Southington Adds Girls Golf As CIAC-Sanctioned Sport

PHOTOS COURTESY OF BLUE KNIGHTS GOLF INSTAGRAM

For the first time in history, girls golf will be an official CIAC-sanctioned sport at Southington High School come the spring 2026 season. It took a collaborative, community effort to help get the newest Blue Knights team off the ground – an effort that head coach James McAloon knows will change Southington sports forever.

“There’s a desire for more student athletes to be involved in some way, shape or form at Southington High School,” McAloon said. “This is a pretty special moment. Some might think it’s long overdue, but here we are. It speaks to the number of student athletes that want to be part of something. There’s all kinds of programs, clubs and sports they can be a part of, and now we’re offering another opportunity.”

“It’s really incredible to see the support we’ve gotten for this, and the amount of interest from girls going into the spring season,” he continued.

One of the biggest reasons Southington didn’t have an official girls golf team in the past was perceived lack of interest. McAloon, alongside Colleen Murphy and Dave Yanosy, put that assumption to the test. The trio held an interest meeting focused on girls golf and saw 25 girls attend.

To McAloon, that was a sign that girls golf at the high school was an idea worth pursuing.

“It told me there was an untapped potential to have this thing here at Southington High School,” McAloon said. “The girls were more interested than we realized.”

The increase in interest came from a number of factors. Boys golf moved to the fall right before the Covid pandemic, which allowed the girls squad to play in the spring. Furthermore, the pandemic itself opened more people’s eyes to the sport itself.

“Following the pandemic, there was a surge in interest in golf,” McAloon said. “It was one of the activities that people were able to get out of the house and do during that time. Whether adult, teenager, young kids, male, or female, anybody who wanted could get out and play. It was a good activity for people to do with family members and friends.”

So the wheels began turning for the introduction of an official girls golf team. For McAloon, it was about time for the Blue Knights to join the competition.

“Southington is one the biggest schools in the state,” McAloon said. “We should be represented with a girls golf team.”

Lily Coleman Wants To Golf

When Lily Coleman was a sophomore, she attended the boys golf interest meeting. McAloon, who is also head coach of the boys team, faced a problem. Since there was no girls golf team, what was the proper protocol for Coleman?

Speaking with former athletic director Steve Risser, he was informed she would need to try out the same way the boys do. That realization stirred McAloon’s curiosity about introducing a new team.

“That is what brought out my interest in girls golf,” McAloon said. “To see what we could offer at Southington High School, and see what the rest of the conference and state looked like.”

Once he did some digging, the head coach discovered that 17 schools in the Central Connecticut Conference were represented by a girls golf team. That only reinforced his determination to bring the sport to Southington.

McAloon made a promise to Coleman: it would take some time, but he assured her there would be a Lady Knights golf team before she graduated from the high school.

“By the time you’re done here, there will be a girls golf team. That was a promise I made to her that I’m very happy to say I followed through on,” McAloon said. “I thought she deserved that opportunity just like the rest of the girls in high school who might be interested. I’m glad we've gotten to the position we are in today, where she can have that opportunity.”

Coleman embraced the challenge of trying out with the boys. She teed off from the white tees rather than the red, which makes a significant difference in terms of distance. There was one goal in her mind, and that was to play golf.

“It was incredible character and mental toughness there to put herself forward and try out from the white tees,” McAloon said. “She was going up against high level golfers. Lily went out there and gave it her best. She showed up and tried out for the boys team, putting in an incredible effort. It speaks to her ability to overcome fear. It took a lot for her to do that. I was really impressed.”

Now a junior, Coleman will soon get her first official opportunity to tee off for the Lady Knights. She leads a wave of girls eager to prove themselves on the links. 

“Lily is very excited that we’re going to be a legit program representing Southington High School and competing in our own conference,” McAloon said. “She is all-in on golf and I know that she and several other girls are already putting in the offseason work to better themselves and get ready for the spring, which is really cool.” 

Girls Golf Shows Potential With Club Season

During the spring 2025 season, Southington girls golf competed as a club team, setting up matches through the CCC. Although their opponents didn’t get credit towards their state tournament qualification based on the results, McAloon said those teams were more than willing to accept Southington’s challenge. They knew the Lady Knights would be coming to the table sooner rather than later.

“We had to show that interest was sustainable through the season. We ended up with 15 girls making it through the whole process,” McAloon said. “I have 16 guys on the boys roster, so 15 is a strong showing.”

McAloon was joined on the coaching staff by Murphy, a former basketball and field hockey coach, Yanosy, a long-time soccer coach and assistant boys golf coach, and Kathleen Reynolds, current freshman administrator and avid golfer. That group worked to keep the team committed and competitive throughout the season.

