Dominating the high school competition since his 8th-grade year, senior Jake Hendelman has been an essential part of the Hackley boys golf team. Jake began his golf career at just nine years old, playing with his dad as a fun activity. However, over time Jake continued to play and it soon became his passion. 

“I started playing for fun in fourth grade with my dad most of the time. But as I got older I started to fall in love with the sport. I know golf is a sport that you can play for your whole life so I definitely think there is some value in starting at a young age,” Jake said. 

Although he always had a deep passion for golf, Jake made his decision to pursue collegiate golf during his sophomore year, a late start for most athletes. 

During his junior season, Jake competed in the number one spot for the entire season and went undefeated in the Ivy League, highlighted most notably by his impressive scores of two under par through nine holes at Sunningdale Country Club and a one under round through nine holes at Dyker Beach Golf Club. In the NYSAIS tournament, Jake placed 4th overall out of 108 players at Hudson Hills Golf Course and propelled Hackley to a 2nd place finish. From his NYSAIS performance, Jake qualified for the New York Federations golf tournament. 

Over the spring and summer, Jake competed in various tournaments around the Northeast, including the Met Junior Championship, Northern Junior Championship, and the NYS Boys Junior Championship.

“Jake is the best golfer I have ever played with, whenever we play he has some shots that I don’t think are even possible. I’ve been playing with him since we were young so it’s been really cool to see him progress over the years,” senior Shiraz Awan said. 

Along with golf, Jake plays varsity basketball at Hackley. As a 4-year varsity player and a 3-year starter, Jake has thrived on the court and has been a key part of the basketball team’s recent success. Voted captain for his final season, Jake embodied the roles of leadership and values that Hackley expects from their athletes: sportsmanship, competitiveness, and respect. 

“Jake’s a great teammate and leader, he takes a lot of pride in whatever he is doing and he has a positive effect on his teammates. He always pushes us to get better and only wants what is best for the team. His work ethic is also unmatched,” basketball teammate junior Jack Perlman stated. 

“ I have loved my experience on the golf team. With it being both a team and individual sport, I feel like I get the best of both worlds. The team camaraderie while also holding myself accountable for my own play,” Jake said, “I’m super excited for this season and think we have a lot of potential to win the Ivy League. We have a really deep lineup that will keep us very competitive.” 

So far during his senior season, Jake has been as dominant as past years shooting low scores and helping Hackley currently sit in second place in the Ivy League. The Hackley community and Jake’s peers are excited to see what he accomplishes in the following years.