Casey Shearer is a business accounting major who plays golf for the Walla Walla University team. His experience of what it’s like to be a full-time student and play university golf is worth your appreciation. Shearer dedicates 10 hours per week to golfing, including two practices and playing 18 holes every Sunday. He has full concentration and commitment when it comes to playing golf.

Golf season occurs in both spring and fall, and all golf tournaments are 3-8 hours away from WWU. Sometimes, traveling requires skipping classes and results in missing lecture material. However, in Shearer’s experience, professors are always understanding, but will never reduce the workload simply because the student is an athlete.

Being part of the University golf team makes players feel more accountable because they “represent the school” and wear gear with University emblems. [1] In a sense, Shearer is a WWU ambassador among golf players beyond College Place. When the team is traveling, people see the bus with the university name, as well as the gear players are wearing, resulting in more responsibility from players.

When asked what Shearer likes the most about playing golf for the university, he mentioned that the team gets to practice at “one of the nicest golf courses” in the state of Washington and “play for free, unlimited range.” [2] When asked what his least favorite part is, Shearer pointed out how outside factors such as weather can affect individual performance.

Shearer helped us understand what it takes to be a full-time student and play golf for the University team. We often see each other and have little appreciation of how someone like Shearer contributes to college life by representing the university beyond its campus. It is good to know people like student athletes who make such a contribution. Let’s be proud of those who represent our University and wish them luck this year. Go Wolves!

References

1. Interview with Casey Searer, October 18, 2022.

2. Ibid.