Q: What are your favorite classes?
A: Higher level math and chemistry.
Q: Do you have an interest in science as a career?
A: I’m thinking of majoring in engineering.
Q: Are you involved in extra curricular activities?
A: Chamber orchestra.
Q: What do you play?
A: Viola.
Q: When did you start?
A: I started playing in fifth grade.
Q: Do you have a piece of music that features viola?
A: Last spring, I played in the master works concert and played a viola concerto, Beethoven’s Romance No. 2.
Q: You’ve been named as a Scholastic Junior All-American by the American Junior Golf Association. How did you become interested in golf?
A: I started playing when I was about 8 years old. My dad had been teaching my older brother how to golf. I always wanted to do what my older brother did so I also started golfing. I would go to Harbour Pointe Golf Club to practice. But now I practice at the Mill Creek Country Club.
Q: What’s your practice schedule each week?
A: Six days a week after school. I go straight to the golf course to practice and then on the weekends I practice.
Q: What do you do to keep up with your sport in fall and winter?
A: My golf teacher told me I can handle an hour in the rain. So sometimes I practice for an hour or hour and half in the rain. Other days I go to a covered driving range so you can practice in bad weather.
Q: Why does golf appeal to you?
A: For me, it’s the feeling of walking onto fairway and the calm serenity out there; also the competition in the golf tournaments.
Q: So how are competitions organized?
A: During the summer, (by) the American Junior Golf Association tournament and also the Washington Junior Golf Association tournaments. For the past three summers, I’ve won in my age group, and last year won overall in the Washington Junior Golf Association.
Q: How did the American Junior Golf Association find out about you?
A: I had to place in the top five during tournaments and then was eligible to apply with a transcript, test scores and an essay about golf. I received this award last year also and got it again this year.
Q: What did you say in the essay?
A: I talked about significance of how the volunteers help you realize how much fun golf is. That’s why I play golf, to enjoy the tournaments and competitions.
Q: How did you get over being nervous and learn to enjoy competitions?
A: Of course I’m nervous for that first shot. But I really love the competition. The past two years when I won … There’s always people watching. I found it exciting to play in front of people and the pressure. I actually enjoy that. It makes me play better.
Q: Do you plan on pursuing golf on a college team?
A: Yes. Right now I’m talking to some colleges: the University of Southern California, Notre Dame, Brown University and the University of Pennsylvania. So I have a spot on each of those teams. I visited those schools, and I’m trying to decide which school to go to.
Q: In addition, do they have to have good engineering schools, too?
A: They’re all great academic schools.
Q: Are you involved in any community activities?
A: No, golf takes up a lot of my time. Also I’m in the International Baccalaureate program, studying about four hours a night. I enjoy studying and I figured that this will really be worth it in the long run. I’ll get college credit. It’s good preparation for the workload I’ll get in college.
Q: Have you thought about joining the women’s professional tour when finish college?
A: Yes. I’ll see how college golf goes. I want to turn pro, but my backup plan will be engineering
Q: Not a bad back up plan, huh?
A: Yeah!
Sharon Salyer: 425-339-3486 or salyer@heraldnet.com
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