Aly on the green (with video)

The phone rings and her heart pounds against her chest. Her mother picks it up, gives a few nods, and turns to her as a smile rips across her face.

Coppell High School freshman Alyson Immanivong had made the CHS varsity golf team.

“I was really excited when my coach called my mom and honestly I thought that I would be on the JV freshman team,”Immanivong said. “But being on varsity, I love my team because they’re all so nice and they’ve become

my favorite part about being in golf. I’ve been playing for four years so it just shows that all the work and hours I put into the sport is paying off.”

Having also once been a freshman on the varsity golf team, senior golf captain Grace Do is excited to see what the rest of the year has in store for Immanivong and the team.

“Alyson is a big part of our team and although she’s a freshman, she’s been shooting really well so we are really excited for the upcoming year,” Do said. “She’s always super positive and it’s really hard to have what she has so she’s helped us to keep our spirits up no matter the outcome.”

Along with the rest of the golf team, varsity girls golf coach Jan Bourg enjoys Immanivong’s presence and looks forward to being her coach the next few years.

“Golf takes a lot of practice and determination and we see that she has that,” Bourg said. “Alyson has moved all the way up to playing No. 3 and her score has definitely helped us in our tournaments. Next year might be tough for the team without Grace, but I hope Alyson will step up to be a leader for some of the younger girls coming in just as some have been a leader for her this year.”

In addition to her team, Immanivong’s friends have taken notice to her dedication to golf.

“Alyson puts a lot of focus on golf and she spends all her time practicing because she knows how important it is to her,” CHS freshman Natalie Hudson said. “It’s important to find what you enjoy and Alyson’s found that, so I’m excited for her and I hope she learns to be a good team player and motivates others through her passion.”

Being a part of the golf team has allowed Immanivong to grow both as a person and as a golfer. Her mom Liz Immanivong has seen the impact it has had on her character and motivation.

“It’s exciting for her and me that she’s able to be part of the varsity golf team and travel around to play these tournaments,” Ms. Immanivong said. “I feel so proud of her and it’s just given her a lot more confidence knowing that it’s all worth it. Being on this team has developed her motivation and given her something to chase after that she’s extremely passionate about.”

While golf has taken up much of her time, Alyson enjoys the challenges she faces as she takes part in more tournaments.

“I love the competition because while you have to be mentally prepared at all times, it’s a relaxing sport and really fun to me,” Alyson said. “Golf takes a lot of time, it really does, but while being gone from school and spending every day at practice might seem overwhelming, I enjoy doing what I love.”

With many years ahead of her, Alyson looks forward to growing both herself and the golf team.

“As a golfer, I want to be the best that I can be and I have my own goals set for myself,” Alyson said. “But I hope that through golf, I can not only grow and become a bigger part of the golf team, but I also look forward to making the team go more noticed for all the hard work we put into this sport.”