Dragonflies on the green
Welsh carrying golf legacy to OCU
Coppell senior golfer Jamie Welsh practices her bunker shot on Oct. 3, 2019 at Riverchase Golf Club in Coppell. Welsh committed to play golf at Oklahoma City University on Aug. 9.
September 22, 2020
In the moment before a high-pressure swing, the immediate tendency is swing fast, move fast, think fast. For Coppell senior golfer Jamie Welsh, those nerves are calmed and tendencies pushed down with a deep breath, a step back and just sometimes, the sight of a dragonfly fluttering across the green.
Welsh comes from a long line of golfers; her full name is Jamie Monica Welsh, carrying the namesake of her aunt, Monica Welsh, who led Texas A&M’s women’s golf to the Southwest Conference Championship in 1982. The dragonflies are a memory of her, who died in a single person car accident in 1992 at the age of 31.
“My dad [Jim Welsh] loved her so much so he always talks about her with me, so I feel like I knew her,” Jamie said. “My dad told me about her legacy, and I’ve always wanted to follow in her footsteps. She loved dragonflies, so whenever I’m on the golf course and I see a dragonfly, I think she’s there – that’s our little message from her. My dad and my aunt and I, that’s our special place.”
Despite her family’s connection with Texas A&M, with relatives attending even before Monica, Jamie committed to play golf and study cell molecular biology at Oklahoma City University on Aug. 9. While her original plan was to stay in-state and follow in Monica’s footsteps at A&M, the offer from OCU allows her the freedom to pursue a pre-med degree with medical research opportunities and local internships.
“Quite frankly, it would be unclear whether or not she would actually be able to play and travel with a [Division I] program,” Mr. Welsh said. “OCU offered the best of both worlds; it’s an [National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics] school [with a] great coach and they’ve won multiple national championships. It’s centered around the athletes’ academic pursuits, so Jamie’s going to study cellular biology and pursue her golf career and will more than likely get to play and travel and compete.”
As a part-time vocalist at First United Methodist Church of Coppell and player of the viola and guitar, Jamie’s introduction to golf involved another one of her passions – music.
“We tried to make it fun early on, not something serious” Mr. Welsh said. “We had music out on the golf course and kept it relaxed, and she took to it because of that. Now it’s become a little bit more serious pursuit of hers, but that beginning was critical for her to succeed.”
What Jamie heard most during the recruitment process was that she was a late bloomer and late to the game. Although she began to play her freshman year and decided she wanted to play golf in college as a sophomore, Jamie only started getting serious about the game junior year.
“The only thing I regret is not starting earlier because I fell in love with the game,” Jamie said. “[Sophomore year], varsity I was not a given, so I had to work really hard to get there. And then I just decided that I wanted to continue because I fell in love with the work that I put in.”
As an only child, Jamie and her family are close, especially with her grandparents close by. Jamie terms them a “‘spend time with your family’ family.” Using a team methodology, the Welshes refer to themselves as ‘Team W.’
“The world’s so serious, we try and look out for the little guy and keep things as light as we possibly can,” Mr. Welsh said. “[Jamie’s] always been a happy kid and attacks everything with a zeal and enthusiasm that is refreshing to see. I don’t know if that’s because of the family dynamic, but she’s always seemed to embrace it and be happy and be very cheerful.”
Her cheerfulness and spirit transfer over to her time with the team as well.
“[Jamie] is always there for you whenever you have a tough time, and she always makes your day by doing the little things,” Coppell junior golfer Lauren Rios said. “She always has a good attitude, and even if she plays bad, she’ll think of the positives she had during the round. She’s always there to cheer you on or lift you up if you’re not playing well, and she always pushes you to work harder because she’ll work hard.”
Being away from her tightly-knit family for the first time in 17 years with a new team, a new coach and her own legacy to form marks one of the most significant changes in Jamie’s life yet. But at every new green she steps onto, when she catches sight of a dragonfly, Jamie will remember her aunt’s legacy, her family and her home.
Follow Anjali (@anjalikrishna_) and @SidekickSports on Twitter.
