Senior Spotlight: McLane High School golf star uses sport to help prioritize

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- "Josseline is the most humble athlete, the hardest working athlete I've been around in the last six years."

McLane senior Josseline Morales started golf last year, but she's making up for lost time with hours practicing her game.

"She loves the short game, she loves everything around the green also, and so that's what's kind of progressed her game," says Lady Scots coach Joe Creamier.

That's the Lady Scots head coach Joe Creamier, who last year convinced Josseline to try out.

"It's challenging to learn how to start to play, so it takes a lot of dedication," she said.

That hard work lead to a 21-shot improvement year to year, something she was hoping to cash in on in the spring season.

But for Morales, her biggest win in golf came off the course.

"I wouldn't really pay attention to my school work before playing golf, and I feel like playing golf helped me set my priorities first," she said.

"Every day she showed up at the team room by 5:45 in the morning," Creamier said. "Never failed. She'd do a bible study or she'd work out or she'd start on homework. Her day went from 5:45 in the morning until 6:30 in the evening when she would get home. How many athletes have you ever seen do that? None. I've had none."

With that focus, Morales is set to leave McLane as the Valedictorian. It also helped her catch the attention of colleges. She's signed to play next year at the Masters University.

"I was really excited and happy because I'd never experienced that; getting recruited," she said.

She's also the winner of the "Youth on Course" scholarship, one of 19 high school seniors across the country to receive money from the national non-profit.

Before heading off to school, Josseline is hoping to give back at the first tee.

"She had just started as a junior coach for first tee just as this delay and interruption to life happened, so she's anxious to get back to that this summer," Creamier said.