Jonathan Wilson US Open Putt

It’s never too late to improve

A Q&A session with All-American and All-Conference Penn State Wilkes-Barre golfer, Jonathan Wilson

Strategic Communications sat down with Penn State Wilkes-Barre golfer, senior accounting major, Jonathan Wilson, to profile his time at Penn State Wilkes-Barre, and learn what the future holds for him.

SC: First and foremost, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to answer these questions. You have had so much recent success with playing golf for Penn State Wilkes-Barre, how did you first get interested in the sport?

JW: I first became interested in the sport because my family often took me to the driving range down the road. Eventually my brothers decided to take me out on the course when I was about 9 or 10 years old where I had a lot of fun, and just kept on playing from there.

SC: Golf is a sport that does not receive as much attention as others, why do you love golf so much?

JW: I like playing golf because it always presents a new challenge. There are so many variables in the game both physically and mentally.  Many people see it as a boring sport, but the more you improve, the more fun and exciting the game becomes.

SC: Congratulations on receiving the medalist honors at the PSUAC Blue Course Invitational in late September! How did that feel?

JW: Thanks! It was a good feeling, especially because I felt like it was not my best day on the course. It showed that even on an off day my hard work throughout the season has paid off and still allowed me to win the tournament.

SC: How has the Penn State Wilkes-Barre golf team impacted your experience as a golfer?

JW: Being on the golf team has lead me to meeting many new people from all different schools. It has been a great experience spending time with my teammates, competitors, and Coach Keil.

SC: Are you involved in any other campus activities or sports?

JW: As a freshman, our athletic director (Scott Miner) and basketball coach (Leshawn Hammett) pulled me out of the gym where I ended up joining the basketball team. Although I got to play and had a great experience, I have been involved with the basketball team and coach Hammett helping with the coaching aspect on the sidelines rather than the playing aspect over the last two years.

SC: What is your ultimate career goal?

JW: My ultimate career goal is to have a job where I am happy, and will also give me the opportunity to compete in golf tournaments in the summer and possibly continue to coach basketball in the winter months.

SC: Last, if you could give a piece of advice to a young athlete, what would it be?

JW: If I were to give advice to a young athlete, it would be to set goals for yourself. Not everyone develops his or her skills in a game at the same rate and it is never too late to improve.