The Atlantic Girls Golf team hired a new coach for the 2025 golf season. The previous head coach Kathy Hobson has retired after 34 years of coaching, and Atlantic’s school board hired Brooke Newel for the position this last February. Newel said, “I have very big shoes to fill from the Hobson’s that retired last year. I am very excited to get to know the girls better and for practice to start on the 17th.”
Newel was a golfer for Atlantics team during the years 2014-2017. She holds multiple Atlantic School records including lowest nine hole score, lowest 18 hole score, and lowest duo score. During Newel’s years in Atlantic, the team won a state title 3 times and was runner up once. She individually placed 16th, 3rd and 2nd– twice– at the state tournament. As for the Hawkeye Ten Conference, Newel was a three time champion.
She later went on to golf at Nebraska and Missouri state. There Newel continued achieving her wide array of awards. She earned three letters, was a three time Academic All American, a part of the team that holds the lowest tournament score in Missouri State history, Missouri Valley Conference team champion, received multiple MVC Golfers of the Week, and the Oral Roberts Invitational individual team champion.
Newel is not only a phenomenal individual golfer but wants to share her talent with her hometown. “I always wanted to be a coach and be able to teach athletes. I find it so rewarding to watch players grow as athletes and people. I was also a part of the Atlantic girls team that won three state championships. So I wanted to be able to come back home to the place I grew up and played,” said Newel.
The search for a new coach started last year after the Hobson’s announced their official retirement following the end of the 2024 season. Newel said, “I had a few people reach out to me about the opportunity to be the new coach. I spoke with Mr. Mitchell about it and things just kind of fell into place.”
Luckily for the girls golf team Newel has big plans for the season. “I want to be a positive role model for the girls and to win conference as a team and go to state,” said Newel. The girls golf team currently has a three year streak of winning the Hawkeye ten conference meet.
Newel’s high expectations don’t come without a plan. She said, “This year we are going to be doing lots of short game and proper golf technique drills. Short game is the most important aspect of golf and strokes can be cut down. Keeping track of stats while they play so we know what each individual player needs to work on. Talking about the importance of mental toughness and to forget about the bad shots and focus on the wins/good things that happen. And most importantly to have fun!””
The girls golf team will start practice on Monday the 17th at the Atlantic Country Club. Anyone is welcome and if interested in joining can contact Coach Newel or a girl on the golf team. Newel said, “Our first meet is April 10th at Nishna so I’m ready to get things rolling.”
