Senior Year Already!

I cannot believe I'm a senior already! So much has happened I cant even begin. 

I went to my first "rock" concert last week and saw Nickelback...AMAZING! I had the best time there singing (attempting to sing) all of my favorite songs. I've been to a John Mayer concert which had quite a different audience but I loved being a part of both. One very laid back and one with a rock on kind of attitude. 

Now its college application time. Half of the conversations at school are revolved around Stanford, Berkeley, or any other UC school. "You think he'll make it?" "I'm so stressed out!!" That has been every other sentence in all of my AP and IB classes.

I would be lying if I said I wasn't one of the stressed out students but I have been trying to stay above most of the dirt. By this point I have either made an effort in school or I haven't. There's not much left for me to do - you can't cram the last month of high school trying to make up for the last 3 years. Fortunately, I wasn't asleep at the wheel.(I'm feeling cheesy today with my little sayings.)

My plan so far is to make sure I give myself lots of time so I can submit my best application. So far so good :) - again with the cheesiness...
Anyways I am still doing golf, which by the way our team won 1st place again at CIF Southern Sectionals, and I am still a co-leader of Comanches Care. This month we volunteered at the aquarium, at the Boys & Girls club, and at an elementary school fundraiser. Next month's volunteering I have planned the Special Olympics fall games. I am very excited for this one too! It was my favorite event last year. We are also going to make holiday cards for a childrens' hospital and volunteer at a Thanksgiving marathon. Busy busy!

And for my last cheesy saying of the day - I can't wait for what else life brings me!

San Francisco

      We visited some family members in northern California and during the week we visited San Francisco! I love San Fran. It was a gorgeous day and as we crossed the Bay Bridge and we could see all of the buildings, the bay coast, and the Golden Gate Bridge. It felt very surreal as if it were a microcosm of New York, well a less crowded NY.
       Anyways, once we found parking, we went to Pier 39 and it was adorable. It had little restaurants and shops everywhere. We were walking down the pier and we smelled the most delicious crepes! In the window we could see the crepe guy making them. He made a s'mores crepe with marshmallows and chocolate nutella. He also made one with cheese, ham, avocado, and tomatoes. We obviously had to have some so we bought a fruit and chocolate crepe and a Hawaiian crepe. Superb.

I finished the trip by buying souvenirs and gifts for my friends and family back home. One day I hope to either go to school in San Francisco or maybe find a career out there. It was a wonderful trip.

Visualize the Shot

       Yesterday I went to the driving range with a bunch of my friends. Lately I haven't been able to hit my driver well and I was kind of avoiding the club altogether. Anyways, I was watching all of the guys crush their drivers - they are guys so of course they want to hit it as far as they could. As I was seeing this good shots that were straight (mostly) and far, I wanted to try my driver again.
      Surprisingly, I was hitting the ball great! They were pretty straight and a lot farther than I would normally hit it. So we continued practicing and I had a good time.
      When I got home I was thinking about why I had hit my driver well. Then I realized it was because of the guys! I was watching their shots and it gave me a visual of what my hit should look like. Being able to see the shot allowed me to focus on it and perform better.
     So next time I get in a funk with any of my clubs I have to visually see the shot before trying to smack it :)

Women in Sports Conference

       This last Tuesday I was chosen to attend the Women in Sports Conference for the Southern Section athletic girls. My coach nominated my sister and I to go, along with some other girls from our school. It was pretty interesting. They had four different speakers, all women and all very successful. Each woman talked about her life and the obstacles she had to overcome.Michelle Smith, a famous softball player was there and she talked about her travels to Japan, the Australian Olympics, and her recovery after a major accident. Her elbow was broken and she had to fight through the doctors shaking their heads at her softball dream. She proved them wrong and was able to play softball and not only did she prove them wrong but she also pitched faster than she had pitched before the accident.
      My favorite speaker, Kaitlin Sandeno, told us about the early start of her Olympic career. She is a professional swimmer and competed in the Olympics for the first time when she was 17 years old. She took home a bronze to her home in Orange County. I won't go into her entire life but she stood out to me because she is such a stud. She had the best attitude towards...life pretty much. She told us that her goal in life is to be happy and that's how she faces all her problems. She was at the lowest point of her career when she was injured and told she wouldn't be able to compete, but she kept on going and giving it her all. She is definitely one of my idols. Her accomplishments, her smile, and her passion shows me that I can do anything (excuse me for the cheesiness but its true!).
   

