In second grade, Allison Yang (’25) and her friends signed up for a free golf clinic, not out of ambition, but as a joke. While her friends quickly moved on to different activities, Allison truly found her passion in golf. What started as a random decision eventually became a lifelong interest, one that has shaped her far beyond the green.  

“We signed up thinking it’d be easy, but it wasn’t,” Allison said. “They all quit, and I was the only one left. I kept going and made new friends along the way.”

For Allison, golf is more than just a sport; it’s a metaphor for life. The game has taught her resilience, a quality that extends far beyond the course. Whenever Allison meets a roadblock in life, golf has taught her the mindset that one missed shot doesn’t define the game.

“The thing about golf is that after you hit a bad shot or you have a bad hole, you still have four hours left in front of you, so it’s your choice to let it bring you down or you can recover and bounce back from your mistakes,” Allison said.

In both life and sports, Allison has learned that setbacks are inevitable, but golf has helped her to move through everyday struggles with ease. Whether in academics or personal growth, her ability to recover has grown with her golf skills. 

“The strong mental aspect of the game has helped me in everyday life, from bad grades or tests,” Allison said. “I don’t freak out as much because I know I can recover from bad moments in life, whether it be a test or friendships.”

Close friend Rithika Yamasani (’25) has seen firsthand how Allison applies her resilience to her daily life. Balancing academics with competitive golfing is no easy task, but no matter how much Allison has to manage, she always stays focused and determined to keep up with everything.

“I admire her because she really juggles a lot of her work with golf,” Rithika said. “She’s gone during the day a lot of times. She has to make up for classwork and homework and then catch up with notes and everything.”

However, Allison’s journey hasn’t been without its challenges. She has faced tough coaches who questioned her work ethic, but these experiences have only strengthened her. 

“I’ve had bad coaches along the way, but now I just laugh at it because it just shows a bad example of who I don’t want to become,” Allison said. “And looking back at my bad experiences with certain coaches, it’s helped me become a better golf mentor myself when I worked with younger children.”

While some coaches failed to support her growth, others, like head golf coach Ie Chen Cheng, recognized her strength and leadership. Through her own perseverance, Allison became a guiding force for her teammates, leading not with words, but with action. 

“She really carried and put the team on her back and said, ‘Let’s go,’ and the team followed her lead and believed in themselves,” Cheng said. “Just say, for example, her swing. You can tell she put in so many hours to perfect her swing.”

Her resilience extends beyond her own challenges. Close friend Genieve Malinen (’25) admires how Allison’s steady presence and unwavering support make her someone she can always count on, no matter the circumstances.

“She has an unshakeable character and is a strong person to rely on when needed in any circumstances, especially in a tough situation,” Genieve said. “Anytime someone’s struggling or is scared of what to do, she’ll always be there.”

Allison’s love for golf extends beyond the technical aspects of the sport, but also to the people she meets along the way. As Allison travels all over the country and plays against different opponents for tournaments, she has met many diverse kinds of people whose perspectives have broadened her own. 

“Interacting with the people from different places and listening to their ideas and beliefs, it broke a lot of stereotypes for me,” Allison said. “In Texas, this one fisherman actually paid our dinner bill. The people I interact with and their generosity really make me think that a lot of the stereotypes are completely false.”