Ava Graziano '20 Recruiting Profile
Video
Personal Statement
I am a driven, dedicated, and community-minded senior at Saint Joseph Hill Academy High School in Staten Island, New York. I am interested in securing a spot on a collegiate golf team when I graduate in 2020. I've been a starting player on my high school's Varsity Golf Team all four years (freshman #3, sophomore #2, junior and senior #1 position). I've been team captain since junior year. My team won the 2018 Catholic High School Athletic Association girls' championship on May 30, 2018. I received the CHSAA Tom Conway Coach's Award in 2018 and the Most Valuable Player Award in 2019.
I was recently named "2019 Player of the Year" by the Staten Island Golf Association, earning this title for the second year in a row (2018). I won the Staten Island Junior Amateur Championship held at Richmond County Country Club for two years in a row, in the summers following freshman (2017) and sophomore (2018) years. I also recently won the girls' title in the 2019 (and 2018) Annual Bob Lowney Memorial Junior Tournament, the 2019 Jody Classic Memorial Tournament, the 2019 Kiwanis Junior Tournament, and the 2019 Staten Island Chamber of Commerce Invitational Tournament.
This year for the first time I competed in the Staten Island Women's Golf Association Women's Amateur Tournament and was runner-up in their Championship Flight.
I was "Player of the Year" in 2016, 2017, and 2018 at Making the Turn Golf Academy. I competed in multiple MetPGA tournaments and came in second place at the event held at Rockaway Hunting Club in 2017. Over the past few years I have pursued more competitive golf opportunities, including the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA), which involved travel to tournaments in Florida, Philadelphia and New Jersey.
My academics are strong and I take a rigorous load of honors and AP classes at my college-preparatory high school. My time management skills allow me to balance my academics, golf practices, and extra-curricular activities. In addition, I share my talents by volunteering with Making The Turn Golf Academy's special needs and wheelchair-bound children, teaching them the basic skills of golf.
I believe I would be a valuable addition to a collegiate golf team, both personally and based on my skills, and I look forward to the opportunity to speak with college coaches about the potential to train and play as part of their team.
Athletics
High School Information
- Years w/ Varsity
- 4 years
- 2020 Varsity Team
- 2019 Varsity Team
Individual Awards
- Captain, MVP
- 2018 Varsity Team
Individual Awards
- Coach's Award
Team Awards
- Conference Champs, CHSAA Champions
- 2017 Varsity Team
Team Awards
- Conference 3rd Place
Coach References
- High School Head Coach
- James Garin
- Private Coach
- Carolyn McKenzie Andrews
- Private Coach
- Joe Sanchez
- Private Coach
- Paul Kaster
Events
- Camp/Event
- Staten Island Junior Amateur Championship
- 8/18/18 to 8/19/18
- I am the reigning Staten Island Junior Amateur Champion from 2017 and 2018. I was the top seed from this year's qualifier that took place on Thursday, August 9, 2018. On Saturday, August 18, 2018 I played in the semi-final round and Sunday, August 19, 2018 was the final championship match, which I won 3 and 2.
- Camp/Event
- The Bob Lowney Junior Tournament
- 8/14/18 to 8/14/18
- This is an annual tournament open to juniors ages 14-18.
- Camp/Event
- 2018 NYC Mayor's Cup Golf Tournament
- 6/04/18 to 6/04/18
- I was the top Catholic High School Athletic Association placer and won 5th place overall at this tournament.
- Camp/Event
- CHSAA championship
- 5/30/18 to 5/30/18
- My team, St. Joseph Hill, won the championship match. I played the #2 position and won my match 3 and 2.
- Camp/Event
- MetPGA Junior Future Series
- 5/12/18 to 5/13/18
- Future series 2 day tournament.
- Camp/Event
- AJGA preview series
- 5/04/18 to 5/06/18
- Camp/Event
- Catholic High Schools Athletic Association - Match Play - St. Joseph Hill vs. Bishop Kearney
- 4/09/18 to 4/09/18
- This was the first match of my high school season. St. Joseph Hill is an all girls high school. High school matches typically begin about 4pm, with boys' teams teeing off before girls' teams. Played #2 position, won 6 and 3.
- Camp/Event
- 2018 AJGA Qualifier Series - TeensGiv.org Girls Junior All-Star presented by the Spinnaker Foundation
- 3/28/18 to 3/28/18
- This is my first AJGA event.
Training
- NYC Jr. Golf Club, CityParksFoundation, Making the Turn Golf Academy, Met PGA, AJGA
- 10 years
- I started playing golf with NYC Jr. Golf Club, based in Staten Island, New York in 2008 at age 6. This organization offered group golf instruction and course play each week at 4 local golf courses in the spring and summer. I began in PeeWee Division and progressed to Flight B by 2015, winning numerous awards and club championships through those years for each flight. I also took lessons at CityParksFoundation Junior Golf Center in Brooklyn, New York from about 2008 to present, progressing through each level of classes until I became a member of the Academy Team in 2017 and in 2018. In 2016, the summer before starting high school, I joined Making The Turn Golf Academy to broaden my playing experience and level of competition. This group plays more challenging courses and expanded my reach from Staten Island to courses in New Jersey, both public and private. In 2017 to present, I remain with this club and in 2017 and 2018 I joined MetPGA and in 2018 I joined AJGA to further expand my experience and grow as a golfer.
- Private lessons with Carolyn McKensie Andrews, Director of Golf at Forsgate Country Club.
- 3 years
- Carolyn mostly worked with me on my drive.
- Private lessons with Joe Sanchez at CityParksFoundation Junior Golf Center Brooklyn, New York
- 2 years
- We work on swing plane and short game.
- Paul Kaster Golf Academy
- 1 year
- Working with K-Coach technology, a bio-mechanical swing analysis system.
Statistics
| Statistic | 2018 Varsity Team |
|---|---|
| Handicap | 10.5 |
| 18 Hole Avg. | 84 (Last 10 scores) |
| 18 Hole Low | 79 - South Shore Golf Course, Staten Island, NY |
| 9 Hole Low | 38 - Front 9 at Richmond County Country Club, Staten Island, NY |
| Putts per 18 | 35 |
| Sand Save Pct. | 90% |
| Longest Drive | 235 |
Academics
Grades
Test Scores
High School Information
Academic Accomplishments
Are you in honor classes?
Yes. 2016-17 Honors: Biology, Math, English, Global Studies 2017-18 Honors: Chemistry, Math (Geometry/Trig), British Literature 2018-19 Honors: Math (Trig/Calculus) 2019-20 Honors: Economics, TheologyAre you in AP/IB classes?
Yes. 2017-18 AP European History 2018-19 AP Art History 2019-20: AP Government, AP Literature and CompositionRegistered with the NCAA Eligibility Center?
YesAwards and Activities
- AwardsNational Honor Society 2018-present Language Honors Society 2018-present
- ActivitiesStaten Island Ballet Conservatory Company member, Drama Club - Treasurer and Dance Captain, American Cancer Society Club, Cuisine Club - Secretary, Trashbusters Club, French Club, Italian Club, FOSI - Friends of Staten Island Superdance executive committee member, Math League, Special Olympics - Executive
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