May Athlete of the Month: Wade Gonzalez
Photos by Owen Laack, @neverlaackingshots.
Congratulations to May’s male athlete of the month, Wade Gonzalez! Gonzalez is currently a junior here at Hamilton on the boys’ varsity golf team. Recently, he took first place in a Greater Metro Conference Mini Meet at the Wisconsin Club, shooting an impressive 36.
Teammate Evan Basse speaks highly of Gonzalez, stating, “As someone who's known Wade for years now and has played golf with him since we were both relatively new to the game, I've experienced firsthand how fun he is to golf with and how great of a teammate he is. While it is true that he's not always the most consistent player, the quality of his good rounds is nearly unbeatable. For example, he won a tournament by shooting even par on a day where it was less than 50 degrees, and the winds were gusting at 20+ mph, an accomplishment which really was incredible. He also is great at picking me and all of his other teammates up after bad rounds, and always genuinely wants the best for everyone he's playing with.”
Congrats to Gonzalez! Read more to hear from him:
How long have you played golf for and why do you play?
I have been playing golf since I was 6, so around 11 years. I think golf is fun because of its precision and mental challenges. You could have the best swing in the world and hit every shot perfectly, but without a strong mental game you will never be able to perform at an exceptional level.
Who is your athlete role model and why?
Jordan Spieth—he's really entertaining to watch since he has an aggressive play style that often leaves him in positions where he has to scramble to make par. He takes the untraditional approach to golf and has a strong short game which is something I look up to.
What is your main goal this season?
With our team being young with not a single senior on varsity and being in an extremely difficult regional, my goal for this season was to develop the skills of myself and the team so we can look forward to being a super strong team next year. I believe we did this pretty well this season since we now have about a dozen teammates that can all shoot really well. I am really looking forward to next season when we have a full year to continue preparing.
What are your future plans involving golf?
Due to all the changing regulations in golf for D1 colleges and my goal of prioritizing education over a sport, I don't plan on playing golf competitively in college. I would like to go to Marquette because of their strong engineering program and I will continue trying to promote myself this summer to get a golf scholarship there. However, with their worldwide recruiting program and only four spots opening up the year I would start college, I understand this might be really difficult. However, I do plan on golfing throughout college and possibly being an assistant on the golf team at Marquette if there is an opportunity to do so.
Do you play any other sports or participate in any other activities?
I do not play any other sports anymore; however, I do still stay active with several other recreational activities with my friends. I am also heavily involved in the Charger Robotics program offered at Hamilton.
What are your pre-game rituals?
I usually just practice chipping and putting before the match so I can get used to how the greens roll. I make up a lot of strokes by being able to make "up and downs" just off the green, so I need to make sure I feel practiced so I can confidently do those on the course. I also usually mark each of my balls I'm planning on using with one red dot.
Do you have any teammates, coaches, parents, or other people in your life that have helped as an athlete?
Evan has pushed me throughout the season and helped me out with small swing tips as well. He's definitely pushed me and motivated me to be better throughout the last several years. My swing coach, Davis Jensen, has helped me with my swing as well as other parts of golf like my mental game. He helps me build confidence and develop my swing. My parents have also been tremendously helpful throughout my golf career. They do everything from helping fund my clubs and lessons to packing a cooler full of drinks and snacks for the entire team to have. They have supported me throughout my entire career, and I could not have become who I am today without them.
