Motivated by her family and peers, sophomore Lisa Doles started playing golf this year, alongside volleyball. In her free time, she practices the koto, the national instrument of Japan, and works out.

Doles said she started playing golf because “I wanted to pick up a new hobby that I could enjoy with [my grandfather],” she said. “And something I could play outside of school.”

Even though her grandfather lives in Japan, Doles said that she looks forward to seeing him again and playing with him. She said her grandfather also inspires her to be better in other aspects of her life, serving as a role model for her.

Joining just this year, she hasn’t played golf competitively yet and recognizes that she is behind some other players who have had more experience. However, she hasn’t confronted any negative encounters yet, and sees golf as more of a hobby and less of a competitive sport.

Doles intends to put much more focus on volleyball, an interest considerably more competitive for her than golf.

She said that she has learned much from her experience as a team player in volleyball. “[Volleyball] has taught me to trust others and create bonds with teammates that are different [from] regular friendships,” she said.

For Doles, the best part of a volleyball game includes hitting around a tall competitor or scoring a point for the team.

“On most teams I have been on I’ve never been the tallest player, but that feeling makes me believe that sometimes it’s not always about how tall you are, but how smart you play,” she said.

While she finds the comradery in team sports more enjoyable, the responsibility of an individual sport like golf has taught her to be self-reliant.

Since the quarantine, Doles hasn’t thought much about golf. Volleyball, on the other hand, has always been a constant. She misses her team and the sport, and plans on taking summer sessions.

Doles said the lack of physical activity has affected her mental health in a negative way, but she plans to keep on top of it through a self-motivated workout routine at home.

Despite this effort, she said that “even if I work out every day, I don’t get the same satisfaction I get when I finish practice.”

Even though she doesn’t plan on playing volleyball or golf in the future, and plans to discontinue her formal practice with the koto, she said she has found important lessons in relationship building, teamwork, and self-reliance through her experiences in these activities.

Doles is interested in being a pilot as a career, and feels her active attitude towards progress in life has given her the ability to discover what she has from volleyball and golf.