After years of dedication, varsity athlete Harper Szpur has committed to Walla Walla University to play golf at a collegiate level.
She has been on PGHS’s team since her sophomore year, but her love of the sport started long before that. Szpur was first introduced to golf when she was in sixth grade, and since then her passion for the game has only grown. Throughout her many years playing golf, Szpur made changes like switching from playing right handed to lefty, demonstrating her adaptability as an athlete. However, Szpur is not just adaptable, she has also repeatedly proven her commitment to the sport by practicing 4+ hours every day in the summer.
Playing a varsity sport in high school presents many challenges, but Szpur says that meeting new people and developing self discipline is a big part of what makes golf so enjoyable. In reference to overcoming her own obstacles, she says that, “I’ve learned how to be patient with myself throughout the years and [learned] how to bounce back after a bad shot/hole.”
What inspired her to commit to Walla Walla University was a desire to play golf collegiately but simultaneously receive a quality education. Szpur hopes to pursue a career in dentistry, and WWU provides an opportunity to grow in the field. After college, she plans to return to California and continue a dentistry program that is connected between WWU and a California dental school. Committing to a college for athletics requires a level of determination that few students are able to achieve, but Szpur says that high school athletes looking at playing at a more serious level should prioritize academics, stating, “at the end of the day, no matter how good you are at your sport, coaches still look at your grades”. She also reminds students that if they want to play their sport in college, they need to work consistently and make time for practice.
With Szpur’s athletic ability and mindset, it’s without question that her next four years at Walla Walla University will hold unforgettable memories and big achievements.
