Writing Project #1 - Final Draft

Ava E. Anderson

Alison Hitch

Writing 101

20 February 2026

                                                         “The Fair Way”

        Have you ever felt like you were assigned your sport at birth? When I was around 5 years old, my dad started getting me into the game of golf. He had already gotten my brother Cole, who is a year older than me into it, so now it was my turn. Before I knew it, I was enrolled in my country club’s golf team where we would, like clockwork, practice every Tuesday at 7:00am in the summers. I remember meeting my earliest friends by doing so, making niche nicknames with my coaches that will last forever, and cherishing the skill I have somewhat mastered; that is the game of golf. 

        My brother and I played for our country club, Pine Hills, for eight years each, until there were age restrictions that forced us to retire from the team at the age of thirteen. Then, we had to wait until high school to continue playing competitively in a team, which took a mental strain on the both of us because of our school’s very prestigious golf reputation. I had continued in a smaller league with one of my best friends at the time, Kathrine, where we played in a simulator in the winters against other teams. 

        Even though golf was always my main focus, I gave every other sport a chance because my parents wanted me to play a sport each season, as it helped me socialize, make friends, stay active, and learn more about myself. During the school years all the way from kindergarten to eighth grade, I played soccer, basketball, softball, tennis, hockey, ran track, and was on the swim team. But none of these sports spoke to me the way golf did, as I felt as if I had a natural born talent for it. My coaches and dad had said the same thing, that I had a talent and was naturally good at the sport; because of my form and swing. I had such a fast swing that I had to get fitted for mens clubs because the womens were not what my swing needed due to how much lighter they are than the mens. This told me a lot about myself, and that maybe I hadn't unlocked my full potential yet, and had no idea of how to even begin. 

I then went into high school and my brother was already on the team I was trying out for. It was a coed team, which made the stakes higher. I made the team, but soon found out that there were levels of unfair treatment and disadvantages of being a girl on a boy dominant team. These disadvantages included being stuck on JV2 and barely playing on JV1, with no room for improvement. This meant that varsity was something I was never sure I’d get to experience, and because of the neglectful coaches, I knew this feeling was never going to change. The school that I had been going to my whole life had betrayed me in a way, and the strain that was put on us not only scholastically, but also athletically, caused my family to want something better for the both of us. My brother and I ended up switching to a school with much better academic opportunities, and to my complete surprise, there was a girls golf team!

        After I switched schools, I realized very quickly all of the potential I had as an athlete. I gained confidence in my game because of my wonderful new coaches, Mr. Goodman and Mr. Ross. These coaches provided me with motivation and the help I needed that my previous school lacked, and I learned so much about myself through their coaching. I met a lot of girls on the team, and we all became the best of friends. I even met my best friend today, Afina, who is a year above me. She taught me what a real teammate and friend looked like, and we helped each other through many hardships pertaining to the sport, and our personal lives. I would have to say that the team bonding that I experienced has to be the one reason I succeeded so well in golf, as having those friendships during the countless hours of practice helped maintain a love for the sport I had never experienced before. I eventually became #1 on varsity, the team leader, and brought us to sectionals for the first time in our school’s girls golf history.  I became a better golfer, teammate, and friend by being coached fairly. Everything I know about golf I owe to my dad, coaches, and teammates. 

        If you’ve ever felt like you were assigned your sport at birth and that nobody else could possibly relate, my existence is proof that you’re not alone. Even though golf had its trials and tribulations, learning it at such a young age made me so many memories and friends that I wouldn’t trade for the world. I always knew I had to hold on to a sport, and I am forever grateful that out of all of the ones I have played in my lifetime, golf is the one that I stuck with and made myself known for in my athletic career.