Webb named Golf coach

Malta High School has welcomed a pair of familiar and experienced faces as coaches for the now pending spring sports season. With Travis Somerfeld stepping down as golf coach and taking on the role as Activities Director at Malta High School, the school has hired MHS and MMS counselor and former Whitewater Golf standout, Kate Webb, as head coach. Webb was the team's assistant coach last season and was hired in the fall of 2019. Coach Webb's staff includes her husband Gordon Webb who won the State B Golf Title as an individual three times during his time at Malta High School. Kate is the daughter of Jim and Nancy Murdock and Gordon is the son of Jim and Kristine Webb. Kate and Gordon live in Malta with their three-year-old son, Calum. Whitewater High School started its golf program in 2006, her sophomore season. Webb made the most of her time with the team qualifying for state in her junior and senior seasons. Gordon won the State B title in his sophomore, junior and senior seasons, and was runner up by one stroke in his freshman season. He led Malta to second place as a team twice and third place twice. Both coaches graduated from their respective high schools in 2008 and went on to play golf collegiately. Kate golfed at Dawson Community College as a freshman and then MSU-Billings as a sophomore. She eventually graduated with an Art Education Degree (K-12 option) and she will have her Master's in School Counseling in May. "I had played basketball, golf, and sang in the choir (for many years), so I was just done," Webb said. "I figured that I better start focusing on academics." Meanwhile, Gordon played golf at the University of Western New Mexico for his first two years and then transferred to the University of Idaho. He said that he won a couple of tournaments and finished in the top 10 a few times during his college stint. He graduated with a Business Degree and also played in mini-tours after college. He also coached at the University of Western New Mexico for the 2013-14 season as an assistant coach. Both Kate and Gordon have been a part of Malta's Golf Leagues during the summer and the couple golfs twice a week if their schedules permit. Gordon is happy to be back at his old high school coaching alongside his wife, though he admitted that things feel different because there are a lot of new faces on staff. "It feels good to be in the community," said Gordon. "I know a lot of the parents and families. It's nice to be home and be around familiar faces." Kate has been coaching various sports around Malta including youth basketball and various golf camps during the summer months the last four years. Prior to her coaching experience in Malta, Kate coached at a high school in New Mexico during her student teaching stint while Gordon coached golf. She also had experience coaching volleyball and had coached basketball while working at Harlem High School. "To come to Malta and be the head coach is something different and it's exciting at the same time," Coach Webb said. Due to the threat of the COVID-19 virus, Malta High School only held a few practices prior to the school shutting its doors and the MHSA postponing the season. "It's definitely disappointing," she said. "We had been looking forward to the season and getting a chance to coach together. We had a lot of kids this year and a lot of potential." Before the closures began, Coach Webb was encouraged to see that 20 kids showed up to practice. She was most disappointed that they haven't had a chance to see what the team could do or become at this point in time. At the same time, she understands what is at stake with the deadly virus. "I'm glad that everything is being handled the way that it is," Coach Webb said. She remains slightly optimistic that the season will open because the MHSA has yet to cancel the season. The MHSA Executive Board is scheduled to address the state of the 2020 spring sports season on Thursday, April 9, and will deliver their judgment on April 13, according to updates on their website.