Trace Robinson hits a golf ball really well, and when I say really well, I mean really really well. The freshman Jackson native has not even decided on his major and has been a collegiate athlete for only three months, but he has already won a collegiate tournament. The Gulf South Conference has honored him as Freshman of the Week on four separate occasions this semester and named him Player of the Week once.
We began our conversation by talking through what it is like on the course in college.
“There’s a little bit of a heightened pressure on college golf, understandably,” Robinson said. “In high school, if you were one of the better players, you weren’t really going to disappoint the team if you played bad. In college, you feel like you need to play well to help the team.”
Obviously, considering his impressive record so far this season, Trace has handled the pressure. He explained that it is all about keeping things in perspective.
“There’s a war going on in Israel right now and we’re complaining about how well we’re putting a ball in a hole,” Robinson said. “Life could always be worse and God has blessed us for us to be out here hitting the ball.”
Even with his success on the course though, Robinson has not been immune to the growing pains of freshman year. One of the hardest things to learn early on is how to balance life, school and other obligations, and that stress is only heightened by athletics.
“It’s pretty challenging,” Robinson said. “We’re gone for golf quite a few Mondays and Tuesdays, so you do miss some class, but it’s so worth it.”
He went on to explain how he’s learned to get things done.
“I try to do a lot of my work closer to when I’ve received it than when it’s due,” Robinson said. “When I have an hour break on Monday or an hour in between classes, I try to get work done then ‘cause I don’t have a lot of times in the afternoon. I’m spending a large portion of that at the golf course or eating.”
He said that this is a new thing he’s been learning to do this semester, as with the exception of calculus, most of his high school was not difficult enough to force him to do this.
“But college is definitely challenging enough,” Robinson said. “So it’s new, but it’s good to practice time management like that.”
Micah Winn, a senior marketing major, has gotten to know Trace through serving as his RA this semester. Winn is a collegiate athlete himself, just having completed his final season with Union’s cross-country team, and was able to give some perspective on both Trace and the athlete life.
“It’s been cool to see how he’s been able to do the balance because he’s golfing all in the afternoon, which is like prime studying,” Winn said. “I have seen him study a lot and find those times, gone into their dorm before and they’ll be just studying.”
Balance in college is not just about school though—it is also about life. There was a photo that circulated the internet for a while that had three categories: social, sleep and school. According to this scale, in college you could only choose two. But the life of an athlete has a fourth category: sport. Finding balance in the others is hard for non-athletes, so the challenge for athletes is even greater.
“It is a tough balance to find,” Robinson admitted. “’Cause you’re at college, you should be social some too, you shouldn’t totally throw that side away, but you also do need sleep, you gotta keep a whatever GPA and you’re there to be an athlete, and that’s what you’re expected to do.”
Winn has been impressed with how well Robinson has built relationships and been involved even as an athlete.
“He’s a very personable guy,” Winn said. “He’s built some solid relationships with his roommates, which has been super cool.”
Micah also spoke about what he learned his first semester as a collegiate athlete that has benefitted him over his time.
“I think the first thing is, make relationships even outside, and get plugged in and outside of just cross country,” Winn said. “Those are relationships you’re going to need.”
Winn went on to say how Trace has done those things.
“I think Trace has been involved when he’s here,” Winn said. “And now that he has a little more time not traveling, he’ll be able to be involved.”
Finding balance in college is so difficult. I have seen many freshmen go to one or other extreme. Some do not get involved at all, only do school, and are miserable. Some try to do everything, burn out, and are miserable. It is a challenge, yet even talking about these difficulties, some of which I have seen be too much for freshmen with no sport to balance, Trace was still smiling and bringing out the bright side.
“It’s a challenge, but it’s definitely a fun challenge, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything,” Robinson said. “God has blessed me to allow me to be here, so just all glory is to God, and thankfulness to God for allowing me to be here and be on a team with a Godly coach and Godly men around me.”
The golf team’s next scheduled action will be at the Saint Leo University Invitational in February.
We love this young man as well the family. We know he will always make his family and friends proud.