As they watched the Lady Knights play, they saw the squad improve. The team was determined to keep growing, dedicating themselves to the sport.

“It was incredible,” McAloon said. “I looked at the girls who were out there on a daily basis and admired how tough they were. The conditions in the spring can be challenging. They showed up every day - fifteen girls, all showing up religiously to try and get better, to learn the game, to grow from the game. It was awesome to see their growth from the beginning to the end of the season.”

With the club season a success, Southington applied to join the CCC and represent the Class LL division in the CIAC. The athletic department supported the team throughout the filing; Risser played a key role in getting the application in.

It didn’t take long for Southington to get approved. McAloon called it a no-brainer from the CIAC’s standpoint. Once the decision was made, the high school officially added another varsity sport to their docket.

In 2026, Southington’s results will all count towards CCC and Class LL State Tournament contention. The club season helped the Lady Knights get their footing. They're now prepared for live competition.

“We laid a lot of the groundwork last year,” McAloon said. “We had to show them everything from golf course etiquette to the rules, as well as certain approaches to chipping and putting, swing mechanics. We put in a lot of that groundwork knowing this was a possibility and that this would pay off for us going into the spring of 2026.”

Boosters Step Up

For a time it was touch-and-go whether Southington would have a club team. Funding for the team failed to make it into last year’s school budget, which meant the Lady Knights needed to raise funds to get the program off the ground. That’s when the community stepped up.

Shane Zajac and Bill Stiendl helped create a booster club for the team, reaching out to local businesses and organizations for support. They created different categories for donations based on golf terms such as 'ace' or 'eagle'.

McAloon provided a list to the Outsider of over 20 local organizations that helped support the effort. Their contributions provided the foundations for Lady Knights Golf. Those entities will be forever associated with the creation of Southington’s girls team.

“If they didn’t come through and provide the funds, I don’t know if we would’ve had a club team, and I’m not sure if we would’ve been able to get this team off the ground,” McAloon said. “The community support has been incredible.”

Zajac had firsthand experience with girls golf when her oldest daughter Brooke had to play on the boys team in high school. Brooke went on to play at the collegiate level at York College. Thanks to the community, all Southington girls will now have the opportunity that Zajac and many others weren’t afforded. 

“It speaks to the type of community that we live in,” McAloon said. “I’m from Southington, born and raised. I’m raising my own family here now. I’m teaching and coaching in Southington. I couldn’t be more proud to be a community member after seeing the show of support from local businesses and organizations, people who were looking for something special like this to happen.”

As for the girls preparing to join Southington’s inaugural golf team, the community’s support won’t soon be forgotten. Everyone had a common goal of building a program from the ground up. Along the way they never faltered, and the Lady Knights were born.

“The girls who are now a part of this golf program are never going to forget that,” McAloon said. “They’re going to know what it was like for a community to step up and help them in something they wanted to do. I’m willing to bet that’s going to stay with them for the rest of their lives. They’ll be willing to do the same thing for the community they’ll be living in then.

“After this experience, I’m more than willing to bet that it will be the town of Southington,” he predicted.

Lady Knights Ready For Competition

When Southington begins their spring season, they will be playing their home matches at Hawk’s Landing. The coaching staff knows of at least 10 returning members, and is currently trying to gauge how many other players may be interested. McAloon has spoken to students at the middle schools about the new program. One way or another, the Lady Knights’ initial roster will be finalized by the end of March.

In the CCC, Southington will have fierce competition from the likes of Berlin, Glastonbury and Simsbury. Other squads may have more experience competing at the high school level, but McAloon isn’t expecting the Lady Knights to back down. He knows the caliber and talent of girls on the roster, and is sure Southington will have their foot on the gas from their very first match.

“We’re going to try and compete for a conference championship,” McAloon said. “Our goal is to go out there and give our best every match. I know there’s some heavy hitters in the CCC. But we had competitive matches with those teams and we look forward to the challenge. Our goal is to go out there, score our best every week, see if we can compete for a conference championship and qualify for the state tournament.”

In the five decades since Southington High School’s building was completed, there has never been a girls golf program. Through their efforts Coleman and many others have ensured that that will change in 2026.

“It is an opportunity that is going to last a lifetime for these girls,” McAloon said. “Creating friendships and bonds through the game of golf. I’m very grateful that we got the support from the school and community to get this done. Girls golf will be here for years to come.”

“I have been a part of a lot of fun, competitive programs and I’ve been a part of a lot of teams that have competed for state championships. Those are things I’m very proud of. But I’m not sure that I’m more proud of any accomplishment than what we just got done with the girls golf team.”