Now I have more than that. Competition should bring out the best of you.”

The Golden Eagles will be lead by four experienced golfers in Carter Blanchard, Kyler Senger, Cole Brust and Jackson Ravelette.

The newcomers competing for varsity sports will include a student who moved in from Arkansas and a member who came over from the football team.

Cole Brust suffered a broken arm playing baseball and will miss the first few weeks of competition.

“I think he’s going to miss three meets,” Coach Brust said, “but it gives the opportunity for some of these other kids to show up and see what they can do.”

Brust noted that many of his players competed in events during the summer. He said boys have an advantage in that they can play into their season while the girls, who play in the spring, are starting from scratch.

“It’s always great to be playing before you hit your season. It’s always tough on the girls to have come out cold or come out of the simulators and kind of see what your ball’s actually doing,” Brust said. “You should be at your best right now, because you’ve been playing all summer, but everybody else is, too.”

Brust said that each position on a team is important, because you never know which of the scores will end up being used for the team total.

“We talk about playing your best and trying your best even when things aren’t going as well as you think they can be,” Brust said, “because you never know which one of your teammates is going to falter and your score is going to end up counting.”

Of course, a big component of golf is the mental aspect. Brust said he tries to keep his players looking forward instead of glancing back at what just transpired.

“You can always try to keep them focused on what’s coming up and not what has been. Looking back and being frustrated and angry about what happened or what you did is a certainty to future (failure),” Brust said. “When you start dwelling on what you did and you’re not happy with it, it’s a hit it and forget it. You have to move on.”

The Golden Eagles will have two home meets this year. In addition to the Hub City Invitational on Sept. 3, Central will be hosting the Eastern South Dakota Conference meet on Sept. 30.

“It’s very cool,” Brust said of hosting ESD. “It’s not one of those things that everybody gets the opportunity to do. I’m super excited.”

The event will take place at Moccasin Creek Country Club, technically Central’s home course.

“Moccasin Creek was nice enough to say yes to hosting it,” Brust said, “so we get to have it out here, where a lot of these kids play anyway.”

Brust said the season will be a work in progress and that the Golden Eagles will work to improve throughout the fall with the goal of playing their best golf in the biggest meets.

“You’re trying to make improvements from tournament to tournament and eliminate those mistakes that make an 88 a 91,” Brust said. “You cut out some of that small stuff and by the end of the season it makes a difference.”