WALKER VALLEY GOLFER Courtney Young, seated center, has signed to play golf with the Tennessee Wesleyan College Lady Bulldogs. Seated with the young golfer are her father, David, and mother, Carol. Also attending Thursday’s signing ceremony at the high school were, back row from left, Walker Valley athletic director Mike Turner, Tennessee Wesleyan women’s golf coach Jeff Rick, Walker Valley golf coach Bob Williams, Walker Valley assistant golf coach Monty Frazier and Walker Valley Principal Danny Coggin. Banner photo, LARRY C. BOWERS
Walker Valley senior Courtney Young signed with the Lady Bulldogs at a ceremony at the high school. Rice then returned to Athens to prepare his team for this week’s NAIA National Tournament at Link Hills Golf and Country Club in Greeneville.
Wesleyan won the regular-season title and conference tournament to advance to the Nationals.
Young was a standout for Walker Valley coach Bob Williams, and plans to continue her education and golfing career for the Lady Bulldogs.
She said at Thursday’s ceremony that she may study business or marketing at Wesleyan, but has not really made that decision yet.
She hopes to get in some tournament action this summer to prepare for her first year with the Lady Bulldogs.
Asked about how she decided on Wesleyan, she said, “I know most of the girls on the team and coach Rice is very friendly and helpful.”
Williams said he is pleased Young decided to attend his old school. “It seems like only yesterday that Courtney came in as a freshman,” he said. “She’s come a long way (in golf).
Young’s parents, David and Carol Young, are pleased that their daughter decided to attend a school close to home. They are anticipating attending some of the Wesleyan matches, and Courtney and her father play golf together regularly.
Young said she considered some other colleges, like Coastal Georgia and Berry, before deciding to attend Wesleyan.
The Lady Mustangs’ golfer said she had her ups and downs this season, but that her game is slowly coming around. She said she made some swing changes that didn’t work out all that well.
Young plans to spend some time working on her golf game before reporting to the Lady Bulldogs this fall.
