With just one week left until my flight to Dublin, the absolute hardest part is going to be leaving my family! That being said, I know that they’re supporting me 100% of the way! My family includes a long line of athletes. My grandmother was a champion golfer. She won the US National Amateur Golf Championship, while pregnant in the first trimester with my father, two Western Amateur Championships and four US Senior National Amateur Championships. Her dedication to her sport, to practicing, to developing technical excellence inspired me in my sports, schoolwork, and all aspects of my life. I know she would be so proud to hear of this amazing opportunity and the incredible new golf aspect of Sport Changes Life, thanks to The Rory Foundation!
Since the first time I can remember dribbling a basketball, my mom (Donna), dad (Mark), sister (Gwen) and brothers (Luke and Mark) have been my #1 fans. The amount of hours my dad has spent outside in the freezing cold courts to rebound for me and improve my shot is unimaginable. From summer league games to college tournaments, there had to have been a hurricane or an Apocalypse for my dad to miss it. My mom has always pushed me to be a better player, teammate, and athlete. She challenges me to work harder, while still competing with the upmost sportsmanship. My brothers and sister have been role models to me as I watched them excel in all of their sports. I envy the drive and passion they have and felt blessed to have such encouraging siblings who analyze my games and think of ways that I can improve. I am so fortunate to have these 5 amazing people supporting me in everything that I do. Although it’s tough to say goodbye for the next 10 months, I know that they can’t wait to see all my adventures and the awesome opportunities that arise through Sport Changes Life! Not to mention they’re pumped to have an excuse to visit Ireland! So I’ll end on a HUGE thank you to my favorite cheering section for helping me get to where I am today.
