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Distinguished
ALUMNI
Ariadna Fonseca Diaz
Ariadna “ Ari ” Fonseca Diaz was born in Bogota . Colombia , and was raised in Venezuela . Ari began attended GGGA summer camps when she was 11 years and moved to the United States in 2013 . She is a member of the golf team at the University of Kansas . We caught up with Ari to ask her about her college experience and find out what she ’ s doing now .
How old were you when you first started playing golf ?
My father started playing golf with business associates . When I was just five years old , he took me to the range with him . I fell in love with golf and started playing . By the time I was nine years old , I was playing in tournaments .
When did you start training at GGGA and how did that training help prepare you for college golf ?
Living in South America , I knew I needed to play tournaments in the United States in order to play college golf . The only opportunity I had to play in the U . S . was during the summer . An agent who was a friend of my father told us about Gary Gilchrist . At 11 years old , I attended summer camp at GGGA for the first time .
At GGGA , I loved the people and enjoyed training and interacting with other students who were passionate about golf . The coaches at GGGA are always willing to help you even if you aren ’ t in their training group . After that first summer , I asked to come back every summer . Typically , I would train for the three weeks and then play tournaments for three weeks . That ’ s how I got my U . S . tournament experience .
In 2013 , I moved to the U . S . to finish high school . Junior year was a big adjustment . Being away from home while learning to balance academics and sports was tough that first year . I learned a lot about time management .
Tell me a little about what you are doing now .
I ’ m currently a senior at the University of Kansas majoring in accounting . When I graduate this year , I ’ ll remain here to pursue my masters in accounting . In 2020 , I ’ ll take the CPA and begin working at Deloitte in Chicago .
What ’ s the biggest difference between playing college golf than junior golf ?
The biggest transition I made was coming to the United States for my junior and senior years of high school . Being in a boarding school environment for the last two years of high school made the transition to college easier . In college , there is a lot more independence with your golf game . You definitely have requirements and expectation but you are responsible to take ownership of your training . By this point , you ’ ve learned how to meet those expectations and how to manage your responsibilities . Being outside your comfort zone , it is important to focus on time management . Take advantage of all the opportunities available so you can develop .
What do you love about being a college athlete ?
I love the support , the culture and camaraderie we have with our the team . Traveling to tournaments is so