I Dented the Golf Shed My First Week of Practice

Growing up, soccer was always my thing.

I started dance and soccer around the same time when I was little, but soccer quickly became the sport that stuck. I did t-ball for about five minutes too, but let’s just say I was more interested in drawing shapes in the dirt with my cleats than actually paying attention to the game.

To this day, I regret quitting dance because the older I get, the more I realize I have absolutely no rhythm.

As I got older, I became weirdly stubborn about trying new things, especially with sports.

With soccer, I had spent years doing club trainings, ODP programs, and constantly being around the sport, so by middle school I had convinced myself that if you didn’t start a sport young, there was no way you’d ever be as good as everyone else.

My parents really wanted me to play basketball in sixth grade for a family friend’s team, and I remember going to one practice, watching everyone run plays, and immediately deciding basketball was not for me.

In hindsight, everyone else was learning too.

But at the time, I think I was scared of being uncomfortable, looking awkward, and not being good right away.

Then in eighth grade, I finally decided to try something different and joined track.

I was nervous at first, but I ended up loving it and doing pretty well.

And honestly, that should’ve been my sign to stop overthinking everything and just try things.

Fast forward to sophomore year of high school when a few of my soccer teammates decided to join the golf team “for fun.”

And by “for fun,” I mostly meant that we knew golf was hard but thought it would be entertaining to make fun of each other while attempting to play it.

Well… golf humbled me immediately.

The first week of practice, I somehow swung the club so far back that I dented the shed overhang at the driving range.

They even made me sign my name with a Sharpie next to the dent.

I wonder if it’s still there.

After a week of practice, I was fully prepared to quit because there was absolutely no way I was about to embarrass myself playing at courses like Pumpkin Ridge while people calmly golfed beside me like they actually knew what they were doing.

Meanwhile, I was just hoping I made contact with the ball.

But I stuck with it.

Was I good?

Absolutely not.

Did I play terrible in tournaments sometimes?

For sure.

But I also ended up making some of the best memories.

Driving to matches with friends.

Laughing at how bad we all were.

Getting tan during practice.

Competing in something completely outside my comfort zone.

And somehow, by senior year, I even earned a varsity letter.

Before anyone gets too impressed, I’m pretty sure every senior gets one.

But still.

Now being the oldest of four kids, I try to encourage my younger siblings to try as many things as they can while they have the chance. My youngest sister does soccer, basketball, track, and volleyball. My brother does basketball, baseball, football, and even went to a wrestling camp that was completely outside his comfort zone.

I love seeing them be open to trying new things in ways I wasn’t always willing to be at their age.

You might end up being really good at it.

You might discover something you genuinely love.

You might put a dent in a golf shed.

Or you might just walk away knowing you're capable of a lot more than you thought.

But either way, I think there’s something really rewarding about being willing to step outside your comfort zone and experience something new.

It's funny how some of the things we almost talk ourselves out of end up becoming some of our favorite memories, friendships, and experiences.