The Girl’s League was first started in 1999 – Longwood did not field a team as of yet.

A First: Tee Time for the Girls: [SUFFOLK Edition]

Joe Krupinski. STAFF WRITER. Newsday, Combined editions; Long Island, N.Y. [Long Island, N.Y]. 02 Apr 1999

“It’s about time,” said Tony Gamboli, who left the Sayville boys golf team this spring to coach the girls, who will have their own league

for the first time.

Five schools – Sayville, Smithtown, Half Hollow Hills, Bay Shore and East Islip – are the pioneers forming Suffolk’s first girls league. Ward Melville, Port Jefferson and Northport may add programs in the future, according to Smithtown coach Tom Kane, Suffolk’s boys golf coordinator, who next year will devote more time to help the girls’ sport grow in Suffolk. The girls’ championship will be held May 20 at Sunken Meadow.

“We’ve taken the lead,” Gamboli said. “It was a cultural lag not to have separate golf for girls, because it’s such a lifetime sport. The interest is there. After this season, other schools will join the bandwagon.”

Initially, only six girls came out for golf at Sayville. But Gamboli was able to recruit 15 after one day and 34 by the end of the week. The Golden Flashes are led by Allison Ring and Kate Larado. Half Hollow Hills coach Ronnie Rubin recruited 25 girls. Bay Shore, coached by Ben Mahler, has 13 girls, led by Sarah Easley, Regina Mehler, Katie Draycott and Allison Serigino. Smithtown has 12 girls, led by Kim Ruocco and Andrea Cody. East Islip, coached by Rich Wit, has 10 girls, led by Melissa Lamm. April 2