Coach Robert Casteen is feeling good about his team in his second season.

Golf is the first sport to start official play during the fall sports season. The King’s Fork High School golf team will be heading into its second season with Casteen, and he has mentioned feeling more comfortable this season.

“Last year you come in, and you don’t know what to expect,” Casteen said. “Having a year under my belt now helps out. I know what to expect and how to get the players prepared for matches and practices. The goal is to help players become the best they can be.”

King’s Fork graduated four seniors last season but still has four returners, with some new faces sprinkled in. Casteen believes the Bulldogs have the potential to do some good things later on in the season.

With the younger players on the team, Casteen hopes to see them progress not only this year but also for years to come. King’s Fork has talked about its team goals, and one of them is to beat the teams that they didn’t last season.

“We have a tough schedule and tough matchups all year,” Casteen said. “We start off with Great Bridge, and hopefully we hang tough with them. Either way, it’s going to make us better in the long run.”

King’s Fork gets an automatic bid to regionals like everyone else, and Casteen is hoping to have more players qualify for the second day. Casteen believes that playing the tough schedule the Bulldogs have will lead to a better opportunity for them to be more prepared come playoff time.

Team chemistry last season was a big thing for the Bulldogs. With the players he has returned, as well as his newcomers, Casteen expects the team chemistry to pick up where it left off.

“They all like being together as a group,” he said. “The players last year have really carried that over into this season. They have taken some of the younger players under their wings and have embraced them as well.”

With the first match being against Great Bridge High School, Casteen expects to see his team compete hard no matter what.

“It’s going to be the first time half our players have competed in a high school golf match,” he said. “So, hopefully, the nerves get out the way, and they get out there and let loose and play. I want them just to keep their composure and hang tight.”