Payton Dunahee '21 Recruiting Profile

I have aways loved sports, and I first fell in love with golf when I was 11 years old.  I spent most of each summer playing at the local golf course, and I feel like I have improved each year.  My main goal entering high school was to earn a spot on the varsity golf team, and I accomplished that as a freshman.  I had quite a few ups and downs throughout the course of my first varsity season, and it helped me grow both as a competitor and as a person.  I learned that a golf match, as well as life,  does not go as expected at times, and that I needed to be able to adjust and cope with adversity during those times.  

I was fortunate enough to have a great group of upperclassmen as mentors during my freshman and sophomore years.  My freshman season, our number one golfer took me under his wing, and modeled to me the way in which to conduct myself both on and off the golf course.  The wisdom and experience that these players showed me was probably the most valuable gift that I could have ever received, and now one of my main goals is to pay that gift forward, and be the leader and positive example to our team for the next two years.  

I believe that my confidence and skills have progressed immensely from my freshman season to my sophomore season, and I want to take my game to the next level for my final two competitive high school years.  I earned all conference and all area honors both seasons, as well as taking first place in our regional tournament my sophomore year.  My goal was to compete in the state tournament this year, and I missed that opportunity by 1 stroke.  While that finish still stings in my soul, I am using it as a motivation to improve my game to the level of making the state tournament next year, and being one of the top golfers in the state.  I have learned the the difference between success and failure can be razor thin, and can be measured in 1 bad stroke, 1 wayward drive, 1 bad club selection, or 1 misread putt.  I am dedicating my spring and summer to make sure that I have done everything in my power to achieve my goals, and know in my heart that I am doing everything possible to have the success that I have envisioned this upcoming season.

I feel that I have the skills needed to compete at the college level, and I am looking to find a school that is a good fit for me, both athletically and academically.  I am interested in pursuing some type of business degree, and hope to connect with a program and coach that will challenge me and prepare me to help the program succeed, and become a successful student and teammate along the way.  My parents have taught me that my spiritual and family values and relationships are the most important keys to success in my life.  I feel that the personal relationships that I will have with my coaches and teammates is the most fundamental base for success in college, and that is what I hope to find, wherever my journey takes me.