Isabell Salas has had the support of her parents and coaches in her golfing journey. Pictured from left are Ed Salas, Isabell Salas, Karly Eyre and Danielle Salas.
Having golfed from the time she started walking, Isabell Salas is now walking out of the Green River High School Golf program with shattered records and piles of accolades behind her. And her next steps are taking her towards a future in the sport she loves.
Isabel recently signed her letter of intent to golf at Central Wyoming College in Riverton.
"I definitely had other options, some may say better options," Isabell admitted. "But I met Coach Neuman for the first time mid-winter this year, and we'd been talking before that, but I knew the second I met him that that's where I needed to be and that's who I needed to be playing under."
While Central Wyoming is not a Division 1 school, Isabell said that Coach Mike Neuman is a Division 1 coach.
"He's truly one of the best golf coaches I think I'm ever going to get to ever play under, so I'm quite excited," she said.
Coach Neuman also works closely with his athletes, accommodating their needs and pushing for them to have opportunities after they play with him, according to Isabell. This is important since she plans to keep pursuing golf in her future.
Isabell graduated from Green River High School this week, but also graduated from Western Wyoming Community College, getting her Associate's degree concurrently with her high school degree. She plans to get her Bachelor's degree in the Business Entrepreneurship and Leadership Program at Central, and then to go on from there.
"I'm hoping to get a master's degree and I'm hoping that golf comes with that, hopefully at the D-1 level," Isabell explained.
Isabell hopes to one day coach golf at the collegiate level. She also wants to get her Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) card, and has a passion for law and politics and could see herself in those realms. Still, coaching is the ultimate dream. And Isabell already has some experience in leadership in the golfing world.
"I've also been a team captain, which I take the most pride in, all four years of high school," she explained.
From the moment she started with GRHS Golf, Isabell has been getting attention. Now as she leaves, she's one of the top golfers in the state.
Isabell is a four-time All State and All Conference Honoree in Wyoming, and she won the Conference Championship in her sophomore year. She's been nominated for the Wyoprep's Athlete of the Week and was nominated for the High School Women's Golfer of the Year for Wyoming as a sophomore. She also lettered in all four years of high school, and has been undefeated in every pre-season. This past fall, she shot the lowest round for the girls' pre-season after shooting a 69 in the first tournament.
"I broke every female record for the girls' side of GRHS Golf - ever," Isabell said with a laugh.
She has also gained national and international attention for her skills. Isabell has competed in a number of tournaments in Utah and Colorado and been a champion multiple times. She has been invited to Nationals for high school golf three times, and she placed highly both times she attended. She has also been part of the Wyoming Girls Junior America's Cup team twice, and was one of the last girls that came in her first year but left as the top girl for the team with the lowest average score of the tournament.
"It was definitely weird being in the spotlight," Isabell admitted of all the attention she has received.
She noted that sometimes the attention makes her uncomfortable, even though the one that puts the most pressure on her is herself. Still, she says it can be nice too, especially having so many people cheering her on.
"Of course I appreciate it," she said. "My community support is through the roof."
A lot of that support comes from her coaches, including GRHS Golf Head Coach Karly Eyre. Isabell started her relationship with Coach Eyre in eighth grade, and "it has grown into her literally being a part of my family."
Coach Eyre feels the same way, with Isabell being an important part of and a blessing to her family. The coach got emotional as she described how much that relationship means and the importance of Isabell's good heart.
"Anything she gives to the world is going to be beautiful, and just the drive alone will carry her, but to have that kind of compassion is a real gift," Coach Eyre said.
She is also excited to see what opportunities Isabell will have as she goes to college as both a strong academic and a strong golfer with her future wide open. Coach Eyre believes this will be a time for Isabell to shine and to rise to new heights.
"She's just top level," Eyre said. "So I think this will just skyrocket her towards a future in golf."
In her career up till now, Isabell's other coaches have also been particularly influential. They are part of her family as well, but this time more literally. Ed and Danielle Salas serve as the assistant coaches for the GRHS team, and are Isabell's parents. They have been cheering her on as a daughter and an athlete the whole way.
Isabell credits her dad with being the one who got her into golfing at a very young age.
"My dad will not brag about it but he was a scratch golfer and under-par golfer his entire life," she explained. "He had many opportunities to [play golf] but he served our country instead, which is amazing."
Isabell's mom helps with other aspects, like recruitment and promotion, and serves as "manager mom."
"They were definitely both a huge part in getting me to where I am," Isabell said.
For Isabell's mom Danielle, watching Isabell get to where she is has been a unique and special experience as both a coach and a parent.
"I've watched her become so resilient," Danielle said. "Just watching her in the face of adversity has been incredible. And for us as parents and coaches, we know that she can face anything. She's faced some really big challenges in the golf world and she always just rose to the occasion."
Danielle is excited for how far her daughter has come already, and excited that Isabell is making her own choices and finding ways to achieve her dreams.
"We're just super proud of her and can't wait to go watch her play in college and see where she goes from there," Danielle Salas said.
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