There is a lot of time and effort that athletes invest so that they are at their best when they compete. It is always a great feeling when they are able to see their hard work and training pay off. As a golfer, Peyton Sunderland spends a lot of time practicing on the course. She says that there is a certain achievement that stands out for her.
“The highlight moment for me so far has been at the Weatherford tournament this year when I got my first two birdies in a tournament,” said Sunderland. “But I know that I need to keep working on my game. The thing that motivates me is to someday beat my dad in at least one round of golf.”
Peyton is a sophomore at Woodward High School. Along with playing golf for the Boomers, she is also a manager on the basketball team and a member of the student council.
There are those in Sunderland’s life that have had an impact on her and helped her get to where she is.
“I would say the biggest role model I have is my older brother Conner Sunderland,” she said. “Not only has he shaped my love for the sport, but he is also the one that would drag me out to the golf course and make me want to get better. In the classroom, the teacher who has had the biggest influence on me is my first grade teacher, Mrs. Clement. She showed me that you can find joy in anything that you do.”
The teammates that she competes alongside have also helped Peyton to become a better golfer and a better person.
“I enjoy working with Cheyenne Semmel at practice because she can always get me out of my bad moods,” she said. “The least appreciated player on my team would have to be Madelyn Castor. Not only does she put in the extra time needed to succeed, but she is only a freshman and is already showing so much potential.”
