Q&A with Junior Emma Reyes

Flagstaff, Ariz. (September 19, 2018) – Our Q&A athlete of the week for Northern Arizona golf is Emma Reyes. Emma is a junior finance major from Gilbert, Ariz., she enjoys working on her craft and bonding with her fellow Lumberjacks.
 
Q: What made you decide to come to NAU?
A: I decided to come to NAU because it was just far enough from home but close enough for me to visit on a free weekend. I also knew 75% of the girls on the team because I grew up playing golf with them. I knew it was a comfortable, structured and inspirational program I was walking into. Coach Bedortha is much more than just a coach. He cares about the well-being and college experience of his athletes. He is constantly putting his best foot forward when it comes to being there for his players.
 
Q: What advice would you give to incoming student-athletes?
A: I would tell any incoming student athlete that time is money. An hour or even 30 minutes can make the difference. I never knew that in 30 minutes I could finish my homework for a class, when I was a freshman I didn't think I could get work done in short amounts of time so I would nap or be on social media instead. Four years of college is absolutely not a lot of time. It is so cliché, but my time in college has just flown by.
 
Also, people make the place. I truly believe that Flagstaff did not feel like home until I found a set group of friends and people I love being around. If any freshman feels lonely on campus my advice would be to talk to the people you sit next to in class, be yourself and be confident when talking to people. Talking to people can be scary, but you're an adult now, you're going to have to do it sooner than later. The best adults to talk to are professors, upper-classmen and even strangers. You never know where a conversation can take you!
 
Q: What is your favorite memory from your time with NAU Golf so far?
A: My favorite memory with NAU golf were the car rides to Sedona. Don't get me wrong, driving 45 minutes there and back was absolutely awful and I hated that. But the conversations are the best when you love your teammates. We would have the most random and out there conversations about everything under the sun. Those stupid car rides allowed us to be stuck in a small enclosed area where we were forced to talk to each other. It was a blast and I loved talking to everyone in the beat up old van!
 
Q: What are your goals and aspirations for the 2018-2019 season?
A: My goal is to compete in the Hawaii tournament we have this season. I also want to be a team leader this year. My role on the team is to be as positive, upbeat, silly and weird as possible so that my teammates feel joy being on our team. My main goal is to always bring a spark of joy into people's lives.
 
Q: What makes you passionate about golf and inspires you to do it every day?
A: I love golf because of the amount of work required to put into the craft. I really do enjoy practicing. I'm trying to work on the competing part of golf. I enjoy the chase and the hard work. Where I mess up is the competitive side and that's more mental game than anything. But I really do enjoy playing golf simply because I enjoy working on my game. It's fun to work on my weaknesses on the golf course.
 
Q: Who inspires you as a person and is someone you look up to?
A: My mom is my hero. She is the funniest and most welcoming person I know. The way she carries herself and treats other people is how I want to be when I grow up. My mom loves having people over at the house. She loves being the host of the party! When I bring friends over to meet my mom they instantly love her and will talk to her for hours. I hope to be as welcoming and warm as her someday. 
 
Q: In your opinion, what makes NAU Athletics special?
A: I think what makes NAU Athletics so special is the small town feel and warm community. This little town has so much character and spirit. You can feel it at all of the sporting events. Flagstaff residents are just such warm and supportive fans of every student-athlete. 
 
Q: What do you see yourself doing after college?
A: I see myself on a beach after I graduate college. Life does not end when you get out of college, it is just starting.
 
NAU golf's next tournament is at the Coeur d'Alene Collegiate Invitational hosted by Gonzaga Universoty in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, from September 24th to September 25th.