Kylie Duchsherer

BISMARCK – Whether it’s on the golf course or in the pool, Bismarck Century’s Kylie Duchsherer has her strokes down pat.
The senior is one of those rare breeds of athletes who compete in two sports during the same season. And excel in both.
She is the top-ranked golfer for the Patriots and among the best on her swim team.
Duchsherer was introduced to golf at age eight by her dad. And watching her older sister in the pool inspired her to get involved in that sport as well.
“What appealed to me (about golf) was just spending time with friends and family outside,’’ Kylie said. “It was something that I knew I wanted to be good at.”
And she has. 
Duchsherer, who has been in the Patriot varsity lineup the past three seasons is having a breakout year. She won the Mandan Invite earlier this season and has already qualified for the Class A Tournament.  
Century golf coach Tyce Halter said Kylie’s a steady player from round to round and her unwavering positivity and course management shine through. “She makes smart decisions and knows to navigate challenging situations effectively,’’ he said.
Golf requires plenty of practice and the summer months provide  that opportunity. “I really think the Dakota Junior Golf Association (DJGA) tournaments help me get back into the rhythm of competitive golf and shows me the things that I need to work on before the (high school) season starts,’’ she said. 
Good golfers excel many facets of the game. A particular strong suit for Kylie is her short game, getting the ball close to the hole from just off the green and making putts. Halter said she’s also become a steady ball striker.
On those summer days when Kylie is not on the golf course, she  is in the pool with her club team. And like golf, swimming requires continued work on technique of strokes as well as building endurance and speed.
The golf season begins before swimming, so Kylie has a chance to focus on her golf swing before regularly getting into the pool. However, that changes when classes begin. “I swim in the morning before school and then I can spend the afternoons focusing on golf,’’ Duchsherer said.
Spencer Wheeling, Kylie’s swim coach, said it is quite a challenge to balance the two.
“Kylie communicates very well with her coaches about where she is going to be for which sport well in advance,’’ Wheeling said. “Not only does this help us coaches know what is going on with her training schedule, but it helps Kylie.” 
She has been swimming in high school competitions since seventh grade and two events she participates in is the 100-yard butterfly and 100-yard backstroke. Her favorite is the 100 fly, which she placed in the top eight at last year’s state championships. Kylie was also part of the Patriots’ 200 medley relay which finished first.
The big challenge comes in September when Kylie’s schedule includes multiple golf and swim practices wrapped around golf and swim meets. And that is when she has to rely on her mental toughness to pull her through that hectic schedule.
“You have to be able to do your job to help the team,’’ she said.
In golf, she has consistently been among the top 10 finishers in the conference. And in the pool, she has been a state qualifier and key part of the team’s 200 medley relay the past few seasons.
Once she puts her golf clubs away in October, she can concentrate on swimming. And that’s the time her workouts become sharper and her times improve.
“After the completion of her golf season, one can see her times get better at every single meet as she is able to start training at full steam,’’ Wheeling said. “At dual meets, Kylie is a varsity point scorer for us in her events as well as relays.”
And the fact she can maintain her spots while she is still balancing golf and swim practices, speaks to her abilities. Duchsherer doesn’t have a favorite among the two sports, enjoying the time with her Patriot teammates in both. 
And as an upperclassmen she knows her role extends beyond the playing field. Being a supportive teammate and role model is just as important. She was named one of the Patriots’ swim team captains and her leadership on and off the course has made a positive impact in inspiriting her teammates, Halter said.
Future plans for Kylie may include college golf, but she’s not yet decided on a school.
For now she is focusing on her final season on the course and in the pool. 
And hopefully a happy ending in both.