Hannah Curreri recently finished up her junior year of golf and considered this past season as a success.

She has been golfing since the third grade.

Curreri said said she had a knack for golf as soon as she tried it while not showing interest in other sports.

“As a kid, I was never really interested in sports,” she said. “Once I tried golf, I knew it was different than what people play in the gym or on a field. When I got more into it, I realized how tough the game was. That drove me to take on the challenge of bettering myself.”

Curreri said she chose golf over everything because because she was influenced to play by her P.E. teacher in elementary school.

“My P.E. coach at Pilot View Elementary had us participate in various intramural sports, one of which was golf. He said he was potential in me and had me sign up for lessons at the country club. After learning about the different components of golf and the dedication it takes to get better, I knew this was the sport for me.”

Curreri said she has many influences that have motivated her over the years to continue golfing and to give it her best.

“After playing the sport for so long, I have become mentally stronger in terms of staying focused, calm and collected,” she said. “It is sometimes hard to stay this way during tournaments if I am having a rough day. I always focus on the next shot, take my time and think through my next round. My grandpa has always been such a great influence on my game throughout my years of playing. Coach Franklin always give myself and other players needed encouragement during our rounds. There are so many people who I use as motivation to perform my best on the course.”

Curreri said her goals as a golfer are to be known as a positive influence.

“I want to be a face that girls from other schools recognize and see as a friend,” she said. “Playing in summer and high school tournaments have given me the ability to make new friends and I have always had a goal to do so when I meet new players. Now that I only have one season left with GRC, a new goal of mine is to find a college fit for not only my education, but also for golf.”

Curreri said golf differs from other sports because of the mental game it plays.

“It requires us to practice often so we can obtain muscle memory for better techniques and swings,” she said. “There are physical demands for the sport, but it also more mental and requires us to build mental toughness. It is easy to get down on yourself and stay that way for the remainder of a tournament. Having a drive to succeed helps in terms of allowing a player to perform at their best.”