Freshman on the Tee: Fischer’s First Season with O’Dea Golf

“Can I please get Matthew and Chase to the tee,” echoed Coach Doug Porter on the first tee box.

It was Matthew Fischer’s first ever high school match. As the only freshman in the lineup, expectations were high for him.

He walked to the tee with his mind racing. Although the first tee is always familiar, this shot carried more weight. Fischer found himself battling nerves, but once he struck his opening shot and settled into the first hole, he began to relax. The pressure faded, and he went on to play a solid nine holes at West Seattle. 

The transition from middle to high school is already a big step, but adding the responsibility of a varsity sport makes it even tougher. Fischer entered O’Dea highly invested in golf, but also facing the heavy load of freshman year academics and change.

“Trying to stick with them (teammates) and the schoolwork, and getting home late and then like resetting every day.” 

Fortunately, he has had strong voices guiding him. Fischer credited Coach Porter, senior captain John Pokorny, and senior Ben Smoltz for helping him sharpen his game.

“I think when John said I should eliminate the extra strokes…only shooting bogies instead of the doubles and triples, that has really helped me in the long run." 

His growth showed early in the season. After a shaky first match, Fischer bounced back with a 39 (+3) in a big match against Eastside Catholic.

He gave credit to Coach Porter, saying, “The first match I didn’t do too well. The second match, I did great because of my coach.”

Fischer explained how Porter calmed his nerves and helped him settle into his game, leading to one of the top scores for the Irish that match. 

Beyond his scores, Fischer has worked hard on both the physical and mental side of golf.

“Just playing every day and I think just the mental side has gotten a lot better since I’ve started playing on this team.”

For competitive golf a strong mental game can make all the difference.  

Looking ahead, Fischer hopes to grow not only as a player, but also as a leader.

“I’d love to step into any leadership role I can to help the team. We’ve got a strong underclass, and I think we can build off this year and make it something great,” he said.

The team currently has five underclassmen, featuring the only other freshman, Gunnar Christianson. 

As the season passes its halfway point, Fischer and the Irish are preparing for key matches against Bishop Blanchet, Seattle Prep, and Lakeside.

With his early composure, steady improvement, and determination to lead, Fischer is proving that his early start is the beginning of what could be an impressive performance from such a young athlete.