Miami-Dade County Public Schools hosted a girls only golf tournament this past spring and eight middle schools participated in the first time event with the Palmetto team edging out the competition and South Miami coming in second at Briar Bay Golf Club.

The top five individual finishers were first place: Rebecca Kuhn, Palmetto; second: Nicole Thame, Southwood; third: Nicole Fuentes, Palmetto; fourth: Laura Ricketts, Palmetto, and fifth: Daniela Figuerola, Palmetto.

"Although it was a small turnout, it was a beginning," said Coach Bob Murphy of Palmetto Middle School and county chair for middle school golf. "Our golf program is 28 years old and it is co-ed, but this is the first time we had a girls only tourney."

For Murphy and other coaches as well as the Miami-Dade County Public School system, the goal is to find girls and encourage them to get into the game. Although the middle school programs are co-ed, girls are consistently slipping through the cracks when it comes to competitive sports — especially golf.

Rhoda Kuhn, a parent of one of the female golfers, talked about the importance of sports at the middle school level.

"Sports is a border from elementary school to high school development which can open the doors to play at the college level," she said. "Traditionally, students do not have the opportunity to play team sports in elementary school. They need a chance to play together to develop a sense of spirit."

Murphy said girls haven’t been excluded, they just aren’t turning out for the sport.

"The schools stepped forward this spring to try to bring forth a full-time program for girls. It is difficult to get started," he said.

Murphy referred to the cost of playing the sport and the necessary involvement of a parent of grandparent.

"Most of the players we see come from golfing families. The families support their efforts," he said.

A few days before the big championship, the Palmetto team played Miami Springs at Palmetto Golf Course with the Palmetto team winning for the 12th time in a row. The six Palmetto team members included Dan Gross, Todd Nienaber, Rebecca Kuhn, Josh Mays, James Anderson and Greg Huxman who was the overall individual winner.

"These young players are outstanding for their age," Murphy said.

In the support of athletics for middle school girls is Jane Greenberg, athletic director for middle school sports of Dade County Public Schools.

"The public needs to know that we are providing these kinds of activities for girls," she said. "At the middle school level, girls have not been participating on a regular basis."

"We’ve come a long way but we have a long way to go in gender equity. It does affect the middle school program," she said. "We’ve been looking at ways to expand sporting opportunities for girls. Golf is our first class. We are looking at tennis, too."

Currently, the middle schools are offering 11 varsity sports but most girls don’t participate in golf.

"We want to create interest in the younger years and make it a life-long activity.

"The goal isn’t only about developing a keen interest in the sport; it is about getting girls to take advantage of scholarship opportunities available for golfers.

"Of course, there are the health benefits, but the educational benefits are also great," she said. "Right now, a lot of universities are offering golf scholarships."

Murphy believes whole-heartedly in getting more girls into the sport.

"This initiative was part of a district-wide physical fitness competition. It is the first of many more things to come at the middle school level," Murphy said.