Junior Joi Bogan started playing golf when she was in middle school

When Joi was 13 years old, she picked up a golf club for the first time. Now, she is playing on JC’s golf team and is having an extremely successful season.
Joi’s dad was the one who first inspired her to play golf. She said that she started playing because it was “one of the only sports where we could play one-on-one.” Since it is an individual sport, Joi said, “It was fun competing with him as he taught me how to play.”
Joi is playing golf for her fourth year ,and she plans to sharpen her skills since she plans to “play golf for life.” She wants to continue playing golf for as long as she can because “one can play golf at any age.”
Although Joi works immensely hard toward her goals, she still faces challenges. Joi’s biggest challenge is pressure, which is mainly from the spectators.
“In most sports, there’s a lot of cheering, which encourages you to play better, but in golf, there’s a lot of silence, which can be challenging.” Joi said that along with the silence and the amount of work you are willing to put in, golf becomes both a mental and physical sport.
Joi finds that the best way for her to play the best that she can under pressure is to practice. She said, “The more you practice, the less stressed you be.”
Outside of JC golf, Joi continues to practice on her own. She continues to practice in hopes of “increasing my skill.” Besides extra practice and dedication, Joi enjoys running and hanging out with friends.
Joi shared a piece of advice for student-athletes playing their sport for the fourth year, or for those just starting out. “My advice for student athletes is to never give up, and have fun doing what you love. There will be times when you’ll want to quit, but if you persevere, you won’t regret it.”
Through dedication, perseverance, and passion, the spring season is looking bright for Joi.