TQL former college athletes spotlight: Chelsea
Being a college athlete takes hard work and determination, and Total Quality Logistics counts many of these standouts as team members. We share their stories in this new feature.
When Chelsea S.’s uncle, a golf pro at a Kentucky country club, suggested she pursue high school golf, she followed his advice.
“My uncle has been in the golf industry for close to 30 years. He said, ‘Chelsea, there are so many golf scholarships that go unused. You should get into golf.’ I decided to give it a try,” said Chelsea, a TQL Senior Corporate Recruiter.
She’ll be the first to say that her freshman season was, well, forgettable.
“I wasn’t good,” Chelsea said, laughing. “But I wanted to get good.”
The more she played, the better she became. She carded scores so low by her junior year that colleges began recruiting her. Fueled by her competitive streak and determination, Chelsea earned a scholarship to play golf at Midway University in Kentucky.
She played even better in the NAIA program. In fact, Chelsea made the five-person travel team for every Eagles tournament during her collegiate career.
She helped Midway to three straight River States Conference championships (even playing through snow in the 2018 edition) and as many NAIA Women’s Golf National Championship appearances. She made the All-Conference team all four years.
None of it would have been possible without her attention to academics. Her coach, Otis Smith, held the Eagles to a grade point standard (3.6) that exceeded NCAA regulations. Chelsea went above and beyond, earning a 3.79 GPA in Sports Management and was named a Daktronics NAIA Women’s Golf Scholar Athlete in 2018.
“Playing college golf taught me mental toughness,” Chelsea said. “I knew if I didn’t keep my grades up, I wouldn’t be able to play, and that’s what I wanted to do. The physical demands of the sport made me disciplined and helped me become who I am. I want to be the best and I strive to be the best.”
Chelsea now plays in a weekly women’s league and is part of a golf-loving family that’s known to squeeze in a quick nine holes when their schedules align. She’s a fixture at TQL golf outings.
Her uncle’s advice to pursue golf not only set the tone for college, but stoked an athletic passion.
“Golf is one of those sports you can play the rest of your life,” Chelsea said. “It always keeps you coming back.”
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