Boys and Girls Club!

        Last week Comanches Care volunteered for the Boys and Girls Club. It is an afterschool day camp for kids that live close by. So my sister and I get there to set up the soccer field (basically some cones and a ball). Then I went around and asked/encouraged the kids to come play. Before I knew it there were 40 kids that wanted to play! I was kinda worried but I figured just throw us all together and say go. That was my plan and I stuck to it.
        The high school kids from my school showed up and we spread ourselves out on the field. Then I threw the ball up into the air and yelled go!!! In the beginning of the game it was obvious that one side was dominating the other because it was the big kids versus the little kids. So the CC members joined the little kids and made it more even. I had a lot of fun I will admit. It was the first time in a LONG time that I could be a kid. By the end of the game (about an hour and a half later) I was pooped!
         After getting some feedback from our club, I have decided to volunteer for the Boys and Girls Club atleast once a month. I think some other centers have volleyball and basketball courts too. Now I'M excited :) This whole kid thing is contagious.

Communication

        When I was in seventh grade I was one of the quietest kids in school. I didn't say hi to anybody other than my close friends and I was never one of the social butterflies. I was just shy Shyla. My dad noticed this and he told me that I needed to break this shell of mine. He told me that every single day I had to talk to five new  people at my junior high school. When he told me this I was so scared! I thought he was crazy and I dreaded going to school that day.
        The first day it was all I could think about. Finally, I saw some kids in my class that I didn't know and I approached them. Obviously, it was not as scary as I thought it would be and by the end of the week I was so happy. I could talk to a kid without looking down or mumbling.
       I am very grateful to this day that my dad made me do that little "exercise" of his. Not only did this allow me to grow socially with kids, but it gave me a boost when talking to adults too. With this new club of ours, I am dealing with working adults all of the time. Every month we plan at least two or three events. So I pick up the phone, dial a company, and work out the schedule with them. I am so comfortable talking with them now. I have to be confident, clear, and "I gotta sell it." If I get them interested in us, then the event will go much smoother since they appreciate our help.
        I think communicating with adults and teens will benefit anything that I pursue in the future.

Watching the Pros

         Recently I went to Maui, Hawaii and I had the privilege to attend and follow the professional golfers at the SBS golf tournament. Alot of pros including Paul Casey, Ogilvy, Kenny Perry, Reteif Goosen, Stewart Cink and many more played some awesome golf. It was an amazing experience to watch these guys kill in such a tough sport! To get so good and to be so precise and powerful almost EVERY shot just blows my mind. I watched them hit a tiny white ball 280 yards (almost three football fields) and knock it right next to the pin.

         My dad entered the Professional-Amateur tournament which was the day before the pros played on tv. This tournament gave the amateurs (my dad) a chance to pick one of the pros that was playing in the real tournament and to play a round of golf with them. They did call it a tournament but they didn't follow the normal match rules so it would be more fun for the higher scoring amateurs. Anyways, my dad picked Pat Perez. He had a lot of fun with Pat who is an awesome golfer. He is one of the long ball hitters out there and  it was killer to watch him crush the ball.

        Like any sport, pros do make mistakes (but rarely haha). On the eighteenth green Sean O'Hair had a shot into the green and he needed to land it close and make the putt for birdie. If he made birdie, he would tie with first place and have a chance to make the playoffs. He ended up hooking the ball right into the hazards. I felt so bad for him because I know exactly how he felt when I hit a shot on 18 that totally threw my score down the drain. (Well maybe not as badly since I wasn't playing in front of hundreds of fans and national television.) It was the nerves that got to him. I guess the professionals are human after all.

      This will definitely be an experience that I won't forget.

CC December Events

                    This has been such a fun month for Comanches Care. For our December month, we volunteered at the Special Olympics Floor Hockey Tournament. It was an amazing experience and I really cannot wait to volunteer for them again. Our jobs were to be the timers and the scorekeepers. We also took down all of the players' stats. Anyways, once we set up the boundaries and goals, the teams began to arrive. The players ranged from high school kids to adults and every single one had a smile and a great attitude. They were so excited and ready to play. I was amazed at how much heart they had. They gave 100% in every play and pass. I could see them encouraging their teammates and working together. Their coaches were pretty amazing people as well. They really care about their players and treat them all like their own kids. The Special Olympics Association did an amazing job with the tournament and I am sooo glad I went.
                

