As a little girl growing up in the province of Quebec, Shady Side Academy girls' golf coach Helene Gosse wasn't introduced to the game by family members, driving range instructors or club professionals.

But thanks to weekend afternoons watching "Shell's Wonderful World of Golf" on television, Gosse's interest was piqued. So much so, that by the time she was 8 years old, her father -- an avid fisherman -- found himself plucking stray balls for her out of a nearby river that bordered a local course.

"We lived in a house that had a park in front of it, so I asked my father if he could make me a putting green out of part of the park," she remembered fondly. "So he mowed part of the grass and made a hole using an old tomato can."

These days, it's unlikely any of the girls on Gosse's squad have ever putted into a tin can, not that the second-year head coach is complaining. As consecutive PIAA girls' team champions, the Indians have enjoyed remarkable success under Gosse's direction, amassing a 34-0 record along the way.

This year, at the PIAA championships held at Heritage Hills Golf Resort in York, last week, Shady Side Academy outlasted Mount St. Joseph Academy of Flourtown in soggy conditions to take home the title by 33 strokes.

Led by No. 1 Kendall Allen, a sophomore, and a blistering performance on day two by No. 3 Shannon Gramley, a freshman, the Indians finished with a two-day total of 707, good for a PIAA tournament record score. Both players shot 163 over both days and 36 holes, while sophomore No. 2 Michelle Bucklew finished with a 182 and senior No. 4 Lauren Laufe, a 199.

Individually, Allen fared well in the PIAA individual championship. Although she struggled in soggy conditions on the final day with an 85 on the par-72 course, her opening-round 78 was good enough for a share of ninth place overall.

"After that 85 on the second day, Kendall felt like she'd lost it for the team," Gosse said. "The scores were horrific for almost everyone on Tuesday because of the conditions. Everything was very wet."

But Gramley was the exception, torching the course on day two with a four-over-par 76, the best individual round by any girl during the four-team competition. The round rallied her team and clinched the title.

"She was unbelievable," Gosse said. "She didn't putt well on Monday, but I knew if she could just get it together on the second day, she'd do well. But I was surprised by her score. Sometimes, you just never know."

To Gosse, guiding the Shady Side Academy program is immensely satisfying. After arriving in Pittsburgh 13 years ago, she spent a few seasons serving as the team's assistant before taking on the head coaching duties for the first time in her career. With her undefeated record, it is apparent she's doing something right.

"Well, when you know the game of golf and competed yourself, it's a natural transition," she explained. "I enjoy giving back to the game communicating with the kids.

"It's not hard to hit a golf ball; the hard part is hitting it well under pressure. You have to work on that."

Next season's squad will welcome back its top three players, with Allen, Gramley, and Bucklew seeking to lead the Indians to their third consecutive PIAA title. Of course, there will be a few vacancies. But given the quality of players lurking on the private school's Fox Chapel campus, Gosse said she's excited about the possibilities.

"We'll need four or five girls," she said. "But you never know if an eighth grader is out there somewhere who will come out to play next year. Last year, Shannon was going to play soccer before deciding to play golf for us less than a week before the season started.

"It's things like that that make it interesting and fun."

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