Cassidy Pearson

At a very young age, my dad began teaching me all about sports. He coached me, too, showing me how to throw, catch, shoot, swing, and everything in between. I loved playing all of those sports; I always have. There is one sport, though, that I've continued to pursue. It may have been the first I ever learned.

Golf has always been a huge part of my life. As a child, I liked golf, but I was so busy with other activities that I wasn't serious about it. In middle school, I began taking lessons and playing in tournaments. It wasn't until high school, though, when I really fell in love with the game. My daily routine consisted of going to the golf course right after school and staying until dark. I had to. I wanted to. My competitive nature didn't allow anything less. I spent so much time perfecting my game, because there are so many aspects to golf. There's driving, iron play, chipping, and putting. There's measuring distance, aim, and outside factors. And then there's analyzing, and sometimes over-analyzing, every little thing, turning the sport into some kind of math puzzle. Golf is actually more of a mental challenge than it is a physical one--it forces you to make decisions. My favorite thing about golf is that you can never play a round the same way twice. Every time I walk out on the course is a different experience, and it's fun to see what I can do each round. Golf is an escape from life's distractions. It gives me the chance to enjoy the outdoors and relax, while also playing one of the hardest of games out there. It challenges me through testing my patience, my self-control, my endurance, and my drive as an athlete. Although I don't play collegiate golf, I still continue to play and practice with that same work ethic, which pushes me to be the best I can be in not only golf, but in other areas of life as well.