When John Carricato was offered the job of coaching both the boys’ and girls’ golf teams for Cheyenne Mountain, replacing longtime coach Bill Paulson who retired after the 2015 season, he knew he was taking over two premier programs.

The girls’ team began the season as the three-time defending state champs but were without Kylee Sullivan, one of the best high school golfers in the state, after she graduated last year. With three returning starters, Carricato, The Gazette Girls’ Golf Coach of the Year, knew the girls would be good, but he wasn’t sure how good.

After struggling in the first round of the Class 4A state tournament, the Indians rebounded well enough to finish second.

“The first day of state we came in knowing that we were three-time defending state champs and we were going to represent ourselves that way,” Carricato said. “We never talked about outcome but I wanted them to know that I believed in them. I knew that they were going to give me 110 percent because that’s what they did all year, and unfortunately, this happens more in a sport like golf than other sports, they just misfired on the first day. But I also knew coming back the second day that there was no quit in them and they played much better the second day.”

Carricato said he felt it was more important to him to form a good relationship with the team when he took over than worrying about the outcome of the season and if they would win state again. The Indians began preparing for the season in January and that’s when Carricato and the girls were able to form a trustworthy relationship.

“My big thing with them was I wanted them to have a voice and their voice mattered and it counted and I think that really helped that they knew that they could speak freely and talk about things good and bad,” Carricato said.

While the Indians will lose two golfers from this year’s team to graduation, Carricato is excited to see what next year will bring with the returning golfers and some new golfers, too.

“We’re going to be OK next year,” he said. “Are we going to be as strong? Only time will tell on that, but we do have a lot of potential.”