Tom LoCasale Developing Character Through Golf Scholarship

Golf is the sport I am passionate about. One of my earliest and fondest memories of golf was when I was in Panama with my family. My grandfather had me in the backyard trying out clubs to see if I was left-handed or right-handed. Of course, I just wanted to play tag with my cousins. But, when I swung a club for the first time, I was hooked. Luckily, my grandfather and my older cousin already were in the sport of golf and all I needed to do was learn from their expertise. I already had the discipline and determination from the other sports I have done like gymnastics, dance, and diving. So, all I had to do was focus my energy on golf. During the past four years, I have dedicated myself to playing and succeeding at golf in high school. Golf was a sport that challenged me mentally and brought out my leadership skills, which I used to help my school and fellow students. This sport can often be overlooked–it is expensive, underfunded, and associated with wealth. I believed that golf should be available to all, including the students at my public high school. Accordingly, I have worked tirelessly to secure the resources and support needed to make golf a top sport in my school and to create a community for students who love this sport. Last year, I helped raise over $2,000 for uniforms, golf bags, hats, golf shirts, and food through posters, announcements, emails, and phone calls. I spent countless hours communicating with family members, friends, teachers, and students to raise funds for the program and expand participation. As a result of such efforts, I have helped build a robust program for myself and other students. This year, I have already helped two other golfers and myself attain resources to play golf this season, including golf bags inscribed with our team name "Berry Cardinals,” new t-shirts, and pullovers for playing in the winter cold later in the season. As team captain, I had to repeatedly advocate for my team through numerous discussions with my school’s athletic director to ensure that our golf team had adequate support. I have also played a key role in helping ensure that our school hired a new golf coach after our previous coach retired. Again, my advocacy and persistence with my school administration made a difference. I was nervous over the summer into this year about not getting a coach in time but a coach was hired. I love helping my teammates improve their skills and step out of their comfort zone with a complicated sport like golf. The fact is, golf is great training for life. It provides the satisfaction that comes from completing a hard course and refusing to give up no matter how hard the challenge is. That is why I made an effort to create a legacy for future women golfers who will follow behind me once I have left Phillip O. Berry with the necessary resources to play the sport we love.

There was one match this year during the golf season that stood out from all of the others I've played in my four year high-school career. Mostly because it shattered my expectations for the remainder of my final season. It started late because road construction near my home course had made the visiting team’s bus driver confused, leading to a 45 minute delay. I had already had a long day, waking up at the crack of dawn for early morning choir, only then to have multiple tests, followed by what was supposed to be a friendly 9-hole practice to prepare for the conference match in four days . I was exhausted, and the months of golf were starting to further aggravate my already painful chronic back problems. When we finally got to the tee box, I was dead on my feet, hurting all over, and ready to absolutely rock the next nine holes. As the only senior on the varsity team, my place on the conference squad was pretty much assured, but I really wanted to end my last season with a blaze of glory. My junior year, I had to miss conference because of a compacted nerve that was caused by my back problems. My sophomore year, my mildly malicious junior varsity coach took me off the roster for “not smiling enough” on the course. I felt the need to make up for years of disappointing golf by giving one-hundred-and-ten-percent the entire season. I stayed after practice most days, spending hours on the putting green and hitting hundreds of balls on the range. I also spent hours on the couch with a heating pad, trying to relieve the agonizing muscle tightness and fiery nerve pain in my back and shoulders. But that friendly match derailed my conference dreams for good. My first tee shot was a testament to my hard work, going straighter and further than I could have dreamed at the beginning of the season. I was playing great golf for the first three holes. But by the fourth, I could tell something was wrong. By the fifth, the muscles in my back were so tight that I couldn't swing the club without excruciating pain. I wasn't able to twist. My back betrayed me four days before the competition I had been preparing for all year. I knew this was the end for my season, and I was devastated. Even though I knew my high school golfing career would come to an abrupt end, I realized that this match didn't have to. I played the rest of the match. I couldn't twist, or bend, or move very fast without pain, but I finished the match anyways. My score was understandably abysmal, but I was so proud. My difficulties did not destroy my ability to persevere. Golf is a game of perseverance. Every bad shot is an opportunity to make a better one next turn. Every bad round is an opportunity to improve. Failure is a key part of golf, because it teaches us how to endure and conquer whatever challenges we face. My flare-up should have caused me to quit, but my love of the game enabled me to persist. The tenacity I learned from golf propelled me to a spot on the JV conference line-up too, and although I definitely didn't win any medals, I was able to finish my season despite my almost complete physical inability to swing correctly. I found personal success this year, because I was able to prove that my physical limitations could not hold me back. All because I learned to golf.

