Sunday Sit-down with Mizzou women’s golf coach Caroline Westrup Gaeta
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
ABC 17 Sports Director Nathalie Jones caught up with Mizzou women's golf coach Caroline Westrup Gaeta in this week's edition of Sunday Sit-Down to talk about her team's historic 12th-place finish at the NCAA Championships.
You can watch ABC 17 Sports Director Nathalie Jones' full chat with Coach Westrup Gaeta on ABC 17 SportsZone at 10:30 on KMIZ.
You can also find a full transcript of the interview below.
NATHALIE JONES: Welcome back everyone. It is Sunday Sit-down time. We are here with the leader of Mizzou Golf, Caroline, thanks for joining us. Has it been kind of a whirlwind of the last few weeks for you? My gosh.
CAROLINE WESTRUP GAETA: Yeah, no, thanks for having me. It's definitely been a whirlwind, you know, first regionals, going out to California, coming back for just three to four days and then going out there again. But, you know, that's something that we kind of made fun of, you know, that we got a region that maybe we didn't think we were gonna get. But, we got some California weather and prep on the grass, since it's a little different, and then, you know, that was a sign that we were gonna make it all the way to nationals.
NATHALIE: Yeah, I mean to compete amongst the nation's best and just make it to the best stage in program history that this program has ever seen...What did it mean to you guys - to your golfers and to you - this season to make it there?
CAROLINE: Yeah I mean it, it's been one of those like we didn't put that on our vision board this year, but I knew it as a coach and that was something that I've just kept on telling the girls that we are as good as any team in the country. We showed that at SEC's and just kept saying that to them that they, you know, keep believing in tha, and just being their biggest cheerleader and being as positive as possible. Just telling them that we can do whatever you guys want to do and go as far as we want.
NATHALIE: Yeah, take us through, I mean just the past few years to, to get to this point and kinda have that turnaround that you wanted to see in this program and you know, reach heights the programs never reached. What was that process like for you and kind of getting this program to where it's at right now?
CAROLINE: Yeah, I mean my my background, I've played college golf and then professional golf. I'm a huge competitor. So, obviously I love to win, but my thing is that I really focused on the culture. Something that I have been part of with experience and also see all the time. Like, the Ryder Cup is a great example, where you know you might have one team that looks best on paper, but they might not always win. It's because of the culture and the support that, you know, the players give each other, so that's something that I have been really big on is forming that culture where the players trust themselves and trust each other and trust us coaches. So, I think that's been a key to the success for this year and, you know, you just keep on building that and bringing in the recruits that want to be part of that.
NATHALIE: For the senior class that's, obviously, been through the building process, how special was it to get to, to see them out in Carlsbad, California and get that recognition that they deserved?
CAROLINE: Yeah, I mean my three seniors, you know, they weren't recruited by me, so I know it's not always been easy for them to kinda see my vision and kinda turn around the program. But, I praised them so many times this year, where you know you guys have been coachable and you've listened and you really you know believed in us and believed in me and you've seen this the vision that we had for the program and just stuck with me and stuck with it and we can just see how how far they have all come since their freshman year.
NATHALIE: Tell me about, you know, the environment in Carlsbad. What was it like kind of being out there? I mean, it's a big stage. You guys were on the Golf Channel. I mean what was that like to just be in that environment for you as a head coach?
CAROLINE: Yeah, I mean awesome. Like I kinda compared it to like an LPJ event. I say regionals was kinda like the Epson tour, which is like the under tour for LPJ, trying to just to qualify for the L-P-J and then, you know, there was, like you said, Golf Channel was there and just how the course was set up with TV towers everywhere behind every green. Just the quality of the course as well and then just so many resources around. Titlest being there on the driving range with their truck and yeah, just amazing. Everything was amazing.
NATHALIE: What made you so proud about this team when you look at regionals just a gritty performance and you look when they get to the finals to keep advancing in the last round of stroke play, right? What was impressed you the most about just how gritty this team was to find a way to advance each time?
CAROLINE: Yeah, I mean that's something also that I've said to them all year and something that I'm so proud of them for is that we're a team that never gives up and that's something. We talk about all the time, like 18 holes is usually five hours and you know you have your first hole and you might not have a good start, but it's how you recover from that. Keep believing that you can turn it around. We have seen that multiple times this year, like at SEC's our first round was our worst round and then we just kept fighting and that put us in a good chance to make to match play. The same thing for regionals being that sixth team the whole week knowing that it's five teams that make it and going out that final day and Fleur starts with chipping in on the first hole there and I was like this is it. So, that's something else that other coaches have come up to me and praised us about, too, that we are a gritty team.
NATHALIE: Well, yeah, I mean I wanna talk about Fleur a little bit obviously had that standout group of seniors, but Fleur is someone that really impressed at the national stage, not surprising to you at all I’m sure it would. just tell me a little bit about Fleur and what you saw in this postseason.
CAROLINE: Yeah, I mean Fleur is someone that's always gonna have a very special place in my heart. She was my first recruit that committed here, so you know she's believed in the vision and the program as well. She's struggled a little bit this whole spring semester, but I have known like it's been so close and that's what golf is about like you can have one bad hole that kind of ruins your round and that's kind of been her but it's also been a lot of good. You know, she didn't have the best round that second day, but I said to her like I know it's there, like you're gonna go out and play really good today like I felt it. Then, she went and shot two under, which was awesome.
NATHALIE: So yeah, when you look at the experience she got to have this season and the experience of the girls on your team. I mean, what does that do for the future and building for this program that they've seen what this looks like now?
CAROLINE: Yeah, I mean both her, you know, and a couple other other players on the team got to see and experience nationals. So, like them just being there, you never know what you're missing out on when you haven't been there. So, I really hope that that's something that they wanna strive for every year.
NATHALIE: Yeah, I mean now it kind of turns to to recruiting season, right? Things never stop in college athletics nowadays. Does this kind of give you something, Something fun to talk about when you hit on the recruiting trail like, look, this is Mizzou can lead to this to kind of success?
CAROLINE: Absolutely. I mean, this year it was huge for our program and, you know, June 15th is coming up when we get to talk to the 2028 class. So, them seeing what what we have done with the program for the last four years, you know, I say it all the time like I'm a coach that wants to prepare you for the next step in your career. A player-coach relationship is very important to me and I want make sure you have a great experience. So, I hope the recruiting season will be good for us.
NATHALIE: Yeah, I mean over your years what have you learned maybe about the kind of golfer, the kind of player that fits well into what you've built culture-wise at Mizzou?
CAROLINE: Yeah, I mean a team player, for sure. Someone that loves golf is important, that has that inner fire within themselves. You know, the self-motivation is important and, obviously, something that we can teach as well. But, someone that never gives up is very important, that has that grit and just like, you know, a good leader, as well, is important.
NATHALIE: Now that you've made it to this stage and you've had this best finish in program history, you've gotten this kind of national spotlight, is that kind of a standard you want to make for this program, year-In, year-out? Is that kind of a level that you're like, hey, we wanna make it to this level year-in, year-out?
CAROLINE: Absolutely. That's something that I have said since I took this job. I want to make sure that we are competitive in the SEC every year and nationally. Next year, it will be very different with losing three seniors that have been tremendous leaders. So, we'll be a little bit younger, but I think like just the inspiration that the two freshmen that are coming in have seen from us this year. I think they're ready to go to work and continue the legacy that the seniors have built.
NATHALIE: Well, Caroline, it's been so much fun, a blast to watch this team. Thanks for coming to hang out with us.
CAROLINE: Thank you so much.
Nathalie: Yeah, for the rest of you guys, we'll be right back after the break.
