smooth transition
After graduating from James Madison University, I briefly dabbled in coaching before deciding I wasn't ready to leave the club yet.
I played on the mini-tour for about three and a half years and loved every minute of it.
I learned so much about myself during that period.
This was an eye-opening experience because years later, by the time I turned 30, I still had no desire to continue playing professional golf.
The idea of packing up and leaving home for 6-8 weeks to travel across the country sounded liberating in a way, but I also wanted to settle down and start a family.
I loved golf, but I didn't plan on making the sport my entire life.
When I returned from tour, I was living in Virginia Beach at the time and engaged to my now husband Jason.
While I was looking for a job that would allow me to be involved in the game consistently, an assistant coaching position opened up at ODU.
It was the perfect job for me at that point in my life.
Not only did I gain valuable experience coaching the men's and women's teams, but they treated me like absolute gold.
Men's coach Murray Rudisill is one of the most influential coaches I've ever had.
We still keep in touch and I find it incredibly rewarding to form lifelong bonds and relationships with people who have been so integral to my success in my career.
A few years later, I was lucky enough to get a position as a female general manager, and things were starting to fall into place in my life, both professionally and personally.
The players bought into our system, we were finding success, and like I said, Jason and I were ready to settle down in Virginia Beach and start a family.
Then I got a call from Virginia Tech that changed my life forever.
