The Omaha Westside girls golf team will be playing for more than the game and themselves when they tee off this fall.

Westside head coach Jered Hellman’s wife, Sara Hellman, was diagnosed with metastatic Stage 4 colon cancer in June of 2025.

“We’re going to take our bogeys and our breaks with maybe a little different attitude, because the sun is going to come up, and we do get to play a game every day,” Jered told Hurrdat Sports.

The Hellmans learned of Sara’s diagnosis via a portal notification. Jered was watching one of his golfers at the U.S. Open golf practice round in Pennsylvania when Sara sent him a screenshot of the message.

“We read the news, metastatic Stage 4 cancer,” Jered reflected. “I went from being in a place of literally every coach’s dream, of watching their athlete represent and play in the United States Open with another athlete on his bag, beaming in pride, to one of the lowest places I’ve ever been.”

Then came the difficult task of telling their four children once Jered and Jamison, one of their sons, got home from the U.S. Open.

“We sat all of them down and we had a family meeting, and we just kind of told them,” Jered said. “As soon as we got the information, we were able to share kind of the battle we were against.”

Jered then shared the news with his golfers. He said he reached out to his assistant coaches, the golfers’ mothers and senior golfer Chloe DiPrima.

The team quickly rallied around the Hellmans, starting a GoFundMe page and setting up an on-and-off meal train.

“It means a tremendous amount,” Sara said of the support. “The community has rallied for us.”

Jered said both golf teams also began wearing blue ribbons on their hats in support of Sara.

“It’s a family affair for Westside golf, so it’s been amazing,” Jered said.

The Hellmans have also received support from the community via a donation from First Tee. On July 31, the organization donated $1,000 to the family. The First Tee organization is a youth development program that aims to help children build character while teaching them golf and life skills.

Jered said he’s known of the organization for a while and met some of its members at a breakfast when he took over as Westside’s head golf coach in the 2022-2023 season.

“People don’t do those things unless they think you’re deserving,” Jered said. “It’s nice to know in a little way that maybe we’ve done our part, and we’ve helped. We just work hard and try to do things the right way.”

The Hellmans have done the right thing, and the golf community is doing their part to help Sara attend some tournaments. Jered’s assistant coaches and golfers and the golfers’ parents have made it possible by helping take care of the couple’s children and providing other support.

She went to a national competition in North Carolina last summer. Sara also attended both days of the girls state tournament while making the second day of the boys state contest.

Last season, the girls team won Metros and districts and finished as runner-up in the state tournament. As for the boys, they won their third consecutive Metro title and the district championship. They also finished as runners-up after back-to-back titles in 2023 and 2024.

“We didn’t win the state tournament, but we won because we were there and we showed up and we gave our all,” Jered said. “I think they see that, and I’ve noticed there’s no excuses anymore. We’re not complaining, we’re focusing on what matters. I think we did that all along with Westside golf, but I think them seeing Sara helps.”

The girls have shifted their attention to this upcoming season and are focused on taking it day by day.

“We know Marian’s at the pinnacle, we know we got them at Metro last year, and we know that wasn’t a fluke,” Jered said. “We know we can play great golf, so our goals will be high. These girls certainly are capable of competing for a Metro title, a district title and a state tournament, but what I’ve learned in the journey is it’s the journey that matters.”

The girls will continue to compete for their coach and his wife as Sara undergoes chemotherapy while remaining at home after exhausting all surgical options.

“Just keep fighting,” Sara said.