JEFF FIELDER Editor
MITCHELL – Cael Peters, who will be an eighth-grader in Mitchell this fall, is this week’s Nspire Today! Male Athlete of the Week, sponsored by Kristy Culek Agency, LLC-American Family Insurance. Cael, 14, has been excelling this summer in the Panhandle Junior Golf Tour, placing high in every tournament he’s competed in. Although he’ll be an eighth-grader this fall, he’s been golfing this summer in the 10-12 grade division. He’s been golfing in the Panhandle Junior Tour since he was 7 years old, and he’s been golfing since he was 4. He was coached by Brock Ehler, and now his coach is Nick Kuxhausen. Peters will compete in the Nebraska Junior Amateur Golf Tournament on July 23 in Beatrice. Peters also recently finished his season with the Bluffs WESTCO 13U travel baseball team. His parents are Michelle and Heath Peters.
Q: How pleased are you with how you’ve performed in the Panhandle Junior Golf Tour so far this summer.
PETERS: “It’s been going pretty good. There’s some good competition that has made me better.”
Q: What have your placings been in the tournaments?
PETERS: “In the first one at Gering, I placed fifth, and then I got first in Bridgeport. I tied for first in Morrill, but then I lost in a playoff. I also got first in Mitchell, and I got second in Bayard.” Editor’s note: Cael placed third in Kimball on June 5, and in his most recent tournament at Torrington last week, he placed first.
Q: You’ve been competing in the Junior Tour since you were 7. Have you always performed pretty well in your division?
PETERS: “Yes, I’ve done pretty well all the years I’ve been playing in the Junior Tour.”
Q: You’ve placed high in all your tournaments this summer. How does that feel, especially since you’re competing in the high school division?
PETERS: “It feels pretty good. I bumped up this year, so it’s pretty nice to have some wins under my belt. It’s surprised me.”
Q: Why did you decide to move up to the 9-12 division this summer?
PETERS: “Mr. Ehler, the Scottsbluff golf coach, and Nick Kuxhausen, the Mitchell boys golf coach, wanted me to bump up this year.”
Q: How did you feel about moving up to that division? Were you nervous about it, or were you excited about it?
PETERS: “I was really nervous at the start, but then I started getting more comfortable as I kept going and got to know the rest of the players.”
Q: What is your best score this summer?
PETERS: “On nine, it’s a 35, and over 18, it’s an 80.”
Q: Have your other scores been in the 80 to 85 range?
PETERS: “Yes.”
Q: Doing as well as you have in a higher division, has that boosted your confidence?
PETERS: “Yes, it’s lifted my confidence quite a bit this year. It’s given me more experience and has helped me with my golf etiquette. It’s just made me better overall.”
Q: Since you’ve been playing golf for so long, are you comfortable with most of the golf courses you play on?
PETERS: “I’m still figuring out some courses. This is the first time I’ve played 18, so I get to play a lot of holes that I didn’t get to play before.”
Q: How passionate are you about golf?
PETERS: “I’m very passionate about golf. I’ve been golfing since I was 4. I want to go to state and win state in golf and maybe play professionally. I would also like to go to a D-I college to play golf.”
Q: What other sports do you compete in besides golf and baseball?
PETERS: “I also participate in football, track, wrestling, and basketball.”
Q: Which sport is your favorite?
PETERS: “Golf or baseball. In baseball, it’s pretty fun to be around the other kids, and in golf, I’ve been playing it my whole life, and I get to golf with pretty cool people. Also, I want to be like Nate Lashley.”
Q: Have you followed Nate Lashley’s performance in golf for quite awhile?
PETERS: “Yes, I have.”
Q: Do you practice golf every day during the summer?
PETERS: “Yes. A golf course [Scenic Knolls] is in my back yard, so it’s pretty nice to have that.”
Q: Was it a challenge to play both golf and baseball this summer?
PETERS: “Not necessarily. It’s just hard for my baseball swing.”
Q: Will you continue to play golf after the Junior Tour ends this summer?
PETERS: “Yes, I try to play most of the year.”
Q: So how do you practice golf during the colder months?
PETERS: “I just go in my basement and practice putting.”
Q: How did your baseball season go?
PETERS: “It went pretty well. Our season just ended. We finished in the top eight out of 32 teams [at state in Omaha]. So, it went pretty good.”
Q: What positions do you play in baseball?
PETERS: “I play all of them except for first and second.”
Q: Which position is your favorite?
PETERS: “Third base.”
Q: How much are you looking forward to playing in the Nebraska Junior Amateur Golf Tournament on July 23 in Beatrice?
PETERS: “I’m very excited to play in it.”
Q: What’s the strongest part of your golf game right now?
PETERS: “Probably my iron game. That’s doing pretty well.”
Q: On the flip side, which area do you feel like you need to work on the most?
PETERS: “Driving and chipping.”
Q: Are you getting excited for the new school year to start?
PETERS: “Yes. I’m ready to go back to school so I’m not bored at home when I’m not playing golf or baseball.” [laughs]
If you would like to nominate someone for Nspire Today!’s Athletes of the Week, sponsored by Kristy Culek Agency, you may do so by sending an email to jeff.fielder@nspiretoday.com or by mailing a letter to Nspire Today!, P.O. Box 454, Scottsbluff, NE 69363. Nominations may also be submitted by sending a text to 308-220-8865.
In addition to being recognized online, athletes of the week will also be recognized in Nspire Today! magazine. To sign up for a one-year subscription (12 issues) to the magazine, please send $15 to Nspire Today!, P.O. Box 454, Scottsbluff, NE 69363. To pay with a credit card, please call 308-220-8865. If you would like to increase your subscription to $20, Nspire Today! will donate the extra $5 in July to the local DOVES program.
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.
