Senior golfer Zachary Johnson has been chosen as Athlete of the Week for his contribution to amplifying E.A.S.T.’s core values of excellence, academic, spirit, and tradition.

Now a four-year member of East’s golf team and a varsity standout since his sophomore year, Johnson has grown into a record-setting player and the sport holds a special place in his heart.

“My grandpa is the one who got me into golf,” Johnson said.

Head coach James Vera has watched Johnson’s growth closely.

“Zach has been up on varsity since he was a sophomore, and he’s always been a really great golfer,” Vera said. “He’s always been one of our top golfers. The one thing that we’ve seen as he’s gotten older is that he has become even more of a team leader. We named him captain because we started to see that leadership coming through.”

Vera also praised Johnson’s ability to step up for his teammates.

“He’s grown as a leader and does a really good job working with the younger players too,” Vera said. “He’s kind of taken a couple of them under his wing and has been a really good role model.”

This season, Johnson helped East break a program record with a team round of 140, highlighted by his own 2-under par 34 to share medalist honors. He is also averaging two strokes under par, positioning himself to be the first golfer in school history to finish a season below par.

“We’ve never had a golfer finish the season under par,” Vera said. “He has a chance to be the first one in history to do that. And he works really hard, and he plays a lot of golf. He really deserves this.”

For Johnson, breaking the school record has been the highlight of his senior year.

“Breaking the school record was definitely my proudest moment so far,” Johnson said. “It felt amazing to see all the work I’ve put in pay off, not just for me but for the whole team.”

As East continues their season, Johnson has one clear goal.

“Our main goal this year is to win conference,” Johnson said. “Hosting the conference tournament is exciting, and I think we’re in a good position to do it.”

Vera feels that Johnson’s impact on the team will not be forgotten.

“It’s really fun to watch him golf, it has been for the last three years,” Vera said. “It’s hard to believe that he’s a senior already just because he’s been around for so long. I’m really going to miss him when he’s gone, so I want the season to last as long as possible for him and all my seniors.”

Johnson has left his mark on East golf. His talent, leadership, and dedication have not only set new standards for the program but have also inspired those who will follow in his footsteps.

Written by junior Michelle Wannah. Edited by staff writers for Oswego East’s online news magazine The Howl.

This article has been edited to ensure accurate reporting.