This year, the “staculty” (members of the School’s staff and faculty) and students are engaged in a fierce competition for the coveted Barbara Wagner Cup. On Tuesday, Oct. 15, the staculty won the first-ever staculty versus student golf match at the Wilshire Country Club, defeating the students 23 to 13. The match marked the first of five staculty versus student competitions scheduled for this school year.
The nine hole staculty versus student golf match, which lasted around two-and-a-half hours, was played in groups of four with a pair of students and a pair of staculty members in each group.
Ally Ong ’16 said that she enjoyed playing against Head of Middle School Robert Bryan and mathematics instructor and Dean of the Faculty Sandra O’ Connor. Ong was surprised that Bryan was such a good golfer.
“[Mr. Bryan] made a 30-foot putt, and it was really hard! Now I know he’s a really good golfer,” Ong ‘16 said.
O’ Connor and Bryan, who planned their shots well, disclosed their working strategy against Tiffany Sato ‘16 and Ong.
“Mr. Bryan and I made a really good team because he would be able to get us out there far and onto the green. And then we would be able to have a lag putt, which would get us into the hole. That seemed to work,” O’ Connor said
Before the match, the staculty were terrified that the girls, who had been practicing diligently during the season, would beat them. However, the adults had the advantage of playing longer than the girls. In addition, some of the faculty and staff play together every June at the CIF Southern Section Champions for Character, which gives them experience playing together.
The match was an opportunity for students and teachers to see each other outside the classroom.
“It was terrific! I mean these were some students that I haven’t taught since seventh grade. It was lovely. It was nice to get out and do something different outside of school. I think they enjoyed it, too,” O’Connor said.
Upper School Assistant Laura Morrison said she had a great time this year and definitely wants to play again next year.
“Next year I think [the students] will come back and be really motivated to win, which will be really fun,” Morrison said.
O’ Connor agreed with Morrison and said she looks forward to the upcoming staculty versus student competitions.
“I enjoyed every minute. I will try [to participate in the other staculty games] for sure. I will be out there to cheer everybody on,” O’ Connor said.
The next event was the tennis tournament, which took place on Tuesday, Oct. 29. Later in the year, there will be a basketball game, an ultimate frisbee game and a wiffle ball match.
Last year, the staculty won the Barbara Wagner Cup, clinching 2 out of the 3 competitions.
