O-R Athlete of the Week: JoJo Jaskulski, Chartiers-Houston
Name: JoJo Jaskulski
Grade: Junior
School: Chartiers-Houston
Sport: Golf
Jaskulski’s week: At the start of last week Jaskulski was feeling a bit under the weather.
It turned out the best medicine for her was two good rounds of golf.
First, she shot 70 to share medalist honors with two-time defending WPIAL champion Alyssa Zhang of Shady Side Academy last Tuesday at the Class 2A Section 2 qualifier at Pheasant Ridge Golf Course.
That gave her a boost of confidence going into the first round of WPIALs on Monday when she shot 76 and has a two-shot lead over Zhang heading into Monday’s final round at Valley Brook Country Club in McMurray.
Jaskulski said she felt sick prior to last Tuesday’s qualifier
“I honestly wasn’t expecting to do that well, because I woke up and I had a lot of sinus issues,” Jaskulski said. “I kept on sneezing. It was a mess.”
She shook off the sickness and played well at Pheasant Ridge by hitting a lot of fairways.
“I was kind of nervous playing there because the course is very tight,” Jaskulski said. “I didn’t want to hit any shots astray.”
On Monday Jaskulski was consistent. She went out with a three-over-par 39 and shot even par on the back nine with two birdies, a double bogey and six pars.
A practice round at Hill Crest Country Club, the site of the WPIAL first round, helped her form a game plan to be successful.
“I just tried to stay as much in the fairway as I could and be short of the hole, because of the pin placements, if you went past them it was bad. A lot of downhill putts and that was the worst-case scenario.”
The final round: Jaskulski emerged on to the WPIAL girls golf scene as a freshman by breaking the nine-hole course record at Washington Country Club when she shot a 29.
Now she is hopeful to add becoming a WPIAL champion to her list of accomplishments.
Jaskulski finished third as a freshman and second to Zhang last year as a sophomore. She is also a two-time state medalist.
If she wins the WPIAL title, then she’ll be the first golfer, boy or girl, from Chartiers-Houston to do so.
“It’s always been a dream of mine to win WPIALs, so if I win I don’t even know what I’d do or say,” Jaskulski said. “I’m just going to try and do the best that I can, hit all the greens, make as many putts as possible and hit as many fairways as I can too.”
Jaskulski hasn’t played Valley Brook in several years, but was hopeful to get in a practice round prior to Monday.
“It’s been a little while since I’ve played there, but I try to get there once or twice a year,” Jaskulski said. “I have a practice round scheduled, so we’ll see how that goes.”
Quick learner: It’s hard to believe given her success, but Jaskulski has only been golfing for about four years. Her dad was a golfer and helped her get started in the sport.
“My dad was getting a fitting for his driver, and I went with him, and he got me a bucket of balls to try and hit,” Jaskulski said. “I fell in love with (golf) after that.”
Shortly after Jaskulski started taking lessons and they paid off.
“I’d practice every day,” Jaskulski said. “Eventually, I started playing as much as I could.”
Math and baking: In her spare time, Jaskulski said she enjoys baking and said her specialty is macarons. Her favorite subject in school is math.
“I always liked numbers,” Jaskulski said. “Algebra is my favorite. I enjoy solving for X.”
Compiled by Jerin Steele