When the leaves start to grow back here at KO, and students pile back into their desks after March break, one thing always remains a fact: spring sports are here. From that very first practice in the frigid March winter to the last breezy and relaxing summer day in May, one of the most exciting times on campus is actually happening off campus: the golf team gets on the tee box.
It is always special when a sport gets to go off campus. During the spring season, golfers sometimes travel for over two hours to play the sport they love, sacrificing their time and energy to make both sides of the term “student-athlete” a reality.
That kind of commitment tends to build something deeper than just skill; it builds culture. Long bus rides, early-morning workouts, late nights, and time that could otherwise be used for schoolwork and family commitments are the kinds of things that don’t just test athletes but also bring teams closer together, setting the tone for what they hope to accomplish that season. For the girls’ varsity golf team, that shared experience is exactly what they’ll lean on as they head into the 2026 season.
The girls’ varsity golf team enters its 2026 season with their heads up, looking to build off the strong seasons they put up last year. The team is led by Head Coach Nicole Green, senior Captain Sienna Dubois, and sophomore Captain Noa Taback.
No more than five years ago, you could count on one hand the members of the girls’ varsity golf team. Now, the team features 11 athletes from all forms in the Upper School.
Dubois comes from a long line of golfers, but would never have dipped her toe into the sport herself had it not been an option offered at KO. “My dad and grandpa had always been avid golfers,” Dubois recalled. “They were the ones who encouraged me to give it a try. Their enthusiasm about the sport made it 100 times easier to pick it as a spring sports option.”
Dubois took her first tournament as a freshman and kept at the sport to get to where she is now. Taking immense confidence boosts and skill refinement from both Coach Green and her grandfather, she has become one of the program’s earliest leaders and a key facet of the girls’ varsity golf program. “Even when I’m disappointed in myself, [my Grandpa] always reminds me that, ‘there’s always tomorrow,’” Dubois said. “Whenever I’m home on school breaks, he loves to take me out on the course just to play a round together. From the very beginning, he believed I had a natural feel for the game, and he’s supported me every step of the way. His encouragement and love for the sport have shaped not only my game, but also the way I approach every round.”
Complementing Dubois is fellow captain Taback, who took a different path on her way to the girls’ varsity golf team. “I always played golf before I came to KO, and then when I heard seventh-graders could try out for a varsity team, I said, ‘ Why not?’” Taback recounted. “I didn’t think I was going to make it, but I did. KO bloomed my inspiration for golf and love for the game. Coach Green always helped shape my game and make me step up for the team.”
Since receiving the news that she would be a six-year varsity athlete, Taback has used the opportunities offered at KO to kick off a next level of love for the game of golf.
“My parents and grandparents have always been super supportive of my development as a golfer,” Taback shared. “Because I can’t drive yet, my mom specifically always sits with me on the range when I’m practicing, giving me timely, useful, honest feedback about my swing and performance. If it wasn’t for the family and coaches in my life like my mom and dad, I honestly would have quit the sport a while ago.”
Taback has assumed the captain’s responsibility since her freshman year and has the potential to find herself in the ranks of KO history. Not only will she be a four-time Varsity captain, but she will also have the opportunity to become one of the first seven-year varsity players in KO history. It was checked with Coach Green on this statistic, and even though no games were played for the girls Taback’s Upper Prep year, it counts (shoutout Coach Green!)
The two captains will lead the team to their next match on Saturday, April 18, 2026, at Gillette Ridge Golf Course against Williston Northampton School, looking to increase their record from 2-3 to 3-3.
