High school has a way of throwing a kid into the deep end. One minute you’re stepping into your first classes as a freshman, the next you’re surrounded by new routines, new rules, and the curious contraption known as the Yondr bag—a pouch designed to hold a teenager’s most prized possession: the cell phone. For some, that’s a cruel and unusual punishment. For Anslee West, it was just one more new thing to figure out.
But instead of just adjusting to the rhythm of high school, Anslee did something most of us wouldn’t dare—she shouldered her clubs, walked out onto the course at Western Hills, and represented Christian County as the lone female Colonel golfer. Alone. Just her against two other teams packed with seasoned juniors and seniors who’ve been there before and have the competitive edge of experience.
The results? Well, they didn’t go Anslee’s way. But here’s the thing—results aren’t the whole story. The story is about a freshman who didn’t flinch. A freshman who had the guts to tee it up with players who’ve already logged more years and more matches. A freshman who showed Colonel pride in the face of long odds.
That’s not failure—that’s courage. And courage, in any form, is worth celebrating.
Anslee may not have walked away with the lowest score, but she walked away with something far more important: experience. She learned what it feels like to compete at that level. She learned how to carry herself on the course when the eyes are on her and her alone. And she learned that sometimes pride isn’t in the numbers—it’s in the showing up.
So here’s to Anslee West. A freshman who took on her first week of high school and her first golfing challenge . The record books might not remember the score, but the rest of us? We’ll remember the courage.
And if this is how she starts, well—I can’t wait to see where she finishes over the next four years.
COMMENTS