Alex Elias As the No. 2 junior player in the state of Rhode Island, Will Dickson acknowledged how the pressure began before he even arrived at Georgia Tech. Dickson said, "The pressures and expectations started to build in high school. I sort of stopped practicing the way I always did. My Dad and I used to go out onto the course by ourselves every single day growing up, and I wish we had continued doing that all the way up until I went to college."
"That was a really special time I had with my Dad, but the last couple years of high school, I was kind of on my own. Looking back on it, I didn't really practice and prepare the way I always did growing up. That's one of the biggest regrets I have. I wish I could go back and do that over again," said Dickson. Reflecting on his first few years at Georgia Tech, Dickson said, "I certainly built up these expectations and pressures before I even got to school and then when I got to Georgia Tech, I knew that I had to play really, really well. I quickly felt way too much pressure and continued to go down this struggling path for the first few years." In a year in which many people saw COVID-19 as nothing but a detriment, Dickson's one word to describe 2020 was "opportunity". Dickson elaborated, saying, "It was probably the best thing that ever happened to me. I really do believe COVID was such a huge opportunity for me to get away from everything in Atlanta and at school, clean my slate and start fresh." Dickson was able to re-find a joy and love in the game, rather than solely golfing to try and win a collegiate tournament. Dickson said, "That time almost freed me up to be a kid again. If you want to succeed at the highest level, then you need to be freed up on the golf course. Having experienced a number of ups and downs, Dickson passionately said, "I feel like I can look back on this time as something I can use to help others. So many golfers go on a straight line from junior golf to high school golf to college golf, but the thing is everyone struggles or falls eventually. If a young kid is going through a tough time, then I can help him as I know what it feels like to be at the lowest of low. It was a long road, but I got through it and I am so appreciative of the fact that I can hopefully help someone in the future."
1 Comment
1/8/2025 08:15:17 pm
Thanks for sharing this inspiring interview with Will Dickson from Georgia Tech! You did a great job capturing his journey and highlighting his experiences and achievements. The questions and storytelling made it both interesting and informative. Well done—I’m excited to see more content like this!
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