Golfer
finds success far from home
By Jack Schneider
On-line Forty-Niner
Balancing
athletics and a full semester’s load, while
living thousands of miles from home can
be hard for almost anyone.
 Freshman
Haley Wilkinson, a member of the Long Beach
State women’s golf team has done just that,
and she admits that it has not been easy.
“I was really homesick in the beginning
of the semester,” Wilkinson said. “I had
assignments and exams and it was hard since
I have been out of school for three years.”
Now that Wilkinson has had some time to
adjust to the semester, as well as life
outside of her homeland of Bargara, Australia,
49ers Coach Sue Ewart said that Haley is
doing a good job at being a student athlete.
“She stepped up to the plate like I thought
she would,” Ewart said.
While on the green, Wilkinson keeps herself
motivated each day making sure she practices
hard and competes well.
“Haley has been pretty motivated her whole
life,” Ewart added.
Currently, Wilkinson is ranked No. 238 in
the nation with a 75.5 shooting average,
but said she believes she can drop the score
by two strokes.
Recently, Wilkinson was named Big West Female
Golf Athlete of the Week on Oct. 24 by conference
officials for tying for seventh place at
the Edean Ihlanfeldt Invitational.
Wilkinson has been swinging a club ever
since she was 11, and took it seriously
when she was 15, competing in tournaments
in Brisbane, Australia, for two years.
Competing as a 49er, Wilkinson said that
Ewart has been very helpful in guiding her
in collegiate tournaments.
“The coach is a legend,” Wilkinson said.
“She is really supportive, and I know how
hard it is to get international players
with financial strings, but she has made
every opportunity happen for me.”
One of Haley’s teammates, freshman Jenny
Chang said that she enjoys having Wilkinson
on the team.
“She is a big time support for our team,”
Chang said.
Off the green, Wilkinson said she enjoys
relaxing when she find the chance, and keeping
in touch with her family through sending
e-mail.
Overall, Wilkinson said that she enjoys
the resources of the university, the support
from her team and the opportunity to compete
at the college level.
“I love the golf the facilities,” Wilkinson
said. “As long as we practice in the off
season, stay focused and work hard we should
be really good.”
In the future, Wilkinson hopes to go into
sports marketing and work with sports stars
and models.
Right now, Wilkinson said she wants to keep
her concentration on the golf course and
remain a student athlete.
“It has been a roller coaster ride,” Wilkinson
said. “I really struggled on the green.
If you’re not focused, the green is going
to show it.”
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