JEFF FIELDER Editor
ALLIANCE – Crayten Cyza, a sophomore golfer at Alliance High School, is this week’s Kristy Culek Agency, LLC-American Family Insurance Male Athlete of the Week. In his first tournament of the season in Sidney, Crayton placed first. In his second tournament of the season, at Mitchell, he placed second. His parents are Pam and Jim Cyza.
Q: How excited are you about the way your season has started?
CYZA: “It’s been going pretty good. I feel like I’ve been hitting the ball good. It’s going in the right places.”
Q: What were your expectations coming into the season?
CYZA: “I was hoping to shoot in the mid-70s.”
Q: Coming into the season, were you expecting to challenge for the top placing in tournaments?
CYZA: “No, I actually had no idea what place I might get this year. There’s new people coming up, so I had no idea. I’ve kind of surprised myself a little bit.”
Q: Placing first in the opening tournament of the season, how much did that add to your confidence level?
CYZA: “It gave me a pretty big confidence boost.”
Q: How did your season go last year?
CYZA: “Last year at districts I was two shots away from making it to state. That made me even more motivated to get better for this year.”
Q: How much improvement do you feel like you’ve made from last season to this season?
CYZA: “I think I’ve improved a lot. I’m hitting the ball farther, and I’m hitting it straighter.”
Q: What is the strongest part of your game?
CYZA: “My irons. I feel like I can hit them in there close enough to maybe get a birdie or a two-putt par.”
Q: What part of your game do you feel like you need to work on the most?
CYZA: “I can always work on my putting. My putting isn’t the best right now.”
Q: How many years have you been golfing?
CYZA: “Ever since I was little. My grandpa [Ron Gunia] was a golf pro, and he taught me a lot of things, and my aunt [Laura Gunia] was a golf pro and helped me a lot, too. She owned a golf course in Texas, and I worked there for a summer and got lessons, so that helped me improve a lot, too. Golf kind of runs in our family.”
Q: Do you have any brothers and/or sisters who golf, too?
CYZA: “My older brother, Parker, golfed. He just graduated from college [UNL]. He made it to state his junior year.”
Q: Tell me the names of all your brothers and sisters.
CYZA: “I have one brother [Parker] and two sisters. They are Emersen [Alliance senior] and Kennedy [student at UNMC in Scottsbluff].”
Q: Do you compete in any other sports?
CYZA: “I play football and basketball. In football, I’m a free safety and wide receiver and kicker, and in basketball I’m a guard.”
Q: Which sport is your favorite and why?
CYZA: “Golf because I’ve just grown up around it, and it’s probably the sport I’m the best at.”
Q: Do you watch a lot of golf on TV?
CYZA: “Yes. In fact, I just watched Tiger win the Masters. That was pretty cool. It’s always fun watching Tiger play.”
Q: Is he your favorite golfer?
CYZA: “Yes, he is – him and Rickie Fowler.”
Q: Were you surprised that Tiger won the Masters?
CYZA: “A little bit. I mean, after he came off his back surgeries, you would think the guy would be done, but he came back and won it.”
Q: What’s your favorite class in school?
CYZA: “I would say geometry. I just get it. It’s easy for me to learn, and I have a good teacher.”
Q: Outside of school and sports, what do you like to do for fun?
CYZA: “I’m always doing something with my friends, like playing basketball or going to the golf course or going to camps.”
Q: What do you like best about living in Alliance?
CYZA: “I like living here because it’s a good community. They really support people. It’s a good place to be.”
Q: Where is your favorite place to eat in Alliance?
CYZA: “I would have to say Dairy Queen.”
Q: What do you like to order at Dairy Queen?
CYZA: “The mac and cheese burger. It’s pretty good.”
Q: Who’s the funniest kid on your golf team – the one who makes people laugh the most?
CYZA: “I would have to give that to Jaron Matulka. He always finds a way to make me laugh. When I got second at Mitchell, he tried to cheer me up and made me laugh.”
For all your insurance needs, visit The Kristy Culek Agency, LLC-American Family Insurance, located at 1012 Ave. I in Scottsbluff, or call 308-632-8598.
