Overcoming Epilepsy as a Student Athlete

I began experiencing signs of epilepsy during my first year of high school in the middle of the golf season. I love to golf and played in the Junior Golf program in Nebraska since I was 10. I was officially diagnosed with epilepsy in the winter of 2019 at the hospital. When I started medication to control my seizures, I was concerned about how the medication was going to affect the mental aspect of my golf game. In March 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, I had a seizure in front of my friends while playing basketball. 

Since then, however, I have been seizure-free and play golf in college. I take my medication twice a day. There is a huge mental component to golf, so I was very concerned about how being on anti-seizure medications would affect my game. Can I read the greens correctly to control my putts? Can I control how I swing and the direction I send the ball? In golf, one little thing can easily alter an entire round. Despite the challenges, I practice harder. Whenever I'm competing in a golf tournament, I'm at a potential disadvantage due to the medication I take to control my seizures and the side effects I could encounter. However, I have had few side effects and play golf well.

I haven't shared my epilepsy journey with many people because I do not want to be defined by my diagnosis. Many people in the golf community probably have no idea what challenges I have faced and tried to overcome. I think it is important to share my story so other student-athletes do not get discouraged.

I would love to play in the Korn Ferry Golf Tournament. I'm focusing on finishing my current golf season for Nebraska Wesleyan University and helping my team win our conference tournament and qualify for nationals. This summer, I will play in several golf tournaments in preparation for my final year of college and golf. In the fall, I had my best tournament, shooting -3 each day on a 54-hole tournament to card -9 on a challenging course. 

I would tell anyone to never give up your dreams despite any setbacks you may encounter. Keep fighting and trying, and never give up!