Cascade senior helps girls golf program through her leadership
By Mike Beas
More often than not, Hannah Needham was penciled in as the third, fourth or fifth player for Cascade this past girls golf season.
In terms of her ability to lead, the senior went straight to the top of the Cadets’ lineup.
“Hannah is very outstanding when it comes to completing a task,” said sixth-year Cascade girls golf coach Walter Marshall. “She was my team captain and would help me do a lot of things like call for tee times and gathering the girls to see if they wanted to practice.
“She played just two years for us. Hannah wanted to try another sport and really improved. She is so athletic, and a lot of girls who play softball come in with a softball swing. I had to work with her a little bit, and she picked it up so quickly and started to hit the ball so much better.”
The Cadets wrapped up their season late last month, placing seventh at the 10-team Brownsburg Sectional at West Chase Golf Club. Needham, an excellent student (3.9 grade-point average), plans to take part in basketball this winter for the Cadets before turning her attention to playing catcher or in the outfield for the softball program.
All the while, Needham remains very active in 4-H, an experience she hopes propels her toward a career as a veterinarian.
Needham is also a triplet, the middle daughter in a family of Joe and Kris Needham’s four children. Older brother, Caleb, 20, is a student at Indiana State University; Hannah along with older sister, Danielle, and younger sis, Faith, are separated by mere moments and little else.
“The best part of being a triplet is having two built-in best friends,” said Needham. “We have some arguments, but we’re family, so we stay together.”
Needham did a Q&A with ICON:
Q: Define the role you take the most pride in these last two seasons of Cascade golf:
A: I take pride in helping others succeed. My parents have always wanted to see me succeed. I do basketball, softball and 4-H, too, and they’re always there to support me. It’s because of the way they raised me that I like to see others succeed, too.
Q: What would you like to be doing in terms of a career 10 or 15 years down the road?
A: I want to be a mixed animal veterinarian, which is small and large animals. Growing up, I raised sheep and pigs with my uncle. We also have dogs and cats, and it makes me want to help them, too.
Q: How long have you been involved in 4-H, and what satisfaction does that give you?
A: For about 10 years. I just like raising the animals and bringing new life into the world. You get so attached to them that the day they leave you’re sad. But in that moment, I look back and realize the memories that were made.
Athlete of the Week
