The mind therefore plays an important role in performance, resilience, and overall well-being. I have always had an interest in the field of mental health, particularly in sports psychology, because I really believe that the power of our minds can unlock so much of our potential and help them overcome many barriers. Athletes are just like any other person, facing their own unique challenges, whether it be performance anxiety, injury recovery, or even trying to negotiate the demands of competition. I would wish to pursue this degree in mental health so as to enable sportspeople to pursue successful careers both on and off the field, finding balance and being at their best every day. Having been an elite athlete myself, I can personally attest to how influential mental health is on individuals, good and not so good. Coming from playing elite lacrosse most of my life until having to over come a concussion at the end of my career my senior year, made me feel so confused and lost. Sports were something that occupied so much of my identity when growing up, something that was taken away just with one hit. And I was crushed, not only physically but also mentally. It is from this personal transformation in mental health support that the inspiration to assist other athletes through such a journey for others was achieved. Sports psychology combines two of my biggest interests: human behavior and athletic performance. And it is staggering how much these athletes are so honed into training for being the best in their respective fields. Many of them forget about the mental perspective of their performance. The big goal is educating athletes on how to train their mental skills while being able to advocate for them when they cannot do so for themselves. This way, I believe I can make a difference with athletes at all levels by becoming a sports psychologist. Accordingly, I would like to contribute to building up the self-confidence of athletes, their ability to manage stress, and help them handle setbacks that may occur in their career. In addition, with already professional athletes, I would like to enable them to sustain focus for moments of high stress and further help them transition from being an athlete. I would love to work not only one on one with athletes but also with teams to enhance their team culture and group dynamic. As a sport psychologist, I am committed to fostering mental health awareness in the greater sports community. The stigma associated with mental health often prevents athletes from seeking help. I would like to make seeking mental health support the hallmark of a well-rounded successful athlete by making conversations about mental health normalized and resources accessible. This is my vision for creating an environment in which athletes will thrive-not just because they medal, but because they learn resilience, emotional intelligence, and a sense of purpose. Pursuing a degree in mental health from a sports psychology perspective is not about career aspirations but rather about the meaningful contributions to be made in individuals' lives. I want to be able to equip athletes with the tools necessary to defeat all mental challenges, accomplishing full goals and inspiring the same in others.

Golf is a sport that captivates me for various reasons, most notably its unique blend of mental and physical challenges. The game requires not only technical skill but also strategic thinking and emotional resilience. Each round presents an opportunity for self-improvement, as I strive to refine my swing or lower my score. The tranquil environment of the golf course provides a serene backdrop that allows me to escape the pressures of daily life, fostering a sense of peace and focus that is often hard to find in our fast-paced world. Golf also gives me a much needed connection with my family. Growing up on the golf course, I have been able to learn the game from my grandfather who is the most passionate golfer I have had the pleasure to know. Since his passing I have been able to teacher my younger cousins everything he taught me and help grow there love and passion for golf. The game of golf has helped my family grow closer and create bonds and memories that we would never of had if it was not for this sport. As a female golfer, however, I have encountered several different challenges that have tested my determination and commitment to the game of golf. A significant hurdle that has been a problem for so many female golfers is overcoming societal stereotypes that often undermine women's capabilities in a traditionally male-dominated sports like golf. Early in my golfing journey, I faced skepticism regarding my skills and potential from both peers and instructors alike. This external perception sometimes led to self-doubt, making it difficult to fully embrace my passion qnd drive for the game. Despite these obstacles, I have worked diligently to build resilience and confidence on the course and make sure other female golfers always felt supported on the course, no matter there skill level. Being able to surround myself with high school teammates, and other supportive and encouraging female golfers has made an instrumental difference in this process; they provide me with some much needed encouragement and together we can share valuable experiences that resonate with all of our own journey. Through perseverance and practice, I have transformed initial setbacks and have taken them as an opportunity to grow. Today, I take pride not only in my individual achievements but also in being part of a movement that encourages greater inclusivity within the game of golf. I can not wait to see the were the future of women's golf takes us.

The saying “it takes a whole town to raise your kids” is true. Especially in my hometown, was born and raised in Clayton, Ohio a small town just south of Dayton. A little town that not many people know about unless you lived around the area. Growing up I never understood how small of a town Clayton really was, probably because my high school was built up of five different town that neighbored each other. Still everyone who grew up around here have parents who met when they were in high school together and have been together ever since. A school where almost every one of your teachers graduated from there or one of our neighboring schools. During my childhood I always dreamed about getting out of my town and living in a big city, now that I am a senior in high school I learn how much living in a small town gives you. I have spent seventeen years of my life learning from people ho also spent their whole lives in the same town. I learned discipline and how to put my best foot forward from my high school lacrosse coaches. I learned how to care and be their for people from my middle and high school choir teacher. I learned how to have a work ethic and to give back from my bosses of our small town custard shop and pool. Everyone I have met in my town has given me a piece of knowledge in some way shape or form. My childhood hometown built me into who I am today. As I decided on where I want to go to school next year I look for characteristics that are in Clayton. A place with a community who is ready to give back to others no matter what the cause is. A school that has the most pride for there school. I am proud to come from my hometown and would never trade it for the world. Next year as I go to college I want to get a education to help people. I want to give mental health help and recourse to anyone who can not afford it on there own. Mental health is a huge problem in our country and there has always been a huge stigma around it. In the future, i hope to help end the stigma around mental health especially in males and in athletes. I wanna be able to give back to people the same way my hometown has always with out a fail has gives back to our community.