For me, the game of golf has been a journey of highs and lows that has taught me the value of resilience and composure—two of the most important life skills. Golf seemed to incite anger and irritation in me at first; it was a sport that brought out the worst in me. I became angrier and more impatient with each mishit, missed putt, and lost ball because it seemed like a personal failure. But as time has gone on, I've grown to understand that golf is more than simply a physical game—it's also a cerebral struggle that represents the difficulties of real life. I've managed to channel the lessons I've learnt from my golfing experiences into resilience and peace by being persistent and reflecting on them. Golf is a special kind of testing your mental toughness and patience. I had a hard time handling obstacles on the route at the beginning. A bad shot would send me into a tailspin of annoyance, impairing my judgment and performance. But as time went on, I realized that hardships are a necessary component of both life and the game. I came to terms with the fact that errors are inevitable and that obsessing over them makes matters worse. Rather, I concentrated on maintaining my composure, owning up to my mistakes, and moving on with a clear head. This change in viewpoint did not occur suddenly. It required many rounds of golf, with each one offering a unique mix of obstacles and chances for improvement. I eventually came to understand the value of resilience and mindfulness. I developed emotional self-control, turning my annoyances into drive to push through with my resolve. Instead of allowing a poor shot to end my round, I started to view every error as an opportunity to grow. My performance on the course was enhanced by this mental shift, which also had a significant positive effect on my general wellbeing. These lessons are with me now as I look forward to my time in college. The move to college can be intimidating, fraught with uncertainties and difficulties. But because of golf, I've gained the fortitude and flexibility to handle any challenge that comes my way. I'm aware that there will be challenging times, but even in situations where things appear bleak, I have faith in my capacity to remain composed. I'm going to use everything I've learned from golf to help me deal with problems in my academic, personal, and professional life in college. I'll tackle every challenge with endurance, patience, and an optimistic outlook, understanding that failures are chances for personal development. Whether I'm pursuing my goals on the golf course, managing a challenging course load, or adjusting to life away from home, my major focus will always be on maintaining my composure and fortitude in the face of difficulty. In the end, golf has taught me that mentality and attitude are just as important to success as aptitude and technique. I can handle any challenge that comes my way, on or off the course, if I maintain my composure. I'm appreciative of the lessons golf has taught me as I start this new chapter in my life and look forward to seeing where my increased resilience will take me.

There are several lessons that I have learned through golf that are useful in everyday life and in my future. Golf teaches patience, and balance with your mind and your body. Golf has also taught me that overthinking only leads to more problems. Self control over your mind and mood is definitely important. It has also taught me that just because you might make a mistake doesn’t mean that you aren’t doing well. Others make mistakes, too. You can’t tell someone’s skill set by looking at them, either. The old adage of not judging a book by its cover is very true in the game of golf. It is best just to be patient and do your personal best. You will have good games and bad games. The game of golf is very much like life itself. I have also learned a lot about life while golfing. This may not have anything to do with the act of golfing itself. It may be due to whom I practice with. I practice with 2 senior citizens who have grandkids older than me, and with two adults with kids my age. Don’t make the mistake of thinking I win often because I have age on my side. These men have experience and course knowledge on their side. On the course, there is plenty of time for talking between shots. I have gotten to hear so many of these gentleman’s stories. I would say wisdom, but some of it is just hilarious banter. Still, there is something to be said for learning from those who have blazed the trail of life before you. I don’t get any time with my own grandfather these days and it is nice having these goofy golfers in my life. My own grandfather is busy taking care of my grandmother with severe Alzheimer’s, but he had gone with me to a charity golf tournament for father’s day once. The biggest lesson that I have learned through golf is how important preparedness is. Alexander Graham Bell said, “before anything else, preparation is the key to success.” When I went to regionals with my school, I realized how important being prepared truly was. If I had not gotten there a day earlier to play the course like the others had, I would have felt more nervous and would have definitely let that get in the way of my mental game. I also had a good breakfast and went to bed at a good time. Each of these things are important in feeling prepared. Feeling prepared makes you more confident and professional, even though I had never done anything like this before. I didn’t win regionals that year, but I did feel happy with how far I had come in my first season golfing for high school. This year my school doesn’t have a team, and that does make me sad. I still golf with my buddies, and I will take the lessons learned from this experience with me my whole life.

There have been two constants throughout my life, golf and the perseverance to succeed. I was diagnosed with a life-threatening autoimmune disease called Very Severe Idiopathic Aplastic Anemia when I was six years old. Because of the disease, I underwent chemotherapy, radiation treatments, blood transfusions, two bone marrow transplants, and a stem cell boost. Because of my illness and treatments, I matured quickly for my age to adapt to what was happening to me. This growth caused me to look for a deeper understanding of the circumstances around me, such as questioning, “Why is this happening?” and “How am I going to persevere through this?” That thought process of searching beyond the face value has stuck and helped develop my character. The lesson from golf that I use in my life is determination. Since I was ten years old, I have dedicated myself to improving my golf talents and the life skills that come with it. Like my sickness, golf is a mental game requiring determination and concentration. No matter how talented I am, I will always have other obstacles to overcome, but with my perseverance, I can clear it. Whether sand traps or a blood disorder, golf has taught me that I must persevere through any challenge. My dedication to golf and determination to never give up have had the most significant impact on developing my character. Using the perseverance I learned from golf, I will apply it to the aspects of my life in the future. Determined to succeed in my academic career, I will work tirelessly to achieve my goals, no matter how challenging. I will graduate from Ringling College of Art with a distinguished portfolio and the knowledge to create an impact on my community. In the future, I plan to develop inspiring masterpieces by becoming a creative director for a leading entertainment studio. I will face any challenges I meet along the way with determination and find new innovative ways to inspire change in others. Golf has taught me a valuable lesson in perseverance that I plan on utilizing throughout my future by applying it to all aspects of my life, especially in my academic career. Golf has taught me that no matter how challenging the obstacle is, I will overcome it with perseverance. Looking back, I realize that my illness was an impactful point in my life that taught me the value of perseverance and determination and remained a guiding point in my advancements toward golf and academics. With my determination and perseverance, I can achieve success.