CIF Southern Section Champs

http://www.ocvarsity.com/sports/comanches-17736-cif-cypress.html    

This week our golf team took first place at CIF. We played at El Prado, the Butterfield side. It was such an amazing day. Our team shot a 372 to win by three strokes. I personally did not play as well as I wanted to but I made sure to keep my head up and in the game. I started out really well with mostly pars and the occasional bogey. Then I stumbled across a rough patch in my round. In the past, when my round starts to head downhill, my attitude would go down along with it. This time, I stomped those thoughts right out of my head and marched on to the final four holes. I ended parring all of them except a bogie on the second to last hole.

      After counting my score, I realized that I hadn't played the game I wanted but I did "think" the way I wanted to. When I met up with my team and we added our total, my stomach turned over! Three strokes...that is not a very big number to win by.

Homecoming Game '09

       I just got home from our homecoming football game. We almost won!  So basically it was a pretty slow start. By the  end of the third quarter, it was 0-21. We were all pretty bummed and ready to go home. Then, our quarterback launched a 50 yard pass to our amazing receiver and he scored our first touchdown! That brought life into the crowd and we were so excited.

      We managed to score another touchdown before the clock ran out. Even though we didn't win, the score was still respectable. I had a lot of fun sitting with my friends too. I love high school football games!!

Motivating My Peers

       My sister and I are in charge of this club at our school called Comanches Care. It gives a chance for Varsity athletes to donate their time and to volunteer for our community. Right now we are in the process of organizing our first event and basically getting the ball rolling. We have been working very hard on this project of ours. However, there is (was actually) one of the members of our board who was not pulling his own weight. He wanted to be a part of our board so he could "improve his resume." I want to run this club for the benefit of volunteering and giving back.
        After constantly pestering him to get a move on, I finally told him that there were plenty of other students who would willingly take his position and actually work and do their job. Finally, after he realized that his position could be taken away from him, he promised me he would work harder. I was so pleased with this new motivated board member. I am really excited for this upcoming month. My goal for the end of the month is to have our first event up and running.

Commemorating 9-11

       Tonight, we went to a nearby park to pay tribute to the lives lost in the tragic event of 9-11 and to those who risked their own lives to save others. The theme was "neighbor to neighbor." They had some speakers relate to us their experience during the day of September 11, 2001. After the speeches, we listened to some songs performed by a young choir group. They were all dressed up in their red, white, and blue outifits. So cute!
     Then, everyone lit their candles shedding a warm glow around the park. It was a very warming ceremony.

OC Register Link - Moments of Remembrance

Amazing Preseason Tournament!

       Today was a great day. I just got home from school and I want to talk about our team's tournament which we played in this week! This season, our golf team was invited by a local high school to their annual tournament. This was the first year- out of the four they have hosted- that we were asked to join in this ten team tournament. It was nine holes and the girls I played with were really nice and awesome to golf with. Our team shot really well and we actually took first which is so exciting! This was a huge confident boost for our team and I have a pin for my varsity jacket. Speaking of our team, my sister and I were given the opportunity to be co-captains. My main goal was to bring our teammates close together and to have fun while playing our best. We are in our preseason stage right now and our future looks bright.  

Visiting Colleges '09

       This summer I traveled to northern California to visit some of my family members and to see UC Berkeley. I've been there multiple times before, but I always enjoy the trip anytime I can go. We always start out by walking around the street shops. Then we move on to the campus and mosey around the classrooms. Next, we visit the student store and purchase some sweatshirts and t-shirts. Finally, we end our visit with a giant slice of cheesy pepperoni pizza from Blondie's. It was delicious!

        To the right  is a picture I took of Eshelman Hall used for all of the student groups and clubs and above is the famous Sather Gate. I love their campus and ever since I was little, I've wanted to go to Berkeley. My whole family practically went there! Both of my grandfathers graduated from Cal, along with both of my parents. My aunt, who went to Stanford for her MBA and undergrad in Business Administration, transferred over to Cal for her business degree. I had a great time visiting this summer. Go BEARS!