In college I plan to study sport and exercise psychology. I have always wanted to work in the sports world ever since I was a little kid. Growing up both of my parents worked in sports, my father was a football coach and my mother was an athletic trainer, my whole life was surrounded by sports. I found my love for psychology through a class I took in high school. This class taught me my love to serve and give back to others. I have always been interested in how are brain works and how we make the decision we make every day. I know I will be prepared for my future because I will be able to work in a field I have always wanted to and be able to prove that women can work in the world of sports. I have played golf ever since I was five years old. It was my families way to connect and spend time with each other. Growing up we would spend hours at our local driving range, my parents, three brothers, my grandparents and I would always go together. My Grandfather is the person who showed me my love for the sport. It is what always brought us together. I played golf all four years on my schools varsity team and was team captain my junior and senior year. My favorite part about high school golf was about how it was just as much a team sport as it was a individual one. In high school, golf become my escape from reality. The golf course became my favorite place, a place I could go and escape from any problems I had going on. Golf taught me how to have passion, be a leader, and be patient. Lastly I am very passionate about my studies. I have always worked hard and put a lot of focus on my school work. Every year I handled a tough course work with many AP, honors, and CCP classes. Currently I have a 3.66 GPA that I have been able to manage through ,multiple jobs, two sports, and many different extracurriculars and volunteer opportunities. In high school I was a member of our schools honor society and a four year scholar athlete. I hope this essay shows how I am a dedicated student and golfer and how I would be a good candidate for the Samuel D. Hartley Memorial Scholarship.

When asked why I love golf, many things come to mind. I love the mental challenges that come with the game, and the unpredictability. I love how you will never play a hole the same way anytime you play it. Every round is different from one another. I also love the community that comes with golf, especially when it comes to high school golf. I joined the high school team the summer before freshman year. I had very little knowledge when it came to the game. I walked into summer practice with two other freshmen who wanted to join the team as well. It was prime COVID-19 time and I had just lost the one person who taught me what I knew about golf, my grandfather, he always wanted me to play golf in high school. Try-outs that year I was lucky enough to make varsity. That first season flew by, I learned that I loved the game and wanted to put the work in to get better. From the end of freshman season to the beginning of sophomore year I put the work in to get better. Late night range session and hours spent on the green perfecting my short game. That season I dropped my average score by ten strokes and finished the season as our team's number two varsity player. By the time I hit junior year, I loved the game but I was yet to understand the importance of a community. That season we gained six new players, these girls became my sisters. But most importantly they taught me the importance of being a leader. To be a role model for them both on the course and in the classroom. The Northmont girls golf team also gained a new coach, Coach Lemmon. He was the first coach who consistently pushed me to become better on the course and was always a text away when I needed help. That season was the best season the girl's golf program had seen in years. I was so excited for senior year and all that was going to come. That last season came and left faster than any other season. This was the first season I learned the heartbreak of golf. Losing close matches that freshman year would have never taught we would have a single chance to win. Sectionals were what truly taught me how much heartbreak golf could cause. That match the team came in fifth place by ten strokes. Ten strokes is what determined the end of my high school golf career. I remember walking off that course knowing I could have done better. All five of us thought that, especially the three seniors knowing we would never play as a thunderbolt ever again. That day felt like my whole world was over. All the work I had put into this sport for the past four years felt like it was for nothing. As much heartbreak that day brought, I needed to remind myself about how much I loved golf. The feeling of the ball leaving the tee after a good drive, sinking a long putt, or hitting a solid iron shot. That golf brought me a family of girls and two wonderful coaches who I know will be in my life forever.

I enjoy golf for many different reasons, I love the mental challenges that come with the game, and the unpredictability. I love how every round is different from one another. I also love the community that comes with golf. As a female golfer, there have definitely been some struggles over the years. Playing a sport that is heavily played by men can sometimes be a struggle but the most struggles I have felt over the years are ones that are common among all female athletes, and even male athletes. When it comes to golf, I have always been hard on myself. I believed every shot had to be perfect and that I needed to shoot well every single round or I would have let my whole entire team down. I was only a sophomore at this point and was my first true season on varsity. No matter how many times my varsity coach told me to just have fun and it does not matter how I play, I would always punish myself for a bad round. That season I fell into a rabbit hole, I could not play a single round without feeling like I was going to throw up because I had so much anxiety that I was going to play badly. If I had a bad round I would feel like I did not deserve to eat or be on the team. Thankfully I was blessed to have a coach who would always keep a close eye on me. She taught me that season that it truly didn't matter if I played badly and that it is okay to be hard on myself but only to a certain level. We learning curve every season together from that point on. She showed me the love I had forgotten I had for golf. My junior season of high school taught me how much I loved the community that comes with being a female in golf. That season we gained six new players, these girls became my sisters. But most importantly they taught me the importance of being a leader. To be a role model for them both on the course and in the classroom. That season was the best season the girls' golf program has seen in years. I was so excited for senior year and all that was going to come. That last season came and left faster than any other season. This was the first season I learned the heartbreak of golf. Losing close matches that freshman year would have never taught we would have a single chance to win. Sectionals were what truly taught me how much heartbreak golf could cause. That match the team came in fifth place by ten strokes. Ten strokes is what determined the end of my high school golf career. I remember walking off that course knowing I could have done better. All five of us thought that, especially the three seniors knowing we would never play as a thunderbolt ever again. That day felt like my whole world was over. All the work I had put into this sport for the past four years felt like it was for nothing. As much heartbreak that day brought, I needed to remind myself about how much I loved golf. The feeling of the ball leaving the tee after a good drive, sinking a long putt, or hitting a solid iron shot. That golf brought me a family of girls and two wonderful coaches who I know will be in my life forever.