University of Tennessee Athletics
LADY VOL GOLF DIARY - CARRIE COLE
March 27, 2002 | Women's Golf
March 27, 2002
Caroline Cole- Lady Vol Diary
On February 28, 2002, I was in a fairly serious car accident. I suffered minor injuries, a banged up face, some stitches, bruises, and a broken finger. The most significant damage was done to my car, which was totaled, so I was pretty lucky! I was rushed to the emergency room where I was to be treated for my injuries. Soon after I arrived in my hospital room, my coaches, Judi and Mike, showed up to make sure I was o.k. Then shortly after my coaches arrived, my teammates came by, despite the fact that it was now 11:30! As everyone came and left, Judi hung around until I was released from the hospital, which was around 2:00 in the morning! She is always there as a coach, friend, or mother figure when I need her.
Just that day at practice, Judi and I had a very good talk about my golf, concerning goals and strategies to help me improve my game. So when I found out my finger was broken from the accident, I knew it could not have come at a worse time! It was my senior year, in the middle of our most important season (the spring), and just two weeks before our big trip to South Carolina and Hawaii.
Over the weekend I spent a lot of time in bed recovering from the accident. My teammates and coaches came by frequently to check on me. One day Judi came over with her children and brought some great news. She had bought a ticket for me to go on the trip to Hawaii, broken finger and all!
Over the next two weeks, I had a great time supporting and cheering on my teammates. I learned so much just from watching the tournaments from an outsider's perspective. Although we were all hoping for better performances over the two weeks, I think each member of the team learned something to help as a whole come another step closer to finishing at the top at nationals.
Hawaii was so amazing! After we all got through the jet lag we really had some fun. After our tournament was over, we had a little while to relax and spend some time together. We went to Pearl Harbor, which was a very touching experience. We also went snorkeling in a beautiful cove where the water was crystal clear. On one of the last days, we went to a Luau where we all ate some good Hawaiian food and watched a show consisting of men dancing and singing and women hula dancing. At the end of the show, there was a man that did tricks with fire that was pretty unbelievable.
When it came to the last day of our trip, none of us wanted to leave the beautiful Hawaiian islands, but we were all looking forward to sleeping in our own beds again. It was a trip I will never forget, filled with lots of memories with my teammates and coaches.
I get my cast off soon and I'm very anxious to get back to practice and helping out the team. The next couple weeks are critical in how our season progresses. Tina, Young-A, and I (the three seniors) have been working towards winning a SEC Championship since our freshman year. With two awesome coaches and one of the best teams ever at UT, I think we have a great chance at ending this year with some fireworks.
No matter what happens, I will never be more sure that Tennessee was the right choice for me. I have learned so much about golf and life that will help me when I leave here. I have made many friendships that will last a lifetime. So, I'm very excited about what the next two months will bring, so look for us at the top at nationals in May! We'll find a way...
Go Lady Vols!
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