Jackson Bakeberg '20 Recruiting Profile

I was 11-years-old when I started to swing a golf club, riding along on the golf cart with my dad and his friends; watching them play. Not long after that, I was golfing by myself everyday.  I began to learn the game when my dad would drop me off in the morning on his way to work at our hometown nine-hole golf club. Those long days at the course taught me a lot about golf and myself.  Golf has taught me to be self-motivated,  the value of hard work, how to set personal goals, and how to remain even-tempered during a round.  I have never taken a lesson from an instructor; the long days at the course always presented  opportunities to teach myself.   

I would make a good candidate because I am very passionate about everything I do and always challenge myself to be better. I am a very coachable athlete and appreciate guidance and mentorship from my coaches.   One thing that sets me apart from other recruits was my upbringing. From the time I was two-years-old, through age 17, my parents fostered troubled youth within our home.  This gave me the opportunity to be raised alongside children who were not as fortunate as me, and the experience opened my eyes to the the world at a very young age.  This experience has strengthened my ability to make progress in the sport of golf because of the mental nature of the game. After a bad round of golf, instead of dwelling as I reflect on my game, I instead realize there is so much more to life than just one bad day on the golf course. It helps me to reflect and make progress. 

My goals for college are not just to have a successful golf career, but to obtain a bachelor's degree in business.  The challenge of running a business is similar to the challenges presented on the golf course and I am excited for the challenge.