Street Fair

                                                           Left -  Me :)

Today was so much fun. I went and volunteered at the local street fair. I went to work for the NHS club that ran a booth trying to raise money for our school by selling Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches. We would rotate through different jobs. Some of us flipped the meat, onions, bell peppers, and buns. Then some would load the cheese and fillings into the toasted buns. Passing out the sandwiches and drinks to our customers was probably the best job. It was so easy; just give them their order and wish them a great day.

     
      However, some customers weren't exactly satisfied with their order. One lady returned her sandwich because "the bread wasn't Italian" and another gentlemen wanted more of everything. We just had to smile and give her the money back and give him more filling. One thing I learned today: The customer is always right. 

      After our shift was over, I got to walk around with my friends which was really fun. I had a great time and I got to support my school while doing so. 

Summer '09

I found some pictures of my summer and I am going to share a few. I took this wonderful picture when we were golfing on the Kapalua golf course in Maui, Hawaii. We played both of their courses multiple times and by the third round or so, I noticed these two ducks that always appeared on the thirteenth tee box. So I decided to throw them some bread crumbs. Before I knew it, I had them eating out of the bottom of my cart. So cute!

Swing Breakthrough!

Finally! Yesterday, I went to the driving range with my best coach, my dad. For the past 3 or 4 months, my drives were constantly shorter than those of the other players I've been going up against. Mine don't go very far and they're not stingers (extra distance). Well, the other day, (which was 102 degrees!!!) my dad kept repeating "Use your shoulders, your lower back, and heel toe to drive the ball, not your arms and just your upper body." This time, I was actually able to grasp the concept and feel it in my swing - it's much easier telling yourself how to hit the ball than actually making it happen. 

       I tightened my core so I wouldn't dip and I loosened up my shoulders. Then, I took the club away from the ball with my shoulders, keeping the "triangle" and BAM! Man, it felt so good to finally see my ball going the distance it should. I can't wait to play in my tournament Saturday, but the only problem is with my new and improved swing, I need a new driver. That will just have to wait until next week. Overall, great practice.

An Almost Major Comeback

     Just a couple days ago, I was invited by one of my best friends to go to a ball game. We all went to watch the Angels versus the Detroit Tigers. She was asked to sing the seventh inning stretch, Take Me Out to the Ball Game, and may I say, she was amazing! In the beginning of the game, the Tigers were whipping us. We were getting creamed ten to nothing. (Their pitcher was killing us with 97 mph after a hundred throws.) Then all of a sudden we almost caught up: 7-10! We weren't able to pull it off though but it was an awesome night! Go ANGELS! (I must admit though. . . . . I'm a Dodgers fan!)

Track and Field Studs

This morning, I flipped on the television and the 2009 Track and Field Championship was on. They were in Berlin, Germany. Those athletes are unbelievably amazing. You can just see all the hard work and years of training in their bodies. Studs! The way their strong legs fly across the track. God! I loved watching them. They have so much heart. GO USA!

A Little Bit About Me

      I was born and raised in sunny, exciting California and brought into this world on a turkey filled day. Yup, Thanksgiving day welcomed me and my baby sis. I am a fraternal twin girl (the older one!) and we have always been known as the Walson twins. We were always doing something: sports, dance, mom's club. 

However, my parents made sure we were always doing different things. Lauren had her art classes and choir while I had my NJB, the National Junior Basketball team. I had my little green jersey and my Velcro  sweat pants. I was about 6 when I played. My parents told me that I loved it but the funny thing is, all I can remember is the day I got picked to be on the boys team. I was so scared and shy. When the ball came to me ( I couldn't reach the basket so I would always pass.) I just stood there and threw  the ball as hard as I could right out of bounds. Wow, was I embarrassed. Then again, I was only six.  

     Then when I was about ten years old I became interested in soccer. It was so much fun being part of a team and shoving your way through a crowd of players to score. I played center defender for the next three years. When I was in eighth grade, I decided to focus more of my time on golf. I got my first junior clubs when I was seven. We would go to the range with my dad and I would have a lot of fun. When high school came around, I tried out for the team and I made varsity. That was the beginning of my golfing journey.