Kristen Holman '16 Recruiting Profile

Beginning my sports career at age eight in gymnastics gave me a firm athletic foundation.  Competing as a level 7 gymnast required twenty-five hours weekly in the gym and taught me the discipline and commitment I needed to achieve outstanding results.  This twenty-five hours did not include the amount of time it took to maintain my academic A average. I spent many nights working out at the gym only to come home with torn, bleeding hands and then work on homework until midnight!

Gymnastics is not a long-term sport and I decided I wanted to focus my efforts on a sport that I could enjoy for life.  My Dad loved to golf so in the spring of 2012, I decided to join him for a few rounds.  My Dad and I are very close and we had so much fun playing best ball that I fell in love with golf and decided to focus my efforts on becoming a great golf player.

In March 2012, I was finishing up eighth grade and try-outs for the Millbrook High School Ladies Golf team were coming up in August - only 5 short months away!  I had a lot of ground to cover in a short amount of time.  With a lot of practice and hard-work, I not only made the team, but I began my first high-school golf tournament playing the number 2 position.  It was both thrilling and nerve-racking.  There is nothing quite as exciting as standing on the first tee with a crowd of onlookers watching! 

During the 2012 season, I maintained my #2 position on the team.  At the end of the season, I qualified for regionals.  My goal for 2013, was to qualify for the Women's NC High School State Golf Championship.  At the end of regionals, I was tied with three other players with only two spots open for the state championship.  I experienced my first play off and it was intense!  On the third playoff hole at Wildwood Golf Course in Raleigh, I hit one of the best drives I've ever hit which left me a 111 yards to the green.  I hit my nine iron and stuck it about six feet from the hole.  I parred the hole and realized my goal of playing in the state championship by qualifying for one of the two open spots.  My Dad ran out and hugged me - picking up both me and my golf clubs!  It was a great moment!

I have maintained my position of second position during my high school seasons. I have now been given the position of team captain for my upcoming 2015 season. I look forward to leading and supporting my team mates to be the best golfers they can be. I am working closely with my swing coach, Erica Gonzalez, to achieve the goals I have set for my own golf career.  My parents support me in this commitment and I'm looking forward to playing in 14 Peggy Kirk Bell and Tarheel Youth golf tournaments between the end of May and the first of August.

Golf is an important part of my life and I enjoy it very much, but I also focus on academics.  I am ranked #1 in my class at Millbrook High School and I am also in the International Baccalaureate program this year.  I know that this college based curriculum will better prepare me for my first year of college. I am most comfortable in math and science classes so I see myself in some type of Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) major.  

My goal is to play competitively on a college golf team while attending a college that is very selective in their academic programs.   I hope you will consider me for both your college and your golf team.  In the meantime, I'll be working to improve my golf game and lower my scoring average during tournament play.